In Brief

The parasha is named “Korach”, because Korach was the leader of the rebellion against Moses (and Aaron).

Korach foments and leads a challenge against Moses’ leadership and Aaron being granted the priesthood (kehunah) without “due process”. Dathan and Abiram, long time opponents of Moses, and 250 distinguished members of the community join him in his rebellion.¹ They offer the sacred incense (ketoret) as a proof of their worthiness. Moses asks G-d to intervene, and the earth opens up and swallows all the protesters while a fire (from heaven) consumes all the incense bearers.

A plague then rages amongst the people, who cry out for help. Aaron stops the plague with an incense-offering. Blossoms bloom [miraculously] and produce almonds on Aaron’s staff, while none of of the other’s staffs change—showing the Divine nature of Aaron’s ordination as high priest.

We are then commanded to provide a terumah (“uplifting”) from each crop as well as all firstborn livestock, and other specified gifts, to the priests (kohanim)

Chapter 16

Q: The thought that arises from the parasha today is when is there going to be a story that is uplifting? That is of us, or someone, succeeding. Even the highest point, the Revelation at Sinai, is marred by the story of the Golden Calf. That perhaps comes in the later books.

N Torah, a manual handed down by G-d—in code of course—that will guide us in our relationship with the Creator and His Creation. (In fact, without the Creation we could never know the Creator!)

N Why is there the counting and other mundane elements? Because to understand requires a dedicated focus, a willingness to dive into enter the depths of the mundane, not getting caught in it, where the Wisdom is hidden.

16:1-33; 17:1] Revolt of Korach

16:1]

The story opens with the naming of the main protagonists of the story. Spearheading it is Korach and Izhar son of Kohath of Levi, with Dathan and Aviram of Eliav, and On of Pelet, descendants of Reuven. Eliav was the son of Pallu, one of Reuven’s sons (Num. 26:5). They were backed up by 250 men of repute from the community—חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמָאתָ֑יִם נְשִׂיאֵ֥י עֵדָ֛ה קְרִאֵ֥י מוֹעֵ֖ד אַנְשֵׁי־שֵֽׁם (v2).

As with all populist leaders, who pose as the champion of the masses, they begin by discrediting the leader with the classic argument of “Who chose you? Why do you place yourself above others? We all have the spirit of the Lord within us. Why should you or Aaron be more special than anyone else?”

Here are the actual words spoken :

Upon hearing this outcry, Moses falls on his face (v4). “Let G-d choose,” he responds. “Come morning, take your censors, put fire in them, and lay incense on them before HaShem. Then the one whom HaShem chooses shall be sanctified (holy).” He continues, “Hear me, sons of Levi, you have gone too far. Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has set you apart from the community of Israel and given you direct access, to perform the duties of יהוה’s Tabernacle and to minister to the community and serve them? (v9) Now that [God] has advanced you and all your fellow Levites with you, do you seek the priesthood (כְּהֻנָּֽה) too?”

Moses now sends for Dathan and Aviram, but they refuse his call, saying, “Is it not enough that you brought us from a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, that you would also lord it over us? (v13) We will not come!” They describe Egypt as land of prosperity and luxury. N: Just as one would describe America today.

n16:13-14]

Moses speaks to Hashem (v15), obviously upset about the situation. “I have taken nothing from any of them, nor wronged any one,” he states. At this stage, G-d remains silent.

N: This is included here for two reasons. The first is that this is an example of a time dilation that occur quite often in the Torah. There are also spacial discontinuities as well—like in the beginning of the chapter. I was always under the impression that Datan and Abiram are were with Korach when he presented his call, but according to the previous verse, they were not.

Here, however, Korach’s words reach Moses’ ears, and Moses responds accordingly. He speaks to HaShem, then gives Korach more specific instructions on what ritual they were going to perform in the morning. “Tomorrow, you will all come before HaShem, you and your company and Aaron (v16). You will each take your censor, place incense in it, and bring it in front of HaShem. Aaron, bring your’s too.” (v17)

N: This all occurs in one day.

They all light their censors, while the whole community assembled at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד) for Korach had gathered everyone against Moses and Aaron.

Q: There were 252 of them at least. How did they all manage to gather at the entrance? I assume it was meant more figuratively.

Then the Presence of יהוה appeared to the whole community. “Separate yourselves from this gathering,” He commands them, “that I may annihilate them this instant.” (v22)

Q: Here is mention of the “presence of the Lord” (כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה). What is His Presence? How is it felt/seen/sensed? The word kavod also means glory, splendour.

When, the people heard that, they fell on their faces. “O God, Source of the Breath (הָרוּחֹ֖ת) of all flesh, when one man sins, will you punish the whole community?”

Q: So they did hear G-d’s “voice”, or “heard” what He had said.

G-d responds to Moses alone, “Speak to the community and say: Withdraw from about the abodes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.” (v24) Moses strides over to [the tents of] Dathan and Amiram with the elders right behind him. (v25) He addresses the community, and says, “Turn aside and depart from the tents of these wicked men and do not touch anything that belongs to them, lest you be swept away for their sins.” (v26)

Once they had departed, Korah, Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents with their families. (v27) Moses addresses them, saying, “By what will happen, you will know that it was יהוה who sent me to do all these things and that they are not of my own devising. If these men die the common death of all men then the Eternal has not ‘sent’ me, thus I have done everything of my own accord and he (Korah) is therefore right in rebelling against me.” (v29)

"But if יהוה brings about something unheard-of, so that the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, you shall know that those involved have spurned יהוה.” (v30)

Scarcely had he finished speaking all these words when the ground under them burst asunder, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households, all Korah’s people and all their possessions. They went down alive into Sheol, with all that belonged to them; the earth closed over them and they vanished from the midst of the congregation. (v33)

Everyone ran away in terror, shrieking. A fire went forth from יהוה and consumed the two hundred and fifty offering the incense.

N: The incense service contains thus contains the potential of death.

N: I was always under the impression that the 250 were swallowed up by the earth, but upon closer reading it seems that it was only Korach, Datan and Abiram, and their families and all their possessions that were swallowed up by the earth. The other “rebels” were “consumed” by Heavenly fire.

Chapter 17

And thus the rebellion was quashed. Only the clean up remains. Moses instructs Eleazar, son of Aaron, to gather the censors of those “who have sinned at the cost of their lives”, and make them into sheets for the altar “as a warning to the people”. (v3) A reminder that no stranger—one not of Aaron’s offspring—should offer incense before HaShem.

N: This is an interesting conclusion, as G-d told them to come before the tent and offer the incense. Here is the second time that “incense” was offered, and some cataclysm occurred.

17:10-14] The plague

Not even a day goes by before the community rails against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have brought death upon יהוה’s people!” But Moses and Aaron turned toward the Tent of Meeting, for the cloud had covered it, and the Glory of Hashem appeared. When they (Moses and Aaron) reached the Tent, HaShem spoke to Moses, saying "“Remove yourselves from this community, that I may annihilate them in an instant.” At these words, they fell on their faces. (v10)

G-d obviously then disappears, for Moses says to Aaron, “Take the censer, and put on it fire from the altar. Add incense and take it quickly to the community and make expiation for them. For wrath has gone forth from יהוה: the plague has begun!” (v11)

Aaron ran into the midst of the people and did just as he was told. He stood between the dead and the living until the plague was checked. (v13) Nevertheless still 14,700 died because of the Korach incident. (v14)

17:17-] The blossoming staff

Upon Aaron’s return to the Tent of Meeting, G-d instructs Moses. “Tell the people,” He says, “Take one staff from each of the ancestral houses, twelve in all. Inscribe the name of each one on his staff. Inscribe Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi. Place them in the Tent of Meeting before the Ark of Testimony where I will commune with you. The staff of the man whom I will choose will blossom, and thus I will turn (or rid myself of, meaning of Heb. wa-hashikkothi uncertain ) away the complaints of the children of Israel against you.”

Moses explained to the people what needed to be done, and all twelve staffs were place in the Tent of the Testimony before the Pact where before the Lord appears. (v22) The following day, the staff of Aaron had sprouted, produced blossoms and borne almonds.

instructs Moses to “Place the staff back before the pack, as a lesson to the rebels”. (v25) He did so, but the Israelites freaked out. “We will perish. We are lost, all of us lost. Everyone who comes near יהוה’s Tabernacle must die” כֹּ֣ל הַקָּרֵ֧ב ׀ הַקָּרֵ֛ב אֶל־מִשְׁכַּ֥ן יְהֹוָ֖ה יָמ֑וּת הַאִ֥ם תַּ֖מְנוּ לִגְוֺֽעַ׃. (v28)

Chapter 18

Now G-d speaks to Aaron–something that does not happen very often–explaining the intricate details of their charge. Any guilt regarding the sanctuary and the priesthood will be borne by his ancestral house.(v1)

Sefaria: You shall also associate with yourself your kinsmen the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, to be attached to you and to minister to you, while you and your sons under your charge are before the Tent of the Pact (Heb. uncertain).

Mine: And also, with your brothers (kinsmen), the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, you will associate. They are to accompany you and serve you, you and your sons, before the Tent of The Testimony.

Chabad: Also your brethren, the tribe of Levi, your father’s tribe, draw close to you, and they shall join you and minister to you, and you and your sons with you, before the Tent of Testimony.

As I am out of time, briefly this is a detailed account of how the Kohenim must behave. How they are to portion out the sacrifices, and what the duties of the Levites are, as well as what is forbidden them.

It ends on this note:

19:32]

In those Biblical times it seems that the imperative was to eradicate any opposition. Which generally meant killing everyone, and reducing certain survivors to slavery. That seems to have been the modus operandi for many centuries in most of the world, however, is it still that way today?

Footnotes