| 20God spoke to Moses and to 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, “God, the God who knows the spirits of all flesh, if one man sins, should You be angry with the whole congregation?” |
|
כבוַיִּפְּל֤וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֕ל אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָֽרוּחֹ֖ת לְכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר הָאִ֤ישׁ אֶחָד֙ יֶֽחֱטָ֔א וְעַ֥ל כָּל־הָֽעֵדָ֖ה תִּקְצֹֽף: |
| אֵל אֱלֹהֵי הָֽרוּחֹת - God, (lit.) God of the spirits - means: You know their thoughts. Your nature is not like that of flesh and blood: A human king against whom part of his country has offended does not know who the sinner responsible for instigating the rebellion is; therefore, when he gets angry he punishes everyone, even those who were merely swept along. But to You, all thoughts are revealed, and You know who the sinner (i.e., the instigator) is. |
|
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):
|
| הָאִישׁ אֶחָד - “One man”. is the sinner, yet You would be angry with the whole congregation?! The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: “You have spoken correctly. I know and will make known who sinned and who did not sin.” |
|
הָאִישׁ אֶחָד.
הוּא הַחוֹטֵא וְאַתָּה עַל כָּל הָעֵדָה תִּקְצֹף; אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, יָפֶה אֲמַרְתֶּם, אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ וּמוֹדִיעַ מִי חָטָא וּמִי לֹא חָטָא (שם):
|
| 23God spoke to Moses, saying, |
|
כגוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 24“Speak to the congregation saying, ‘Withdraw from the dwelling of Korach, Dathan, and Aviram.’” |
|
כדדַּבֵּ֥ר אֶל־הָֽעֵדָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵֽעָלוּ֙ מִסָּבִ֔יב לְמִשְׁכַּן־קֹ֖רַח דָּתָ֥ן וַֽאֲבִירָֽם: |
| הֵֽעָלוּ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: אִסְתַּלָּקוּ – Depart from the area around the dwelling of Korach. |
|
הֵֽעָלוּ.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, הִסְתַּלְּקוּ מִסְּבִיבוֹת מִשְׁכַּן קֹרַח:
|
| 25Moses arose and went to Dathan and Aviram, and the elders of Israel followed him. |
|
כהוַיָּ֣קָם משֶׁ֔ה וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־דָּתָ֣ן וַֽאֲבִירָ֑ם וַיֵּֽלְכ֥וּ אַֽחֲרָ֖יו זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| וַיָּקָם משֶׁה - Moses arose. He thought that they might receive him respectfully because he was coming in a dignified manner, but they did not. |
|
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: |
| 27They withdrew from around the dwelling of Korach, Dathan, and Aviram, but Dathan and Aviram came out, standing upright at the entrance to 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: |
| יָֽצְאוּ נִצָּבִים - Came out, standing - with upright posture, i.e., defiantly, to insult and curse, as in: “he stood (וַיִּתְיַצֵּב) for 40 days,” regarding Goliath. |
|
יָֽצְאוּ נִצָּבִים.
בְּקוֹמָה זְקוּפָה — לְחָרֵף וּלְגַדֵּף, כְּמוֹ (שמואל א י"ז) "וַיִּתְיַצֵּב אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם" דְּגָלְיָת (תנחומא):
|
| וּנְשֵׁיהֶם וּבְנֵיהֶם וְטַפָּֽם - With their wives, their children, and their infants. Come and see how serious contention is, for the earthly court does not punish a person until he has two pubic hairs, and the heavenly court does not punish until the age of 20, yet here even suckling infants perished. |
|
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 will know that God sent me to do all these deeds, and that I did not devise this myself. |
|
כחוַיֹּ֘אמֶר֘ משֶׁה֒ בְּזֹאת֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּן כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֣ה שְׁלָחַ֔נִי לַֽעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַמַּֽעֲשִׂ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה כִּי־לֹ֖א מִלִּבִּֽי: |
| לַֽעֲשׂוֹת אֵת כָּל־הַמַּֽעֲשִׂים הָאֵלֶּה - To do all these deeds - that I did by Divine order: granting Aaron the high priesthood, making his sons assistant priests, and making Elitzafan prince of the clan of Kehat. |
|
לַֽעֲשׂוֹת אֵת כָּל־הַמַּֽעֲשִׂים הָאֵלֶּה.
שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר, לָתֵת לְאַהֲרֹן כְּהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה וּבָנָיו סְגָנֵי כְהֻנָּה, וֶאֱלִיצָפָן נְשִׂיא הַקְּהָתִי:
|
| 29If these people die as all people die and the fate of all people befalls them, God has not sent me. |
|
כטאִם־כְּמ֤וֹת כָּל־הָֽאָדָם֙ יְמֻת֣וּן אֵ֔לֶּה וּפְקֻדַּת֙ כָּל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם יִפָּקֵ֖ד עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם לֹ֥א יְהֹוָ֖ה שְׁלָחָֽנִי: |
| לֹא ה' שְׁלָחָֽנִי - God has not sent me - but I did everything on my own accord and he is correct to oppose me. |
|
לֹא ה' שְׁלָחָֽנִי.
אֶלָּא אֲנִי עָשִׂיתִי הַכֹּל מִדַּעְתִּי, וּבְדִין הוּא חוֹלֵק עָלַי:
|
| 30But if God creates a new creation, that the earth opens its mouth, swallows them and all that is theirs, and they descend alive into the grave, you will know that these men have provoked God.” |
|
לוְאִם־בְּרִיאָ֞ה יִבְרָ֣א יְהֹוָ֗ה וּפָֽצְתָ֨ה הָֽאֲדָמָ֤ה אֶת־פִּ֨יהָ֙ וּבָֽלְעָ֤ה אֹתָם֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָהֶ֔ם וְיָֽרְד֥וּ חַיִּ֖ים שְׁאֹ֑לָה וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֧י נִֽאֲצ֛וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה: |
| וְאִם־בְּרִיאָה - But if a creation - i.e., a new thing. |
|
וְאִם־בְּרִיאָה.
חֲדָשָׁה:
|
| יִבְרָא ה' - God will create. by having them die with a form of death with which no man has yet died – and what is that creation? |
|
יִבְרָא ה'.
לְהָמִית אוֹתָם בְּמִיתָה שֶׁלֹּא מֵת בָּהּ אָדָם עַד הֵנָּה, וּמַה הִיא הַבְּרִיאָה?
|
| וּפָֽצְתָה הָֽאֲדָמָה אֶת־פִּיהָ - “that the earth open its mouth and swallow them”. then “you will know that they have provoked God,” and I have spoken only on the authority of the Almighty. But our sages explained: אִם בְּרִיאָה “If such a mouth is already created for the earth since the six days of creation,” well and good, and if not – יִבְרָא ה׳ – “may God create it.” |
|
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 “opened its mouth,” swallowing them and their households, and all the men who were with Korach and all their 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 the sound of their cries, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!” |
|
לדוְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֛ר סְבִיבֹֽתֵיהֶ֖ם נָ֣סוּ לְקֹלָ֑ם כִּ֣י אָֽמְר֔וּ פֶּן־תִּבְלָעֵ֖נוּ הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| נָסוּ לְקֹלָם - Fled (lit.) to their sound - means: because of the sound resonating as they were being swallowed up. |
|
נָסוּ לְקֹלָם.
בִּשְׁבִיל הַקּוֹל הַיּוֹצֵא עַל בְּלִיעָתָן:
|
| 35A fire came forth from God and consumed the 250 men who had offered up the incense. |
|
להוְאֵ֥שׁ יָֽצְאָ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה וַתֹּ֗אכַל אֵ֣ת הַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֤ים וּמָאתַ֨יִם֙ אִ֔ישׁ מַקְרִיבֵ֖י הַקְּטֹֽרֶת: |
| 1God spoke to Moses, saying: |
|
אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 2“Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to pick up the fire-pans from the burnt area and 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: |
| וְאֶת־הָאֵשׁ - The fire - that is inside the fire-pans. |
|
וְאֶת־הָאֵשׁ.
שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַמַּחְתּוֹת:
|
| זְרֵה־הָלְאָה - Throw away - onto the ground from the fire-pans. |
|
זְרֵה־הָלְאָה.
לָאָרֶץ מֵעַל הַמַּחְתּוֹת:
|
| כִּי קָדֵֽשׁוּ - Because they have become sanctified - i.e., the fire-pans, and it is forbidden to derive any benefit from them, as by offering incense in them they have made them into service vessels for the Tabernacle. |
|
כִּי קָדֵֽשׁוּ.
הַמַּחְתּוֹת וַאֲסוּרִין בַּהֲנָאָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֲשָׂאוּם כְּלֵי שָׁרֵת:
|
| 3These are the fire-pans of those who sinned knowing that it would cost them their lives. They must make them into beaten plates as an overlay for the Altar, for they brought them before God, and they have become sanctified. They will serve as a reminder for the Israelites.” |
|
גאֵ֡ת מַחְתּוֹת֩ הַֽחַטָּאִ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָ֗ם וְעָשׂ֨וּ אֹתָ֜ם רִקֻּעֵ֤י פַחִים֙ צִפּ֣וּי לַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ כִּֽי־הִקְרִיבֻ֥ם לִפְנֵֽי־יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיִּקְדָּ֑שׁוּ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ לְא֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| הַֽחַטָּאִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָם - Those who sinned (lit.) by their lives - i.e., they became transgressors against their own souls by contending with the Holy One, blessed be He. |
|
הַֽחַטָּאִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָם.
שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ פוֹשְׁעִים בְּנַפְשׁוֹתָם, שֶׁנֶּחְלְקוּ עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
|
| רִקֻּעֵי - means “beaten out.” |
|
רִקֻּעֵי.
רְדוּדִין:
|
| פַחִים - are flattened sheets; “tenves” in old French (“thin”). |
|
פַחִים.
טַסִּים מְרֻדָּדִין, טינדי"ש בלעז:
|
| צִפּוּי לַמִּזְבֵּחַ - An overlay for the Altar - i.e., for the copper Altar. |
|
צִפּוּי לַמִּזְבֵּחַ.
לְמִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת:
|
| וְיִֽהְיוּ לְאוֹת - They will serve as (lit.) a sign - i.e., as a reminder, so that people will say: “These came from those who challenged the appointment of the priesthood and were burned.” |
|
וְיִֽהְיוּ לְאוֹת.
לְזִכָּרוֹן — שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ, אֵלּוּ הָיוּ מֵאוֹתָן שֶׁנֶּחְלְקוּ עַל הַכְּהֻנָּה וְנִשְׂרְפוּ:
|
| 4Eleazar the priest took the copper fire-pans that the fire victims had brought, and they beat them into an overlay for the Altar |
|
דוַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן אֵ֚ת מַחְתּ֣וֹת הַנְּח֔שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִקְרִ֖יבוּ הַשְּׂרֻפִ֑ים וַיְרַקְּע֖וּם צִפּ֥וּי לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ: |
| וַיְרַקְּעוּם - And they beat them - “atenvirent” in old French (“made thin”). |
|
וַיְרַקְּעוּם.
איטינ"דריש בְּלַעַז:
|
| 5as a reminder for the Israelites, so that no layman, who is not descended from Aaron, approach to burn incense before God, so as not to be like Korach and his community, as God spoke through Moses regarding him. |
|
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: |
| וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶה כְקֹרַח - means: in order that he not become like Korach. |
|
וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶה כְקֹרַח.
כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה כְקֹרַח:
|
| כַּֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' בְּיַד־משֶׁה לֽוֹ - As God spoke through Moses (lit.) to him. לוֹ is the equivalent of עָלָיו “about him,” i.e., about Aaron He spoke to Moses that he and his sons should be priests; therefore “no layman, who is not descended from Aaron, may approach….” Likewise, every לִי, לוֹ, and לָהֶם that follows the verb דבר (“to speak”) is to be explained in the sense of עַל “concerning.” And its Midrashic explanation is that לוֹ refers to Korach. And why does it say בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה “through Moses” rather than אֶל מֹשֶׁה “to Moses”? It is an allusion to the fact that those who challenge the priesthood are punished with tzara’at, just as Moses was stricken on his hand (בְּיָדוֹ), as it says: “When he withdrew it, his hand became afflicted with tzara’at, white as snow,” and for this reason, too, Uziyah was punished with tzara’at. |
|
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):
|
| 6The following day, the entire community of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron saying, “You have killed the people of God.” |
|
ווַיִּלֹּ֜נוּ כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִמָּ֣חֳרָ֔ת עַל־משֶׁ֥ה וְעַל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר אַתֶּ֥ם הֲמִתֶּ֖ם אֶת־עַ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה: |
| 7But while the community was assembled against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tent of Meeting, and behold, the cloud had covered it, and the glory of God appeared. |
|
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. |
|
חוַיָּבֹ֤א משֶׁה֙ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֶל־פְּנֵ֖י אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד: |
