Midrash sur Les Nombres 11:2

(Numb. 16:1:) “[Korah who is] the son of Izhar [who is] the son of Kohath [who is] the son of Levi betook himself.” But there is not written "the son of Jacob" [or] "the son of Israel."¹⁸Numb. R. 18:5; cf.Gen. R. 98:5. This text is related (to Gen. 49:6), “Let not my soul come into their council,” i.e., that of the spies; “and let not my glory be joined with their congregation,” i.e., that of Korah. Jacob said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, with reference to the spies and with reference to the dissension of Korah, let not my name be mentioned [in connection with] those evil men, who are going to cause provocation. So when should my name (Israel) be joined upon them? When they are joined together to stand on the dais (as Levitical singers), as stated (I Chron. 6:[17,] 22–23) ‘[These are the ones whom David put in charge of song in the house of the Lord….] The son of Assir [who is] the son of Ebiasaph [who is] the son of Korah [who is] the son of Izhar [who is] the son of Kohath [who is] the son of Levi [who is] the son of Israel.’” (Numb. 16:1, cont.:) “Along with Dathan and Abiram.” From here the sages said, “Woe to the wicked one, [and] woe to his neighbor.”¹⁹Numb. R. 18:5, cont.; see Neg. 12:6; Sifra to Lev.14:40 (157: Metsora‘, pereq 4); ARN, A, 9; cf. ARN, B, 16; Numb.R. 3:12; Suk. 56b; above, Numb.1:13. As see that Dathan and Abiram were destroyed by the dissent of Korah, because they were neighbors of Korah. As he was dwelling to the south (of the tabernacle), as stated (in Numb. 3:29), “The families of the Children of Kohath were to camp along the side of the tabernacle to the south.” The standard of Reuben was near them, as stated (in Numb. 2:10), “The standard of the camp of Reuben shall be to the south.” However, the standard of Judah was in the east, and with him were Issachar and Zebulun, as stated (in Numb. 2:3), “Now these camping in front to the east shall be the standard of the camp of Judah.” And near them were Moses, Aaron, and his children, as written (in Numb. 3:38), “Those who camped before the tabernacle, in front before the tent of meeting to the east, were Moses, Aaron, and his children.” Because these were near the Torah, they were therefore worthy to be Torah scholars, as written (in Ps. 60:9), “Judah is my lawgiver.”²⁰Mehoqeq. Most translations render the word as scepter, since kingship was what Judah actually attained. And it is [also] written (in I Chron. 12:33), “And from the Children of Issachar, those who had an understanding of the times.” And it is [also] written (in Jud. 5:14), “and from Zebulon those who wield the scribal pen.” But Dathan and Abiram, who were neighbors to Korah – the one responsible for the dissent – were struck with him and perished from the world. (Numb. 16:19:) “And Korah gathered [the whole community] against them.” He said to them (in Numb. 16:3), “’You have gone too far, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them.’²¹Numb. R. 18:6. Moreover, every one of them heard on Sinai (in Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6), ‘I am the Lord your God.’ (Numb. 16:3, cont.:) ‘So why do you elevate yourselves?’” Immediately Moses trembled, because it was already the fourth transgression on their hands. It is comparable to a king's son who had transgressed against his father. Now his friend effected a reconciliation with him once,²²Rt.: PSY. See the Gk.: peithein, peisai in the aorist. twice, and three times. When he transgressed a fourth time, the king's friend became discouraged. He said, “How many times shall I bother the king?” So also [it was with] Moses towards Israel. They had sinned with the calf, and (according to Exod. 32:11) “Moses implored.” In the case of the murmurers, (according to Numb. 11:2) “Moses prayed.” In the case of the spies, (according to Numb. 14:13), “Moses said unto the Lord, when the Egyptians hear [what happened].” [So] in the case of Korah's dissension, he became discouraged. He said, “How often can I bother the Omnipresent?” Therefore (in Numb. 16:4), “When Moses heard this, he fell on his face.”

(Numb. 16:19): AND KORAH GATHERED <THE WHOLE COMMUNITY> AGAINST THEM. He said to them (in Numb. 16:3): <YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR,> FOR ALL THE CONGREGATION ARE HOLY, EVERY ONE OF THEM, [AND THE LORD IS IN THE MIDST OF THEM].²¹Tanh., Numb. 5:4, cont.; Numb.R. 18:6. Moreover, every one of them heard on Sinai (in Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6): I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD. (Numb. 16:3, cont.:) SO WHY DO YOU ELEVATE YOURSELVES? Immediately Moses trembled, because it was already the fourth transgression on their hands. It is comparable to a king's son who had transgressed against his father. Now his friend effected a reconciliation with him once,²²Rt.: PSY. See the Gk.: peithein, peisai in the aorist. twice, and three times. When he transgressed a fourth time, the king's friend became discouraged. He said: How many times shall I bother the king. So also <it was with> Moses. They had sinned with the calf, AND (according to Exod. 32:11) MOSES IMPLORED <THE LORD HIS GOD>. In the case of the murmurers, (according to Numb. 11:2) MOSES PRAYED UNTO THE LORD. [In the case of the spies, (according to Numb. 14:13): MOSES SAID UNTO THE LORD:] WHEN THE EGYPTIANS HEAR <WHAT HAPPENED>….: In the case of Korah's dissension, he became discouraged. He said: How often can I bother the Omnipresent? Therefore (in Numb. 16:4): WHEN MOSES HEARD THIS, HE FELL ON HIS FACE.

6 (Numb. 16:19) “And Korah gathered [the whole community] against them”: He said to them (in Numb. 16:3), “’You have gone too far, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them.’ Moreover, every one of them heard on Sinai (in Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6), ‘I am the Lord your God.’ (Numb. 16:3, cont.,) ‘So why do you elevate yourselves?’” If only you had heard, and they did not hear, you could have said [that you are more worthy]. But now they all heard, “so why do you elevate [yourselves]?” Immediately Moses trembled, because it was already the fourth transgression on their hands. It is comparable to a king's son who had transgressed against his father. Now his friend effected a reconciliation with him once,¹⁶Rt.: PSY. See the Gk.: peithein, peisai in the aorist. twice, and three times. When he transgressed a fourth time, the king's friend became discouraged. He said, “How many times shall I bother the king?” So also [it was with] Moses towards Israel. They had sinned with the calf, and (according to Exod. 32:11,) “Moses implored.” In the case of the murmurers, (according to Numb. 11:2,) “Moses prayed.” In the case of the spies, (according to Numb. 14:13,) “Moses said unto the Lord, when the Egyptians hear [what happened].” [So] in the case of Korah's dissension, he said, “How often can I bother the Omnipresent?” Therefore (in Numb. 16:4), “When Moses heard this, he fell on his face.”

Rabban Gamaliel said: Israel also slandered the Holy One, blessed be He, (by) saying: Wilt thou say that He has power to feed us in the wilderness? as it is said, "Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Behold, he smote the rock, that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed" (Ps. 78:19, 20). The Holy One, blessed be He, heard that they slandered His Glory, || and from His Glory, which is a consuming fire, He sent against them a fire which consumed them round about, as it is said, "And the people were as murmurers… and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp" (Num. 11:1). The Israelites betook themselves to our teacher Moses, and they said to him: Moses, our lord! Let these be given like sheep to the slaughter, but not to the fire which is consuming fire. Moses saw the plight of Israel, and he arose to pray on their behalf, and He was entreated of him, as it is said, "And the people cried unto Moses" (Num. 11:2).

No man departs from this world until some of that fire, which rested among the sons of man, passes over him, as it is said, "And the fire rested" (Num. 11:2). ||

(Bamidbar 11:2) "And the people cried out to Moses": How would Moses help them? Should it not be "And the people cried out to the L-rd"? — R. Shimon says: An analogy: A king was angry with his son, and he went to the king's loved one and said to him: Please intercede for me with father. Thus, Israel went to him: Please intercede for us with the L-rd. I might think that Moses would demur; it is, therefore, written "and Moses prayed to the L-rd." I might think that the L-rd would demur; it is, therefore, written "and the fire sank" — it sank in its place. If it returned to the heavens, they would revert to their wrong, and if it went to the side, it would raze that entire side, wherefore it sank in its place. (Ibid. 3) "And he called the name of that place 'Taveirah'" ("conflagration"). As one would say: Leave that fire burning in its place. Thus did Moses say to Israel: Repent and the fire will subside; if not, it is still (burning) in its place. "for the fire of the L-rd burned in them": It was called thus because of the event, and not because that was its name in the past. Similarly, (Shemot 17:7) "And he called the name of the place Massah and Merivah." I might think that that was its name in the past; it is, therefore, written "because of the quarrel (riv [as in "Merivah"]) of the children of Israel" — it was thus called because of the event. Similarly, (Bamidbar 11:34) "And he called the name of that place Kivroth Hata'avah." I might think that that was its name in the past; it is, therefore, written "for there they buried (kavru) the people that lusted (hamitavim)" — it was thus called because of the event. But you still do not know who were those who incited them to this transgression. — It is written (Bamidbar, Ibid. 4) "And the asafsuf in its midst (lusted lust"). These are the converts that were "added on" (hanosafim [as in "asafsuf"]) to them — how much more so the common Jews (i.e., the rabble). R. Shimon b. Menassia says: These ("the asafsuf") are the elders, viz. (Ibid. 11:16) "Gather (asfah) unto me seventy men from the elders of Israel." If thus, the elders, how much more so, the commoners! Similarly, (Bereshit 6:2) "And the sons of the judges saw the daughters of man, etc." What did they do? They would seize women from the marketplace and "afflict" them. If thus, the sons of the judges, how much more so the commoners? "they lusted lust": I might think that they lusted something they did not have; it is, therefore, written "Who will feed us flesh," (which implies that they lusted something which they had.) "and the children of Israel also wept again," which teaches us that the first ones (viz. Ibid. 2) were the children of Israel. "And they said: 'Who will feed us flesh?'" Now is it because they did not have flesh that they grumbled? Is it not written (Shemot 12:38) "And also a mixed multitude went up with them, and flocks and herds, etc."? I might think that they had eaten them in the desert, but is it not written upon their entering the land (Bamidbar 32:1) "And much livestock were possessed by the sons of Reuven and the sons of Gad, etc."? But (the truth is that) they were only seeking a pretext to abandon the L-rd.