וַיְהִי֙ כְּכַלֹּת֔וֹ לְדַבֵּ֕ר אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַתִּבָּקַ֥ע הָאֲדָמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּחְתֵּיהֶֽם׃
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Midrash Tanchuma
(Numb. 16:31:) “Then it came to pass, as soon as he had finished speaking […, that the ground under them was split apart].” [This is] to teach you He causes retribution to spring up from any place that He wants.43Numb. R. 18:19. (Numb. 16:33:): “So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol.” Some say they are alive and being punished up to the present. (Ibid., cont.:) “Then the earth closed over them.” They perished but not their offices; indeed, other leaders were appointed in their stead. (Numb. 16:34:) “Then all Israel, since they were round about them, fled at their cry”; since they cried out to Moses, “Moses our master, save us!” (Numb. 16:35:) “And a fire went forth from the Lord [and consumed the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense].” These had been swallowed up, but those were burned; and Korah stood among those who were burned, as Moses had said (in Numb. 16:17), “you also and Aaron, each his censer.” Moreover, Korah received more [punishment] than all of them, in that he was [both] burned and swallowed up. And why were both sentences carried out against him? Because if he had been burned but not swallowed up, those who were swallowed up would have complained and said that though only Korah had brought retribution upon them, here they were being swallowed up while he escaped. But if he had been swallowed up and not burned, those who were burned would have complained and said, “Although only Korah brought this retribution upon us, here we are burned while he escaped.” For that reason he was condemned to both deaths. First in the sight of all who were being burned, he was set ablaze; in his hand was the censer with the incense in it, and [then] the fire rolled him up like a ball.44Numb. R. 18:19. And the fire rolled him along until it brought him to the mouth of the earth among those being swallowed up, as stated (in Numb. 16:32), “And the earth opened its mouth.”
Bamidbar Rabbah
“It was, as he concluded speaking all these words, the ground that was beneath them split” (Numbers 16:31) – to teach you that the Holy One blessed be He causes punishments to develop from any place that He chooses.
“They and everything that was theirs descended alive into the abyss, and the earth covered them, and they were lost from the midst of the assembly” (Numbers 16:33).
“Alive into the abyss” – some say that they live and endure to this day.
“Covered them” – they were eliminated, but not their positions of authority, as others were appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds.
“All Israel that were around them fled due to their sound, as they said: Lest the earth swallow us” (Numbers 16:34).
“All Israel…fled due to their sound” – as they were screaming with their voices: ‘Moses our teacher, save us!’
“Fire emerged from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men, the presenters of the incense” (Numbers 16:35).
“Fire emerged from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men, the presenters of the incense” – these were swallowed and those were consumed, and Koraḥ was standing among the consumed, as Moses said: “And you and Aaron, each his firepan” (Numbers 16:17). Koraḥ was stricken more that all of them, as he was consumed and swallowed. Why were two sentences executed upon him? It is because had he been consumed and not swallowed, the swallowed would have protested that is was none other than Koraḥ who brought this punishment upon them, and they are swallowed and he is spared? Had he been swallowed and not consumed, the consumed would have protested that is was none other than Koraḥ who brought this punishment upon them, and they were consumed and he was spared? That is why he was sentenced to two deaths. The fire first blazed before the eyes of the consumed, in whose hands were the firepan and the incense that was in it. The fire folded him into a ball and the fire rolled him until it brought him to the mouth of the earth with the swallowed, as it is stated: “The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, and their households, and all the people who were with Koraḥ, and all the property” (Numbers 16:32).
“They and everything that was theirs descended alive into the abyss, and the earth covered them, and they were lost from the midst of the assembly” (Numbers 16:33).
“Alive into the abyss” – some say that they live and endure to this day.
“Covered them” – they were eliminated, but not their positions of authority, as others were appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds.
“All Israel that were around them fled due to their sound, as they said: Lest the earth swallow us” (Numbers 16:34).
“All Israel…fled due to their sound” – as they were screaming with their voices: ‘Moses our teacher, save us!’
“Fire emerged from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men, the presenters of the incense” (Numbers 16:35).
“Fire emerged from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men, the presenters of the incense” – these were swallowed and those were consumed, and Koraḥ was standing among the consumed, as Moses said: “And you and Aaron, each his firepan” (Numbers 16:17). Koraḥ was stricken more that all of them, as he was consumed and swallowed. Why were two sentences executed upon him? It is because had he been consumed and not swallowed, the swallowed would have protested that is was none other than Koraḥ who brought this punishment upon them, and they are swallowed and he is spared? Had he been swallowed and not consumed, the consumed would have protested that is was none other than Koraḥ who brought this punishment upon them, and they were consumed and he was spared? That is why he was sentenced to two deaths. The fire first blazed before the eyes of the consumed, in whose hands were the firepan and the incense that was in it. The fire folded him into a ball and the fire rolled him until it brought him to the mouth of the earth with the swallowed, as it is stated: “The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, and their households, and all the people who were with Koraḥ, and all the property” (Numbers 16:32).
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
(Numb. 16:31:) THEN IT CAME TO PASS, AS SOON AS HE HAD FINISHED SPEAKING […], THAT THE GROUND UNDER THEM WAS SPLIT APART, since he causes retribution to spring up from any place that he wants.51Tanh., Numb. 5:9; Numb. R. 18:19.