| 20The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron saying, |
|
כוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 21"Dissociate yourselves from this congregation, and I will consume them in an instant. |
|
כאהִבָּ֣דְל֔וּ מִתּ֖וֹךְ הָֽעֵדָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את וַֽאֲכַלֶּ֥ה אֹתָ֖ם כְּרָֽגַע: |
| 22They fell on their faces and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, if one man sins, shall You be angry with the whole congregation?" |
|
כבוַיִּפְּל֤וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֕ל אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָֽרוּחֹ֖ת לְכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר הָאִ֤ישׁ אֶחָד֙ יֶֽחֱטָ֔א וְעַ֥ל כָּל־הָֽעֵדָ֖ה תִּקְצֹֽף: |
| O God, the God of the spirits: [God Who] knows the thoughts [of every man]. Your attributes are not like those of earthly beings. A mortal king against whom part of his country transgresses does not know who the sinner is, and, therefore, when he is angry, he metes out punishment upon them all. But as for You, all thoughts are revealed before You, and You know who the sinner is. - [Midrash Tanchuma Korach 7, Num. Rabbah 11] |
|
אֵל אֱלֹהֵי הָֽרוּחֹת:
יוֹדֵעַ מַחֲשָׁבוֹת; אֵין מִדָּתְךָ כְּמִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם, מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁסָּרְחָה עָלָיו מִקְצָת מְדִינָה, אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מִי הַחוֹטֵא, לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁהוּא כוֹעֵס נִפְרָע מִכֻּלָּם, אֲבָל אַתָּה, לְפָנֶיךָ גְלוּיוֹת כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת וְיוֹדֵעַ אַתָּה מִי הַחוֹטֵא (שם):
|
| if one man: [If one man] is the sinner, shall You be angry with the whole congregation? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “You have spoken well. I know and will make known who sinned and who did not sin.” - [Midrash Tanchuma Korach 7, Num. Rabbah 11] |
|
הָאִישׁ אֶחָד:
הוּא הַחוֹטֵא וְאַתָּה עַל כָּל הָעֵדָה תִּקְצֹף; אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, יָפֶה אֲמַרְתֶּם, אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ וּמוֹדִיעַ מִי חָטָא וּמִי לֹא חָטָא (שם):
|
| 23The Lord spoke to Moses saying, |
|
כגוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 24"Speak to the congregation saying, 'Withdraw from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.'" |
|
כדדַּבֵּ֥ר אֶל־הָֽעֵדָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵֽעָלוּ֙ מִסָּבִ֔יב לְמִשְׁכַּן־קֹ֖רַח דָּתָ֥ן וַֽאֲבִירָֽם: |
| Withdraw: Heb. הֵעָלוּ, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: Withdraw from around Korah’s tent. |
|
הֵֽעָלוּ:
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, הִסְתַּלְּקוּ מִסְּבִיבוֹת מִשְׁכַּן קֹרַח:
|
| 25Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. |
|
כהוַיָּ֣קָם משֶׁ֔ה וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־דָּתָ֣ן וַֽאֲבִירָ֑ם וַיֵּֽלְכ֥וּ אַֽחֲרָ֖יו זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| Moses arose: He thought they would show him respect, but they did not. - [Midrash Tanchuma Korach 8, Num. Rabbah 12] |
|
וַיָּקָם משֶׁה:
כְּסָבוּר שֶׁיִּשְּׂאוּ לוֹ פָנִים וְלֹא עָשׂוּ:
|
| 26He spoke to the congregation saying, "Please get away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything of theirs, lest you perish because of all their sins. |
|
כווַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אֶל־הָֽעֵדָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר ס֣וּרוּ נָ֡א מֵעַל֩ אָֽהֳלֵ֨י הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָֽרְשָׁעִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְאַל־תִּגְּע֖וּ בְּכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם פֶּן־תִּסָּפ֖וּ בְּכָל־חַטֹּאתָֽם: |
| 27So they withdrew from around the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and Dathan and Abiram went out standing upright at the entrance of their tents together with their wives, their children, and their infants. |
|
כזוַיֵּֽעָל֗וּ מֵעַ֧ל מִשְׁכַּן־קֹ֛רַח דָּתָ֥ן וַֽאֲבִירָ֖ם מִסָּבִ֑יב וְדָתָ֨ן וַֽאֲבִירָ֜ם יָֽצְא֣וּ נִצָּבִ֗ים פֶּ֚תַח אָֽהֳלֵיהֶ֔ם וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֥ם וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם וְטַפָּֽם: |
| went out standing upright: Heb. נִצָּבִים, with a haughty bearing, to curse and to blaspheme, as in, “he stationed himself (וַיּתְיַצֵּב) [in an arrogant manner] for forty days” (I Sam. 17:16), said in reference to Goliath. - [Mid. Tanchuma Korach 3, 8, Num. Rabbah 12] |
|
יָֽצְאוּ נִצָּבִים:
בְּקוֹמָה זְקוּפָה — לְחָרֵף וּלְגַדֵּף, כְּמוֹ (שמואל א י"ז) "וַיִּתְיַצֵּב אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם" דְּגָלְיָת (תנחומא):
|
| their wives, their children, and their infants: Come and see the severity of dispute. The earthly courts do not punish until [an accused] has two [pubic] hairs, and the heavenly court does not punish until one reaches the age of twenty, but here even nursing babes were punished. - [Midrash Tanchuma Korach 3] |
|
וּנְשֵׁיהֶם וּבְנֵיהֶם וְטַפָּֽם:
בֹּא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה קָשָׁה הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת, שֶׁהֲרֵי בֵית דִּין שֶׁל מַטָּה אֵין עוֹנְשִׁין אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁיָּבִיא שְׁתֵּי שְׂעָרוֹת, וּבֵית דִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה עַד עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה, וְכָאן אָבְדוּ אַף יוֹנְקֵי שָׁדַיִם (שם):
|
| 28Moses said, "With this you shall know that the Lord sent me to do all these deeds, for I did not devise them myself. |
|
כחוַיֹּ֘אמֶר֘ משֶׁה֒ בְּזֹאת֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּן כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֣ה שְׁלָחַ֔נִי לַֽעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַמַּֽעֲשִׂ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה כִּי־לֹ֖א מִלִּבִּֽי: |
| to do all these deeds: That I did by the word of God: to give Aaron the kehunah gedolah, his sons the deputy kehunah, and Elizaphan the chieftainship of the Kohathites. |
|
לַֽעֲשׂוֹת אֵת כָּל־הַמַּֽעֲשִׂים הָאֵלֶּה:
שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר, לָתֵת לְאַהֲרֹן כְּהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה וּבָנָיו סְגָנֵי כְהֻנָּה, וֶאֱלִיצָפָן נְשִׂיא הַקְּהָתִי:
|
| 29If these men die as all men die and the fate of all men will be visited upon them, then the Lord has not sent me. |
|
כטאִם־כְּמ֤וֹת כָּל־הָֽאָדָם֙ יְמֻת֣וּן אֵ֔לֶּה וּפְקֻדַּת֙ כָּל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם יִפָּקֵ֖ד עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם לֹ֥א יְהֹוָ֖ה שְׁלָחָֽנִי: |
| the Lord has not sent me: But I did everything on my own, and he [Korah] is in the right for opposing me. - [Mid. Tanchuma Korach 8, Num. Rabbah 12] |
|
לֹא ה' שְׁלָחָֽנִי:
אֶלָּא אֲנִי עָשִׂיתִי הַכֹּל מִדַּעְתִּי, וּבְדִין הוּא חוֹלֵק עָלַי:
|
| 30But if the Lord creates a creation, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that is theirs, and they descend alive into the grave, you will know that these men have provoked the Lord." |
|
לוְאִם־בְּרִיאָ֞ה יִבְרָ֣א יְהֹוָ֗ה וּפָֽצְתָ֨ה הָֽאֲדָמָ֤ה אֶת־פִּ֨יהָ֙ וּבָֽלְעָ֤ה אֹתָם֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָהֶ֔ם וְיָֽרְד֥וּ חַיִּ֖ים שְׁאֹ֑לָה וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֧י נִֽאֲצ֛וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה: |
| But if… a creation: A new one. |
|
וְאִם־בְּרִיאָה:
חֲדָשָׁה:
|
| the Lord creates: to kill them through a death by which no man has died until now. And what is this creation? |
|
יִבְרָא ה':
לְהָמִית אוֹתָם בְּמִיתָה שֶׁלֹּא מֵת בָּהּ אָדָם עַד הֵנָּה, וּמַה הִיא הַבְּרִיאָה?
|
| And the earth will open its mouth and swallow them up: Then you will know that they have provoked the Holy One, blessed is He, and I [Moses] have spoken by Divine word. Our Rabbis interpret it: If there was a mouth already created to the earth from the time of the six days of Creation, well and good, but if not, let God create [one now]. - [Mid. Tanchuma Korach, Sanh. 110a] |
|
וּפָֽצְתָה הָֽאֲדָמָה אֶת־פִּיהָ:
וְתִבְלָעֵם, אָז וידעתם כי נאצו הֵם אֶת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וַאֲנִי מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה אָמַרְתִּי; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵרְשׁוּ: וְאִם בְּרִיאָה פֶה לָאָרֶץ מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו יִבְרָא ה' (סנהדרין ק"י):
|
| 31As soon as he finished speaking all these words, the earth beneath them split open. |
|
לאוַֽיְהִי֙ כְּכַלֹּת֔וֹ לְדַבֵּ֕ר אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַתִּבָּקַ֥ע הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּחְתֵּיהֶֽם: |
| 32The earth beneath them opened its mouth and swallowed them and their houses, and all the men who were with Korah and all the property. |
|
לבוַתִּפְתַּ֤ח הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ אֶת־פִּ֔יהָ וַתִּבְלַ֥ע אֹתָ֖ם וְאֶת־בָּֽתֵּיהֶ֑ם וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הָֽאָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְקֹ֔רַח וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־הָֽרְכֽוּשׁ: |
| 33They, and all they possessed, descended alive into the grave; the earth covered them up, and they were lost to the assembly. |
|
לגוַיֵּ֨רְד֜וּ הֵ֣ם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָהֶ֛ם חַיִּ֖ים שְׁאֹ֑לָה וַתְּכַ֤ס עֲלֵיהֶם֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּֽאבְד֖וּ מִתּ֥וֹךְ הַקָּהָֽל: |
| 34All Israel who were around them fled from their cries, for they said, "Lest the earth swallow us up [too]!" |
|
לדוְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֛ר סְבִיבֹֽתֵיהֶ֖ם נָ֣סוּ לְקֹלָ֑ם כִּ֣י אָֽמְר֔וּ פֶּן־תִּבְלָעֵ֖נוּ הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| fled from their cries: Because of the sound that emanated when they were swallowed up. |
|
נָסוּ לְקֹלָם:
בִּשְׁבִיל הַקּוֹל הַיּוֹצֵא עַל בְּלִיעָתָן:
|
| 35A fire came forth from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who had offered up the incense. |
|
להוְאֵ֥שׁ יָֽצְאָ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה וַתֹּ֗אכַל אֵ֣ת הַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֤ים וּמָאתַ֨יִם֙ אִ֔ישׁ מַקְרִיבֵ֖י הַקְּטֹֽרֶת: |
| 1The Lord spoke to Moses saying: |
|
אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 2Say to Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen that he should pick up the censers from the burned area (but throw the fire away), because they have become sanctified, |
|
באֱמֹ֨ר אֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֜ר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְיָרֵ֤ם אֶת־הַמַּחְתֹּת֙ מִבֵּ֣ין הַשְּׂרֵפָ֔ה וְאֶת־הָאֵ֖שׁ זְרֵה־הָ֑לְאָה כִּ֖י קָדֵֽשׁוּ: |
| but… the fire: that is in the censers. |
|
וְאֶת־הָאֵשׁ:
שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַמַּחְתּוֹת:
|
| throw… away: [the fire] on the ground, off the censers. |
|
זְרֵה־הָלְאָה:
לָאָרֶץ מֵעַל הַמַּחְתּוֹת:
|
| because they have become sanctified: I.e., the censers [have become sanctified], and it is forbidden to derive personal benefit from them since they made them into service vessels. |
|
כִּי קָדֵֽשׁוּ:
הַמַּחְתּוֹת וַאֲסוּרִין בַּהֲנָאָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֲשָׂאוּם כְּלֵי שָׁרֵת:
|
| 3the censers of these who sinned at the cost of their lives, and they shall make them into flattened out plates as an overlay for the altar, for they brought them before the Lord, and have [therefore] become sanctified, and they shall be as a reminder for the children of Israel. |
|
גאֵ֡ת מַחְתּוֹת֩ הַֽחַטָּאִ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָ֗ם וְעָשׂ֨וּ אֹתָ֜ם רִקֻּעֵ֤י פַחִים֙ צִפּ֣וּי לַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ כִּֽי־הִקְרִיבֻ֥ם לִפְנֵֽי־יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיִּקְדָּ֑שׁוּ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ לְא֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| these who sinned at the cost of their lives: They have become willful sinners against their own lives for they opposed the Holy One, blessed is He. |
|
הַֽחַטָּאִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָם:
שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ פוֹשְׁעִים בְּנַפְשׁוֹתָם, שֶׁנֶּחְלְקוּ עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
|
| flattened out: Heb. רִקֻּעֵי, thinned out. |
|
רִקֻּעֵי:
רְדוּדִין:
|
| plates: metal sheets beaten flat; in old French, tenves, thinned out, flattened. |
|
פַחִים:
טַסִּים מְרֻדָּדִין, טינדי"ש בלעז:
|
| an overlay for the altar: For the copper altar. |
|
צִפּוּי לַמִּזְבֵּחַ:
לְמִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת:
|
| and they shall be as a reminder: A remembrance so that people will say, “These [plates] are from those who disputed the kehunah and were burnt.” |
|
וְיִֽהְיוּ לְאוֹת:
לְזִכָּרוֹן — שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ, אֵלּוּ הָיוּ מֵאוֹתָן שֶׁנֶּחְלְקוּ עַל הַכְּהֻנָּה וְנִשְׂרְפוּ:
|
| 4So Eleazar the kohen took the copper censers which the fire victims had brought, and they hammered them out as an overlay for the altar, |
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דוַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן אֵ֚ת מַחְתּ֣וֹת הַנְּח֔שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִקְרִ֖יבוּ הַשְּׂרֻפִ֑ים וַיְרַקְּע֖וּם צִפּ֥וּי לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ: |
| and they beat them out: In Old French, estendre, to extend, to spread, [in modern French étendre]. |
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וַיְרַקְּעוּם:
איטינ"דריש בְּלַעַז:
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| 5as a reminder for the children of Israel, so that no outsider, who is not of the seed of Aaron, shall approach to burn incense before the Lord, so as not to be like Korah and his company, as the Lord spoke regarding him through the hand of Moses. |
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הזִכָּר֞וֹן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לְ֠מַ֠עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יִקְרַ֜ב אִ֣ישׁ זָ֗ר אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹ֣א מִזֶּ֤רַע אַֽהֲרֹן֙ ה֔וּא לְהַקְטִ֥יר קְטֹ֖רֶת לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֤ה כְקֹ֨רַח֙ וְכַ֣עֲדָת֔וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּיַד־משֶׁ֖ה לֽוֹ: |
| so as not to be like Korah: Heb. וְלֹא יִהְיֶה כְקֹרַח, lit. and there shall not be like Korach. In order that there shall not be like Korah. |
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וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶה כְקֹרַח:
כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה כְקֹרַח:
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| as the Lord spoke regarding him through the hand of Moses: [The word לוֹ literally means ‘to him.’ Here it] means ‘about him,’ that is, about Aaron, He spoke to Moses that he and his sons would be kohanim. Therefore, no outsider, who is not of the seed of Aaron, shall draw near…. Similarly, every time it says לִי or לוֹ or לָהֶם in connection with the verb דִּבּוּר, ‘speech,’ it means ‘regarding.’ Its Midrashic interpretation is that לוֹ refers to Korah. So what is [the meaning of] “by the hand of Moses”? Why not just simply “to Moses”? It alludes to those who rebel against the kehunah . They are stricken with tzara’ath , as it says, “and he [Moses] took it out, and behold, his hand was ‘leprous,’ like snow” (Exod. 4:6). For this reason, Uzziah was stricken with tzara’ath. — [Midrash Tanchuma Tzav 11] |
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כַּֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' בְּיַד־משֶׁה לֽוֹ:
כְּמוֹ עָלָיו — עַל אַהֲרֹן דִּבֵּר אֶל מֹשֶׁה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הוּא וּבָנָיו כֹּהֲנִים, לְפִיכָךְ "לֹא יִקְרַב אִישׁ זָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִזֶּרַע אַהֲרֹן" וְגוֹ'; וְכֵן כָּל לִי וְלוֹ וְלָהֶם הַסְּמוּכִים אֵצֶל דִּבּוּר, פִּתְרוֹנָם כְּמוֹ עַל. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ — עַל קֹרַח, וּמַהוּ "בְיַד מֹשֶׁה" וְלֹא כָתַב "אֶל מֹשֶׁה"? רֶמֶז לַחוֹלְקִים עַל הַכְּהֻנָּה שֶׁלּוֹקִין בְּצָרַעַת כְּמוֹ שֶׁלָּקָה מֹשֶׁה בְּיָדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיּוֹצִאָהּ וְהִנֵּה יָדוֹ מְצֹרַעַת כַּשָּׁלֶג" (שמות ד'), וְעַל כֵּן לָקָה עֻזִּיָּהוּ בְּצָרַעַת (דברי הימים ב' כ"ו):
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| 6The following day, the entire congregation of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron saying, "You have killed the people of the Lord." |
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ווַיִּלֹּ֜נוּ כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִמָּ֣חֳרָ֔ת עַל־משֶׁ֥ה וְעַל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר אַתֶּ֥ם הֲמִתֶּ֖ם אֶת־עַ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה: |
| 7It came to pass while the congregation were assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned to the Tent of Meeting, and behold, the cloud had covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. |
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זוַיְהִ֗י בְּהִקָּהֵ֤ל הָֽעֵדָה֙ עַל־משֶׁ֣ה וְעַל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן וַיִּפְנוּ֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וְהִנֵּ֥ה כִסָּ֖הוּ הֶֽעָנָ֑ן וַיֵּרָ֖א כְּב֥וֹד יְהֹוָֽה: |
| 8Moses and Aaron came to the front of the Tent of Meeting. |
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חוַיָּבֹ֤א משֶׁה֙ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֶל־פְּנֵ֖י אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד: |
