Midrash sur Les Nombres 16:11

(Numb. 16:6–7:) DO THIS: TAKE CENSERS, [KORAH AND ALL HIS (sic) COMPANY]; AND PUT FIRE IN THEM. What was his reason for saying this to them?²⁴Tanh., Numb.5:5, cont.; Numb. R. 18:8. He said to them: In the religions of those who serve stars there are many idols, many {NYMTRYN} [laws],²⁵NYMWSYN. Gk.: nomoi. and many idol priests. Do they all assemble in one house?²⁶Cf. the parallel, Tanh., Numb. 5:5, which adds a negative: “And they all do not assemble in one house.” The point here is that, because they worship different deities, which would have separate shrines, idol priests would function in these various shrines. Now as for me, I only have one God, one Torah, one justice, one altar, and one high priest; but you two hundred and fifty men are seeking high priesthood! I also am willing in this regard. (Numb. 16:11:) THEREFORE YOU AND ALL YOUR COMPANY HAVE COME TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD. (Numb. 16:6:) DO THIS: TAKE CENSERS. Here you have a ministry more precious than all the others. It is the incense, the most precious of the sacrifices. But a deadly poison had been put within it, through which Nadab and Abihu were burned. He therefore warned them (in vs. 7): THEN IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT THE MAN WHOM THE LORD CHOOSES IS THE HOLY ONE…. That one already has his sanctification. THEN IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT THE MAN WHOM THE LORD CHOOSES is already the one. Whomever THE LORD CHOOSES IS THE HOLY ONE. It is simply that Moses said to them: See, I am telling you that you are not to incur guilt on your two hundred and fifty souls, because when you sacrifice, <only> the one to be chosen from among you shall come out alive, and all <the rest> of you shall perish.

(Numb. 16:11:) THEREFORE YOU AND ALL YOUR COMPANY HAVE COME TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD. Is this dissension which you are creating against us? Is it not rather against the Holy One? It is comparable to a king who had a lot of slaves. He wanted to make one of them a freedman and give him the <centurion's> rod.³¹In imperial Rome the emperor’s freedmen were habitually given positions of power. He went further and made him <one of the> senators.³²Sinqelitin: Gk.: syngkletoi. His companions rose up against him. If he had made himself a freedman and taken this dignity for himself, it would have been well for them to rise up against him. Now that his master has acted for him, when anyone rises against him, is not such a one rising up against his master? So also did Moses say to them: If my brother Aaron had taken the priesthood for himself, it would have been well for you to murmur against him. <Since> the one who gave it to him was the Holy One, to whom belong royalty and high office, whenever someone rises against my brother Aaron, is he not taking sides against the Holy One? It is therefore written (in Numb. 16:11): AND AS FOR AARON, WHAT IS HE THAT YOU MURMUR AGAINST HIM? Come and see the piety of Aaron the Righteous! When Moses poured the anointing oil upon Aaron, Aaron trembled with fear. He said to his brother Moses: Perhaps I was not worthy to be anointed with the anointing oil; for I may have acted fraudulently and become liable to excision, since it is stated (in Exod. 30:32): UPON HUMAN FLESH IT SHALL NOT BE POURED.³³Lev. R. 3:6; M. Pss. 133:1. Therefore, the Holy One has testified over him (in Ps. 133:1–3): SEE HOW GOOD AND PLEASANT IT IS … ! IT IS LIKE THE PRECIOUS OIL [UPON THE HEAD] RUNNING DOWN ONTO THE BEARD, THE BEARD OF AARON …; LIKE THE DEW OF HERMON…. <Scripture> has compared the anointing oil with the dew of Hermon. As the dew of Hermon has no <rules concerning> fraudulent use, nether does the anointing oil that was on the head of Aaron have <rules concerning> fraudulent use. It is therefore written (in Numb. 16:11): <THEREFORE YOU AND ALL YOUR COMPANY> HAVE COME TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD.

[(Numb. 16:11, cont.:) AND AS FOR AARON, WHAT IS HE THAT YOU MURMUR AGAINST HIM?] With all these words Moses <tried to> appease Korah, but you do not find that he gave him any answer. Because he was clever in his wickedness, he said <to himself>: If I answer him, I know that, since he has great wisdom, he will now overwhelm me with his words and seduce me into being reconciled with him against my will. It is better that I not respond to him. When Moses saw that there was nothing to be gained with him, he withdrew from him. (Numb. 16:12:) THEN MOSES SENT TO SUMMON DATHAN AND ABIRAM <SONS OF ELIAB>.³⁴Numb. R. 18:10. They also persisted in their wickedness and did not care to answer him. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT THEY SAID: WE WILL NOT COME UP. Their <very> mouths tripped up <these> wicked men, for a covenant was made on <their> lips. So they went down to Sheol, as stated (in Numb. 16:33): SO THEY AND ALL THAT BELONGED TO THEM WENT DOWN ALIVE TO SHEOL. After they had gone down alive to sheol, they died.