מדרש אויף במדבר 26:11

Rabba expounded that which is written (in Hab. 3:11), “Sun and moon remain on high (zevul)”:⁵¹Numb. R. 18:20, cont.; Sanh. 110a. [This] teaches that the sun and moon ascended to Zebul and said to Him, “Master of the world, if you act justly toward the son of Amram, we shall go forth; but if not, we shall not go forth.” [So they refused to shine,] until He hurled darts at them, as stated (in Hab. 3:11, cont.), “they go for the light of your darts.” He said to them, “For My honor you did not protest,⁵²I.e., when people dishonored the Holy One by worshiping the sun and the moon. but for flesh and blood you did protest.” And at the present time until they are hit, they do not come out.⁵³The midrash draws of the second half of Hab. 3:11 to show that the Holy One must use arrows and a spear to force the sun and moon to shine. Rabba expounded what is written (in Numb. 16:30), “But if the Lord creates something new, [and the earth opens its mouth]”: To what [does the verse refer]? If we say to an actual creation of something, then is it not written (in Eccl. 1:9), “For there is nothing new under the sun.” Rather [it refers] to bringing the opening (into gehinnom) up close (to the surface of the earth where Korah was standing).⁵⁴The midrash sees the swallowing up of Korah and his companions as the first evidence for gehinnom. See Numb. R. 18:20; Sanh. 110a. (Numb. 26:11:) “The sons of Korah, however, did not die.” It was taught in the name of our master, “A place was set aside for them in gehinnom where they sat [and uttered hymnody].” Rabbah bar bar Hanah said, “One time it happened that we were travelling on the road, when a certain Arab merchant said to me,⁵⁵Similarly BB 74a. ‘Come, I will show you chasms of Korah.’⁵⁶Perhaps the straits of Scylla and Charybdis. So Jastrow, s.v., beli‘e. I went and saw two fissures out of which was coming smoke. He took a ball of clipped wool, steeped it in water, placed it on a spearhead, [and raised it] over them. Then he said to me, ‘Listen, what do you hear?’ I heard them saying, ‘Moses and his Torah represent truth, but they (i.e., Korah and his community) are liars.’” But in the future to come the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to take them out [of gehinnom]. Moreover, it is with reference to them that Hannah said (in I Sam. 2:6), “The Lord brings death and gives life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.”⁵⁷The Midrash finds an indication that the life and raising up here refer to life in the world to come, since they follow death and the descent into Sheol. Cf. Gen. R. 98:4; TSanh. 13:3; see ySanh. 10:1 (28a); 10:4 (29c).

Raba said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Haba. 3, 11) At the light of Thy arrows they walked along? Infer from this that the sun and the moon ascended to Zebul, and said: Sovereign of the Universe, if Thou wilst do justice to Ben Amram, we will go out [and shine] but if not, we will not go out.' They thereupon remained [not shining] until He shot arrows at them, saying, 'As long as My honor was concerned, you did not interfere, but when the honor of a frail man is at stake, you protest?' And since then they do not go out [to shine] until they are smitten. Raba lectured: "What is the meaning of the passage (Num. 16, 30) But if the Lord do create a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, i.e., Moses said before the Holy One, praised be He! 'If such is already created, well and good, but if not, the Lord shall create'." Shall we assume that it means that he should really create? Behold, (Eccl. 1, 9) And there is nothing new under the sun? We must therefore say that he meant to bring the opening of it near to them. (Num. 26, 11) But the sons of Korah did not die. In the name of Rabbi it was taught: "A place was prepared for them in Gehenna, in which they sat and chanted a song. Rabba b. b. Chana said: "Once I was walking in the deserts when an Arabian merchant said unto me: 'Come and I will show the place where Korah was swallowed up, etc. (as explained in Vol. 4, Book: BABA BATHRA in Chapter 5).

“And On son of Pelet” (Numbers 16:1) – why was his name On? It is because all his days were spent in acute mourning.³⁵He regretted his association with Koraḥ and the rest. “Son of Pelet” – a son for whom wonders [pelaot] were performed. Rav said: On ben Pelet, his wife saved him. She said to him: ‘What is in it for you in this dispute? If Aaron is the High Priest, you are a disciple, if Koraḥ is the High Priest, you are a disciple.’ She said to him: ‘I know that the entire assembly is holy, as it is stated in their regard: “The entire congregation, all of them are holy”’ (Numbers 16:3). What did she do? She gave him wine and got him intoxicated and lay him in bed. She sat at the door, she and her daughter, and she unbound her hair. Anyone who came for her husband On would withdraw. Meanwhile, they were swallowed. This is what is written: “The wise among women builds her house” (Proverbs 14:1) – this is On’s wife. “And the foolish will destroy it with her hands” (Proverbs 14:1) – this is Koraḥ’s wife.
“They arose before Moses…princes of [nesi’ei] the congregation” (Numbers 16:2) – the outstanding of the congregation.³⁶Nesi’ei is expounded to mean those raised [nisa’im] above the congregarion. “Distinguished of the convocation [mo’ed]” – who know how to intercalate the years and to determine months.³⁷Mo’ed is expounded in the sense of appointed times. “People of renown” – that have great renown in all areas.
“Moses heard” (Numbers 16:4) – what did he hear? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: It teaches that they suspected him regarding a married woman, as it is stated: “They were jealous [vaykanu] of Moses in the camp” (Psalms 106:16) – Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak said that Rav said: It teaches that everyone warned [kinei] his wife concerning Moses.³⁸This is the first step of the sota process, where a husband warns his wife not to enter into isolation with a certain man.
“[Moses arose and] went to Datan and Aviram” (Numbers 16:25) – Reish Lakish said: From here is learned that one does not perpetuate a dispute. Rav said: Anyone who perpetuates a dispute is in violation due to: “And he shall not be like Koraḥ and like his congregation” (Numbers 17:5). Rav Asi said: He³⁹Anyone who perpetuates a dispute. is fit to be afflicted with leprosy. Here it is written: “As the Lord spoke to him at the hand of Moses” (Numbers 17:5), and there it is written: “The Lord said to him further: Bring your hand…[and behold, his hand was leprous]” (Exodus 4:6).
Rabbi Ḥisda said: Anyone who enters into a dispute with his teacher, it is as though he enters into a dispute with the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “Who agitated against the Lord” (Numbers 26:9).⁴⁰The verse is referring to Datan and Aviram. Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: Anyone who quarrels with his teacher, it is as though he does so with the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “These are the waters of strife, where the children of Israel quarreled with the Lord” (Numbers 20:13). Rabbi Ḥanina said: Anyone who states a grievance against his teacher, it is as though he states a grievance against the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “Your complaints are not against us, but against the Lord” (Exodus 16:8). Rabbi Abbahu said: Anyone who thinks ill of his teacher, it is as though he thinks ill of the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “The people spoke against God and against Moses: Why did you take us up from Egypt….” (Numbers 21:5).
Rava expounded: What is it that is written: “The sun, the moon, stand in their abode [zevula]”? (Habakkuk 3:11).It teaches that the sun and the moon ascended to zevul.⁴¹The fourth of the seven heavens. They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, if you perform justice for the son of Amram, we will emerge; if not, we will not emerge,’ until He shot arrows at them. He said to them: ‘For My honor, you did not protest,⁴²When people worshiped the sun or the moon you did not protest. but for the honor of flesh and blood, you protested?’ Today, until He strikes them, they do not emerge.⁴³The sun and moon do not rise since they are protesting because of God's honor.
Rava expounded: What is it that is written: “But if the Lord creates a creation”? (Numbers 16:30). Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, if there is a creation of Gehenna, fine; but if not, let the Lord create it.’ What did he mean? You say to actually create it, but is it not written: “There is nothing new under the sun”? (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Rather, it is to bring the opening [of Gehenna] near.
“But Koraḥ’s sons did not die” (Numbers 26:11). It is taught in the name of our Rabbi: A place was fortified for them in Gehenna. Rabba bar bar Ḥana said: One time I was walking along the way, and a certain Arab said to me: ‘Come and I will show you the place of those of Koraḥ who were swallowed.’ I went and I saw two fissures from which smoke was emerging. He took a woollen fleece, soaked it in water, placed it on the tip of his spear and inserted it there. It was singed and fell. He said to me: ‘Listen; what do you hear?’ And I heard that this is what they were saying: ‘Moses and his Torah are truth, and they⁴⁴They are referring to themselves, having entered into a dispute with Moses. are liars.’ He said to me: ‘Every thirty days, Gehenna returns them here like meat in a cauldron, and they say this: Moses and his Torah are truth.’ But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He is destined to take them out. In their regard, Hannah said: “The Lord puts to death and brings to life; He lowers to the abyss and elevates” (I Samuel 2:6).