Commentaire sur Les Nombres 11:2

ויצעק העם אל משה AND THE PEOPLE CRIED UNTO MOSES — A parable! This may be compared to the case of an earthly king who was angry with his son, and the son went to a friend of his father and said to him, “Go and ask forgiveness for me from father!” (Sifrei Bamidbar 86).

ותשקע האש. This was something supernatural, not compatible with the normal behaviour of fire. Fire rises, does not sink into the earth.

Compared to a mortal king. For if not so, the Torah should have said “they cried out to Hashem.”

V. 2. ותשקע האש: es versank da, wo es brannte, und schritt nicht weiter fort.

ותשקע האש THEN THE FIRE SANK — it sank on the very spot; because if it had turned along one of the sides of the camp it would gradually have rolled along the whole of that side (Sifrei Bamidbar 86).

Into its place. (Kitzur Mizrochi) You might ask: If so, why did it not go upwards as is natural for fire. The answer is that Hashem showed them this in order that the fear of Heaven would always be upon them, lest they sin and the fire return to its previous form, to rise up and burn among them.