פּירוש אויף במדבר 16:12

וישלח משה וגו׳ AND MOSES SENT [TO CALL DATHAN AND ABIRAM] — From here we may learn that one should not persist in strife (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 10), for, you see, Moses sought them out in order to conciliate them by peaceful words (Sanhedrin 110a).

“And they said, ‘We will not come up.’” To which mountain did He call them to ascend? And what did they mean when they said, Will you put out the eyes of these men? The explanation of the matter is that Moses sent for them to speak words of peace to their hearts, but they suspected Moses of sending for them because they were important figures and central to this dispute. They thought Moses wanted to offer them some position of authority as a form of bribery so they would withdraw from the dispute, and then automatically everyone else would withdraw as well. Therefore, they responded to Moses, We will not come up. That is, “We will not accept from you any elevation or position of authority as a bribe.” Regarding this they said, Will you put out the eyes of these men? Because a bribe blinds (Deuteronomy 16:19). They were saying, “Do you think you can blind our eyes with this bribe?” And to explain the phrase these men: It appears they were not referring to themselves but to all the men who were with them. For they meant, “Even if we keep quiet because you give us some position of authority or inheritance of field and vineyard, nevertheless, the men who are with us — all the more so are they defiant. Will you put out the eyes of those men who are with us, that they should be so blind as not to notice this scheme? Therefore, we will not come up — we will not accept from you any authority or elevation.”

AND MOSES SENT TO CALL DATHAN AND ABIRAM. Now Dathan and Abiram were the instigators of this controversy as much as Korach was, as Scripture states, Now Korach took … and Dathan and Abiram … and they rose up in the face of Moses with certain of the children of Israel etc.,⁸⁴Above, Verses 1-2. meaning that they were the ones who roused them together against Moses and Aaron. Then Moses spoke [once] to Korach and to all his company,⁸⁰Verse 5. and furthermore said to him: thou and all thy company,⁸⁵Verse 11. for it was to him [Korach] that he spoke first, since he was the leader amongst them. Now amongst those that were gathered together were also the followers of Dathan and Abiram; therefore Moses wanted to speak to them also now, and to warn them about themselves and all those who were gathered together [with them], who were their company, and to appease them with good words, even comforting words⁸⁶Zechariah 1:13. to Israel, since his [earlier] words to Korach were a conciliation only to the Levites.
The meaning of the expression and Moses sent is that Dathan and Abiram had gone away from his presence whilst he was speaking to Korach [as stated in Verses 5-7], and afterwards it again says, And Moses said unto Korach [Verse 8], who was still standing before him there, or maybe since Korach was a Levite he stayed in the camp of the Levites near the tent of Moses.⁸⁷Accordingly, the speech of Moses to Korach, which is recorded in Verses 8-11, took place near Moses’ and Korach’s tents, and not near the Tent of Meeting. All this happened on the first day [of the rebellion], just as Moses said, thou and they, and Aaron tomorrow,⁸⁰Verse 16. — this being the “morning” he mentioned to them: In the ‘morning’ the Eternal will make it known who are His.⁸⁸Above, Verse 5.
It is possible that Dathan and Abiram, as princes of the congregation,⁵⁴Above, Verse 2. were more distinguished than On the son of Peleth,⁵⁴Above, Verse [1]. and if they would have been won over to Moses, On would have followed their counsel; therefore Moses did not send for him. Thus On did not come, and was not present together with them [Dathan and Abiram], nor was he with Korach’s company; since he left him when Dathan and Abiram went away, while Moses was debating with Korach, and he never returned [to Korach’s company], because he changed his mind [after his original participation] on the advice of his wife who saved him, according to the words of our Rabbis.⁸⁹Sanhedrin 109b. She said to her husband: “What benefit will you have from this controversy? Either Moses remains master and you are his disciple, or Korach becomes master and you are his disciple!” For Scripture does not mention him [On] as one who was swallowed up [in the earth] together with Dathan and Abiram, nor was he among the company of those that gathered together against the Eternal⁹⁰See further, 27:3. who offered the incense, since there were two hundred and fifty men besides the four⁹¹I.e., Korach, Dathan, Abiram, and On the son of Peleth. Now since Scripture mentions these four men besides the two hundred and fifty (Verse 2), and the fire which burnt those who offered the incense, destroyed two hundred and fifty men (further, Verse 35), it follows that On must have been saved. The death of Korach, Dathan, and Abiram, however, is expressly mentioned separately (ibid., Verses 27, and 32-33). mentioned at first.