Ethical Teachings of the Torah

Korach & Co, [6]

Just as the revolt against the prophecy of Moshe and the Word of G-d therein, of Korach, Datam and Aviram was singular and absolute, so too, the punishment that was meted out to them was singular and far removed from anything else that is described in Tanach. The fate of the 250 firstborns was similar to that of Nadav and Avihu, and the plague that was visited on Israel later was basically similar to the punishments of the other rebellions of the people. While the punishment for the sin of the Eigel was postponed and that of the Spies took 40 years to be complete, the Midat HaDin for Korach and congregation took effect immediately and dramatically. “The fire-pans of the 250 firstborn was sanctified since through them the truth was established and sheker was exploded” (Akeidat Yitschak). However, every- thing that belonged to Korach and his congregation, all their possessions, even petty items like needles, descended down into She’ol. In contrast, the children of Korach who did not die (Bamidbar 26:11) were great and pious adults; the prophet Shmuel, who is compared to Moshe himself, was one of Korach’s descendants.
“If these men die like the common death of all men and if a doom like all men is appointed for them, then G-d did not send me” (Bamidbar 17:29). Moshe requested the special death as a sign that G-d had sent him; Eliyahu prayed that G-d should send down fire so that the people would acknowledge Him and do T’shuva (Melachim Alef 18:37); Micha ben Yamlah (Melachim Alef 22:28) prophesied that if Achav, whose punishment for the death of Navot was to be death in battle, returned in peace, that would prove that his prophesy was not from G-d”
(Yerushalmi, Sanhedrin 10:1). “Moshe asked that a new creation be made so that the deaths of Korach and his congregation should not be like that of ordinary people. People have children and the merits of these children help them in the World to Come. It is true that the Torah tells us that the sons of Korach did not die with him, however, he was denied their merits”.
“If G-d will create a new creation and the earth open its mouth and swallow them up with all that they have and they go down to the grave alive, then you will know that these men have derided G-d (Bamidbar 7:30).
Resh Lakish taught that this verse is the Torah source for the mitzva of Bikur Cholim. “Ravah explained that the way of the world is for people to become ill before they die and then their relatives and acquaintances visit them, inquire after their health and offer assistance [thus mitigating some of their pain and suffering]” (Nedarim 39b). Morally and spiritually it is fitting that this mitzva should be seen as flowing from the punishment of Korach’s evil.
“Seven things were created before the creation of the world: Torah, T’shuva, Gan Eiden, Gehinom as the earth opened up and swallowed them, the Throne of Glory, Bet HaMikdash and the name of Mashiach” (Nedarim 39b). Our sages, in their commentaries both on the Gemara and on the Chumash, express G-d’s desire for the world to continue despite the acts of evildoers and their resultant punishment. Reward, Punishment, and T’shuva are fundamental and essential to the existence of the world and the continued life of all its creatures; all seven of the things created before the creation of the world are related to Divine reward and punishment. Everything in the world is precious to G-d but Israel is especially precious and the Torah given to us shows us how to live. The gates of T’shuva are always open so that all can repent and find atonement, while Gan Eiden and Gehinom assure us of reward and punishment. The Throne of Glory is of the source of that reward, punishment and t’shuva while in the Bet HaMikdash mankind meets G-d. Mashiach brings redemption.
“A new creation was essential in view of Korach’s denial of the truth of Torat Moshe. Such a denial raised doubts and disbeliefs not only in the mitzvot and in the role and rights of the Kohanim and Leviyim but equally in the whole story of G-d’s creation of Heaven and Earth. This would mean that there was no Creator, no divine intervention in the affairs on mankind, and no reward and punishment. Only a new creation could establish the truth of Moshe’s words. The creation whereby the earth opened up and swallowed Korach and his congregation was radically and obviously different from the earthquakes that occur. In an earthquake, the earth opens and stays that way, whereas here it opened, swallowed the people but then closed on them; everything returned to normalcy - in truth a new creation” (Abarbanel).
“If they had died ordinary deaths and met with ordinary fatal accidents which would be no less the fulfillment of G-d’s pronouncements, still such a death and fate could not serve as a proof of Moshe’s mission. For that mission was based on the intervention which was accomplished in a manner beyond the natural order of things. G-d stands in free power over and beyond the laws of nature that originate from Him; by His Will they act, yet He is not bound by them. The mission was to reveal Him not only as He Who once created the world but also as He Who has the power at any moment to introduce a completely new future and Who is ready to use this power for the benefit of human beings whom He has gifted with a breath of His Own free-willed freedom of will. With this mission of Moshe, G-d wished to begin educating and elevating mankind up to Him and to the exercising of His free-willed moral power” (S. R. Hirsch).
“All Israel fled from the sound of weeping [of those descending into She’ol]. They screamed from the depths, ‘G-d is righteous, His verdict is true, and the words of His servant Moshe are true. We are evil because we rebelled against Him’” (Targum Yonatan, Bamidbar 26:11).

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