Musar sobre Números 16:14

What were Datan and Aviram's considerations? They first considered that as descendants of Reuben, the firstborn amongst the tribes, they were entitled to high positions. As a result they perverted justice by denying that Moses was a prophet, i.e. his having been appointed as leader rightfully. Their sin was the greed which causes a person to lose his life in this world and the World to Come, the exact reverse of the recipe for riches: counting one's blessings, as we have learned from Ben Zoma in Avot. They had thought that Moses had secured his leadership position only to enrich himself and his family, that he appointed Aaron and his sons Priests and the members of his tribe as Levites only so they could live off the various gifts that the Israelites had to hand over to them. They also thought that they had wanted to monopolise these positions since the bringing of incense enriches those who offer it (Yuma 26). This is why they complained saying: "did you give us the inheritance of field or vineyard" (16,14)? This is the meaning of: "they assumed an upright position at the entrance of their tent, etc." (16,27). They failed to remember that the mezuzah's metaphysical dimension is sufficient to assure financial security, as pointed out earlier. I have already outlined that the three negative virtues of jealousy, greed, and the pursuit of personal honour, correspond to the problems associated with power, wealth, and wisdom respectively. The three areas in which man has to achieve a degree of perfection are his body, his financial resources, and his spiritual resources (his soul). The three commandments which provide help in achieveing these perfections are ציצית, מזוזה, and תפילין. By garbing himself in the mantle of jealousy Korach scoffed at the commandment of ציצית. Datan and Aviram who garbed themselves in greed had failed to pay attention to their מזוזה and what it stood for. The two hundred and fifty men erred in respect of the commandment of תפילין, as we shall explain.