Комментарий к Бамидбар 17:10

GET YOU UP FROM AMONG THIS CONGREGATION, THAT I MAY CONSUME THEM IN A MOMENT. I have not understood the intention of this verse, nor of its companion above, Separate yourselves from among this congregation,¹⁸⁹Above, 16:21. for G-d has the power to kill many people in a plague around one righteous person, and he alone remains [alive], as happened during [the plague on] the firstborn of Egypt. Similarly it happened in all other plagues [throughout the generations], that three people would sleep under one blanket — two of them would die whilst the middle one would be saved! It would appear, therefore, that the wrath went forth to slay even the whole congregation with the death of these sinners [Korach and his associates], who had followed in their way, [and so became liable to death either] by the earth opening its mouth or by a consuming fire — these being general punishments which kill all those who are standing there together, unless a miracle of an unusual nature occurs [to save some individuals amongst the people].¹⁹⁰The thought suggested here is as follows: Moses and Aaron would have been in no danger themselves even if they had not gone away from the midst of the congregation. But since there were some people there who had sympathized with Korach, Moses was commanded to leave that place so that all people should realize the danger involved in remaining there (Kur Zahav). Or it may be that the Holy One, blessed be He, said this [Get you up …] in honor of the righteous men, for as long as they were amongst them [the sinners], He would not stretch forth His hand against them. The intention in these and similar words is to inform them that they have to plead for mercy and forgiveness, and Moses in his zeal did so immediately.

הרמו מתון העדה הזאת, "get up from amongst this congregation, etc." G'd did not speak about Moses and Aaron but to all those who had not joined the ones who had accused Moses and Aaron. Proof of the fact that my interpretation is correct is the word לאמר, which always means that others are to be informed. The word הזאת, "this," further indicates that only the people who had actively accused Moses of wrongdoing were slated to be destroyed. This also explains the need for G'd to have said הרומו altogether. After all, G'd has no problem in killing the wicked in the very presence of the righteous as He had done when He killed the firstborn in Egypt and their family members did not have to leave their houses first. If you accept our interpretation, however, the instruction הרמו makes sense as even the people not guilty of accusing Moses now were under sentence of death already and unless they demonstrated that they were not involved in this sin the angel of death would execute them now. (I refer you to my commentary on Numbers 16,21).

הרמו, a similar construction in the imperative mode to המולו in Jeremiah 4,4. However, on account of the letter ר in our word the vowel chirik has been changed to the vowel tzeyre. We encounter similar changes in the vowel pattern in such words as ברך, beyrech, and birech on account of the dagesh. The reason why the Torah speaks here of הרמו instead of הבדלו in 16,21 which was a far weaker command is that by now G’d’s anger was at full strength as Korach’s punishment had apparently not had the desired effect.