Midras Bilangan 26:10: Midrash Tehillim & Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)

Another interpretation of “Blessed is the person” (Psalms 1:1) – these are the children of Korah who didn’t walk in the counsel of their father, as it is said, “Move away from the tents of these wicked people” (Numbers 16:26); “in the way of sinners” (Psalms 1:1) [also refers to the Korah rebellion, as it is said,] “the firepans of those sinners” (Numbers 17:3); “and the company of scoffers” (Psalms 1:1) – this refers to Korah, since he scoffed over Moses and over Aaron. What did he do? He assembled all the congregation, as it is said, “Korah gathered the entire community against them” (Numbers 16:19). He began to scoff, and he said to them, “There was a widow in my neighbourhood, and she had two young orphaned daughters, and she owned a single field. She came to plough [her field], and Moses said to her, “You shall not plough with an ox and a donkey together” (Deuteronomy 22:10). She came to sow [her seeds in her field] and Moses said to her “You shall not sow two types of seed together in your field” (Leviticus 19:19). She came to harvest, and to make bundles [of her harvested crop], and he told her to leave the forgotten gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and the corners [of her field, for poor people to gather]. She came to thresh [her produce] and he said to her [that she must give] a gift [to the priest], the tithe [of a Levi to a priest], the tithe of an Israelite to a Levite, and the second tithe [to be eaten by its owner in Jerusalem during specific years of the agricultural cycle]. She made herself right with the law and gave [all of these taxes] to him. What did she do? She sold her field and bought two sheep, in order to dress herself with their shearings, and to benefit from their offspring. When they gave birth, Aaron came and said to her, “Give me the first born, because the Holy One, blessed be He, told me, “[You shall consecrate to the Lord you God] all the male firstlings that are born in your herd and in your flock” (Deuteronomy 15:19).” She made herself right with the law and gave them to him. The time for shearing came along and she sheared them. [Aaron] said to her, “Give me the first of your shearing, because the Holy One, blessed be He, told me, “The first of the shearings of your flock should be given to him” (Deuteronomy 18:4).” She said [to herself], “I don’t have the strength to withstand this person, behold, I’m going to slaughter them and eat them.” Once she had slaughtered them, he said, “Give me the foreleg, the jaw, and the stomach.” She said to him, “Even after I slaughtered them, I wasn’t saved from his hand, let [the sheep] be proscribed to me [as if to say, I altogether wash my hands of these sheep!]” He told her to give him [what remained of the sheep], for so the scripture says, “Everything that has been proscribed shall be yours” (Numbers 18:14).” He took [the remains of the sheep] and he went on his way. He left her and her two daughters weeping. Can such appropriation be according to the law?! This is wretched looting! All of this they do, and they hang it upon the Holy One, blessed be He!” From here [we can see that] he was a scoffer. “But his delight is in the Torah of God” (Psalms 1:2), this refers to his children who sang a song [of praise to God], and they said, “We are obligated to honour our father, let us apportion honour [instead] to Moses our teacher. They stood, and they established themselves [as being on the side of Moses] because of the honour [due to] Moses; “and on His Torah he meditates [day and night]” (ibid.), this refers to the children of Korah. When the congregation of Korah were swallowed up, his children were [left standing on a pillar of earth that didn’t sink down; rising from the depths] like the mast of a ship, as it is says, “and they became an example” (Numbers 26:10). [The verse is referring to those who died, serving as an example. But the Midrash re-reads the verse creatively to suggest that Korah’s righteous children were left standing like a ship’s mast, since the word for an example, in this verse, נס, can also mean a banner; like one finds on the mast of a ship – the wicked people who died were one sort of example, and the children of Korah were a different sort of example]. Rabbi [Yehuda Ha-Nassi] says all of the [earth] surrounding them was torn away, but the earth upon which [the children of Korah] was standing was not torn. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said, the three [children of Korah] were not standing in the same place. Rather, each one of them was standing in their own location, and they [were left looking] like three pillars. This accords with the teaching [that says], “Upon what does the world stand? Upon three pillars.” There are those that say [that these three pillars] are the three forefathers. There are those that say [that these three pillars] are Chananya, Mishael, and Azariya [from the book of Daniel]. And there are those that say [that these three pillars are] the three children of Korah. “Not so the wicked” (Psalms 1:4) — this refers to Korah and his congregation. “For God knows the way of the righteous” (Psalms 1:6) — this refers to the children of Korah; “but the way of the wicked is doomed” (ibid.) — this refers to Korah and his congregation.

R. Chama b. Chanina said: "Three treasuries were hidden by Joseph in Egypt, one was found by Korah, and the second by ben Severus, and the third is still hidden for the righteous in the future." R. Jochanan said: "Korah was neither of those who were swallowed, nor of those who were burned. Neithed of those who were swallowed, as it is written (Num. 16, 32) And all the men that appertained unto Korah, — but not Korah himself; nor from those who were burned, as it is written (Ib. 26, 10) The fire devoured the two hundred and fifty men, — but not Korah." In a Baraitha, however, it was stated that Korah was among both the burnt and the swallowed. Among the swallowed, as it is written (Ib.) And swallowed them up together with Korah; and burned, as it is written (Ib. 16, 35) And there came out a fire … and consumed the two hundred and fifty, and Korah was among them.

Therefore, we will not fear when the land is exchanged. The sons of Korah said, "Do not fear him, for the day is coming when the Holy One, blessed be He, will shake the wicked from the earth, as it is said, 'That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it' (Job 38:13). And it is said, 'For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth' (Isaiah 65:17). And where will the righteous be standing at that time? 'But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day' (Deuteronomy 4:4). The sons of Korah said to them, 'Do not fear, for we have seen all the miracles that the Holy One, blessed be He, has done for us, as it is said, 'And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up' (Numbers 16:32). And where were we at that time? We were in the air. And it is also said, 'And the sons of Korah died not' (Numbers 26:11). Rabbi Nehemiah says it was not so, but at the moment when the earth opened and swallowed them up, the Holy One, blessed be He, stood them up like the mast of a ship. And it is said, 'And they shall be a sign' (Numbers 26:10). And the sons of Korah said, 'Do not fear, for we know what the Holy One, blessed be He, has done for us. We will not fear when the land is exchanged.' And it is said, 'For the mountains shall depart' (Isaiah 54:10).