Chasidut su Numeri 3:30
וּנְשִׂ֥יא בֵֽית־אָ֖ב לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֑י אֶלִיצָפָ֖ן בֶּן־עֻזִּיאֵֽל׃
il principe dei padri'casa delle famiglie dei kahathiti essendo elisapanico figlio di Uzziel,
Kedushat Levi
In his comment on the words ודתן ואבירם, Rashi adds that whereas these members of the tribe of Reuven had been angry that their tribe had not been accorded the privileges due to the first born, i.e. their founding father Reuven, Korach was angry at not having been appointed as the leader of Kehatites, rather than Elitzafan ben Uzziel whom Moses had appointed at G’d’s instruction. (Compare Numbers 3,30). Rashi explains that Korach felt slighted, feeling that since he was the first born son of Yitzhar who was the second son of Amram, this position was rightfully his, seeing that Elitzafan son of Uzziel was the son of someone junior to his father.
Our author wonders that if Korach’s dissatisfaction had dated back to these appointments described by the Torah in the third chapter of Parshat Bamidbar, why had he not complained at that time?
Our author answers this by reminding us that at that time, before the episode with the spies, when it was assumed by the people that they would all enter the Holy Land and secure their ancestral heritage there, the position of tribal head or even that of head of one of the three sections of the Levites, would prove to have been a very temporary position, as entry into the land of Israel was expected to take place within less than a year. Now that they were condemned to spend 40 years wandering in the desert this position carried with it far more importance. Korach’s jealousy therefore had been aroused at this time.
Our author wonders that if Korach’s dissatisfaction had dated back to these appointments described by the Torah in the third chapter of Parshat Bamidbar, why had he not complained at that time?
Our author answers this by reminding us that at that time, before the episode with the spies, when it was assumed by the people that they would all enter the Holy Land and secure their ancestral heritage there, the position of tribal head or even that of head of one of the three sections of the Levites, would prove to have been a very temporary position, as entry into the land of Israel was expected to take place within less than a year. Now that they were condemned to spend 40 years wandering in the desert this position carried with it far more importance. Korach’s jealousy therefore had been aroused at this time.
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