Chumashחומש

ויקח קרח. פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ יָפֶה נִדְרֶשֶׁת בְּמִדְרַשׁ רַבִּי תַנְחוּמָא:

ויקח קרח — This section is beautifully expounded in the Midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma.

ויקח קרח. לָקַח אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְצַד אֶחָד לִהְיוֹת נֶחֱלָק מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה לְעוֹרֵר עַל הַכְּהֻנָּה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁתִּרְגֵם אֻנְקְלוֹס "וְאִתְפְּלֵג" — נֶחֱלַק מִשְּׁאָר הָעֵדָה לְהַחֲזִיק בְּמַחֲלֹקֶת, וְכֵן "מַה יִּקָּחֲךָ לִבֶּךָ" (איוב ט"ו) — לוֹקֵחַ אוֹתְךָ לְהַפְלִיגְךָ מִשְּׁאָר בְּנֵי אָדָם. דָּ"אַ: ויקח קרח, מָשַׁךְ רָאשֵׁי סַנְהֶדְרָאוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶם בִּדְבָרִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "קַח אֶת אַהֲרֹן" (ויקרא ח'), "קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים" (הושע י"ד):

ויקח קרח lit., AND KORAH TOOK — He betook himself on one side with the view of separating himself from out of the community so that he might raise a protest regarding the priesthood to which Moses had appointed his brother. This is what Onkelos means when he renders it by ואתפלג — “he separated himself” from the rest of the community in order to maintain dissension. Similar is, (Job 15:12) “Why doth thy heart take thee aside (יקחך)”, meaning, it takes you aside to separate you from other people (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 2). — Another explanation of ויקח קרח is: he attracted (won over) the chiefs of the Sanhedrin amongst them (the people) by fine words. The word is used here in a figurative sense just as in. (Leviticus 8:2) “Take (קח) Aaron”; (Hosea 14:3) “Take (קחו) words with you” (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 1).

בן יצהר בן קהת בן לוי. וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר "בֶּן יַעֲקֹב", שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל עַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹא יִזָּכֵר שְׁמוֹ עַל מַחְלְקוֹתָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "בִּקְהָלָם אַל תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי" (בראשית מ"ט), וְהֵיכָן נִזְכַּר שְׁמוֹ עַל קֹרַח? בְּהִתְיַחֲסָם עַל הַדּוּכָן בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דהי"א ו') "בֶּן אֶבְיָסָף בֶּן קֹרַח בֶּן יִצְהָר בֶּן קְהָת בֶּן לֵוִי בֶּן יִשְׂרָאֵל":

בן יצהר בן קהת בן לוי [KORAH] THE SON OF IZHAR, THE SON OF KOHATH, THE SON OF LEVI — It does not, however, make mention of Levi being “the son of Jacob”, because he (Jacob) offered prayer for himself that his name should not be mentioned in connection with their (the Korahites') quarrels, as it is said, (Genesis 49:6) “with their assembly, my glory. be thou not united”. And where is his name mentioned in connection with Korah? In the passage in Chronicles where their (the Korahites’) genealogy is traced in connection with the “Duchan” (properly the platform — the place on which the Levites were stationed for the service of song in the Temple), as it is said, (I Chronicles 6:22—23) “the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel” (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 4).

דתן ואבירם. בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהָיָה שֵׁבֶט רְאוּבֵן שָׁרוּי בַּחֲנִיָּתָם תֵּימָנָה שָׁכֵן לִקְהָת וּבָנָיו הַחוֹנִים תֵּימָנָה, נִשְׁתַּתְּפוּ עִם קֹרַח בְּמַחֲלָקְתּוֹ — "אוֹי לָרָשָׁע אוֹי לִשְׁכֵנוֹ". וּמָה רָאָה קֹרַח לַחֲלֹק עִם מֹשֶׁה? נִתְקַנֵּא עַל נְשִׂיאוּתוֹ שֶׁל אֱלִיצָפָן בֶּן עֻזִּיאֵל, שֶׁמִּנָּהוּ מֹשֶׁה נָשִׂיא עַל בְּנֵי קְהָת עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר, אָמַר קֹרַח, אַחֵי אַבָּא אַרְבָּעָה הָיוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ו') "וּבְנֵי קְהָת" וְגוֹ', עַמְרָם הַבְּכוֹר נָטְלוּ שְׁנֵי בָנָיו גְּדֻלָּה, אֶחָד מֶלֶךְ וְאֶחָד כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, מִי רָאוּי לִטֹּל אֶת הַשְּׁנִיָּה? לֹא אֲנִי שֶׁאֲנִי בֶּן יִצְהָר, שֶׁהוּא שֵׁנִי לְעַמְרָם, וְהוּא מִנָּה נָשִׂיא אֶת בֶּן אָחִיו הַקָּטָן מִכֻּלָּם, הֲרֵינִי חוֹלֵק עָלָיו וּמְבַטֵּל אֶת דְּבָרָיו. מֶה עָשָׂה? עָמַד וְכָנַס ר"נ רָאשֵׁי סַנְהֶדְרָאוֹת — רֻבָּן מִשֵּׁבֶט רְאוּבֵן שְׁכֵנָיו וְהֵם אֱלִיצוּר בֶּן שְׁדֵיאוּר וַחֲבֵרָיו וְכַיּוֹצֵא בוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר נְשִׂיאֵי עֵדָה קְרִאֵי מוֹעֵד וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (במדבר א') "אֵלֶּה קְרוּאֵי הָעֵדָה" — וְהִלְבִּישָׁן טַלִּיתוֹת שֶׁכֻּלָּן תְּכֵלֶת, בָּאוּ וְעָמְדוּ לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ טַלִּית שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ שֶׁל תְּכֵלֶת חַיֶּבֶת בְּצִיצִית אוֹ פְטוּרָה? אָמַר לָהֶם חַיֶּבֶת, הִתְחִילוּ לִשְׂחֹק עָלָיו, אֶפְשָׁר טַלִּית שֶׁל מִין אַחֵר חוּט אֶחָד שֶׁל תְּכֵלֶת פּוֹטְרָהּ, זוֹ שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ תְּכֵלֶת לֹא תִפְטֹר אֶת עַצְמָהּ? (תנחומא):

ודתן ואבירם AND DATHAN AND ABIRAM — Because the tribe of Reuben had their place, when they encamped, in the South, thus being neighbours of Kohath and his sons, who, too, encamped in the South (cf. Numbers 3:29), they (the Reubenites) joined Korah in his quarrel. “Woe to the wicked, woe to his neighbour!” — And what induced Korah to quarrel with Moses? He was envious of the princely dignity held by Elzaphan the son of Uziel (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 1) whom Moses had appointed prince over the sons of Kohath although this was by the express command of God (Numbers 3:30). Korah argued thus: “My father and his brothers were four in number — as it is said, (Exodus 6:18) “and the sons of Kohath were [Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uziel]”. — “As to Amram, the eldest, his two sons have themselves assumed high dignity, one as king and the other as High Priest; who is entitled to receive the second (the rank next to it)? Is it not “I” who am the son of Izhar, who was the second to Amram amongst the brothers? And yet he has appointed as prince the son of his (Amram’s) brother who was the youngest of all of them! I hereby protest against him and will undo his decision”. — What did he do? He arose and assembled 250 men, fitted to be heads of the Sanhedrin, most of them of the tribe of Reuben who were his neighbours, viz., Elizur the son of Shedeur, (the prince of the tribe of Reuben; cf. Numbers 1:5), and his colleagues, and others of a similar standing, — for here it states (v. 2) that they were “princes of the congregation, those who were called to the assembly (קראי מועד)”, and there (in another passage) it states, (Numbers 1:16) “these were they who were called to the congregation (קרואי העדה)” (amongst whom was also Elizur the son of Shedeur; cf. Numbers 1:5 and Rashi on Numbers 1:16), — and he attired them in robes of pure purple wool. They then came and stood before Moses and said to him, “Is a garment that is entirely of purple subject to the law of Zizith or is it exempt”? He replied to them: “It is subject to that law”. Whereupon they began to jeer at him: “Is this possible? A robe of any different coloured material, one thread of purple attached to it exempts it, and this that is entirely of purple should it not exempt itself (i.e. ipso facto be exempt) from the law of “Zizith”? (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 2).

בני ראובן. דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם וְאוֹן בֶּן פֶּלֶת:

בני ראובן THE SONS OF REUBEN — this describes Dathan and Abiram and On the son of Peleth.

רב לכם. הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי לְקַחְתֶּם לְעַצְמְכֶם גְּדֻלָּה:

רב לכם You TAKE TOO MUCH UPON YOU — i.e. much more than is proper have you taken for yourselves in the way of high Office.

כלם קדשים. כֻּלָּם שָׁמְעוּ דְבָרִים בְּסִינַי מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה:

כלם קדשים [FOR] ALL [THE CONGREGATION] ARE HOLY — they all heard the utterances on Sinai from the mouth of the Almighty (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 4).

ומדוע תתנשאו. אִם לָקַחְתָּ אַתָּה מַלְכוּת, לֹא הָיָה לְךָ לִבְרֹר לְאָחִיךָ כְּהֻנָּה, לֹא אַתֶּם לְבַדְּכֶם שְׁמַעְתֶּם בְּסִינַי "אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ", כָּל הָעֵדָה שָׁמְעוּ (שם):

ומדוע תתנשאו WHY THEN LIFT YE UP YOURSELVES [ABOVE THE ASSEMBLY OF THE LORD] — “If you have taken royal rank for yourself, you should at least not have chosen the priesthood for your brother — it is not you alone who have heard at Sinai: ‘I am the Lord thy God', all the congregation heard it!” (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 4).

ויפל על פניו. מִפְּנֵי הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת, שֶׁכְּבָר זֶה בְיָדָם סִרְחוֹן רְבִיעִי, חָטְאוּ בָעֵגֶל, "וַיְחַל מֹשֶׁה" (שמות ל"ב), בַּמִּתְאוֹנְנִים, "וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה" (במדבר י"א), בַּמְּרַגְּלִים, "וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה' וְשָׁמְעוּ מִצְרַיִם" (שם י"ד), בְּמַחֲלָקְתּוֹ שֶׁל קֹרַח נִתְרַשְּׁלוּ יָדָיו, מָשָׁל לְבֶן מֶלֶךְ שֶׁסָּרַח עַל אָבִיו, וּפִיֵּס עָלָיו אוֹהֲבוֹ פַּעַם וּשְׁתַּיִם וְשָׁלֹשׁ, כְּשֶׁסָּרַח רְבִיעִית, נִתְרַשְּׁלוּ יְדֵי הָאוֹהֵב הַהוּא, אָמַר עַד מָתַי אַטְרִיחַ עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ? שֶׁמָּא לֹא יְקַבֵּל עוֹד מִמֶּנִּי (תנחומא):

ויפל על פניו [AND WHEN MOSES HEARD IT,] HE FELL UPON HIS FACE because of the rebellion, for this was already the fourth offence on their part: when they sinned by worshipping the Golden Calf, it states, (Exodus 32:11) "And Moses besought [the Lord]”; in the case of the “people who complained”, (Numbers 11:1) it states: “and Moses prayed”; at the incident of the “spies”, (Numbers 14:13) “And Moses said unto the Lord, ‘When the Egyptians shall hear it ... [and now I beseech Thee etc.]”; but now at the rebellion of Korah, his hands sank down (he felt himself powerless) A parable! This may be compared to the case of a prince who sinned against his father and for whom his (the father’s) friend gained forgiveness once, twice, three times. When he offended for the fourth time the friend felt himself powerless, for he said, “ How long can I trouble the king? Perhaps he will not again accept advocacy from me!” (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 4).

בקר וידע וגו'. עַתָּה עֵת שִׁכְרוּת הוּא לָנוּ וְלֹא נָכוֹן לְהֵרָאוֹת לְפָנָיו, וְהוּא הָיָה מִתְכַּוֵּן לִדְחוֹת שֶׁמָּא יַחְזְרוּ בָהֶם (שם):

בקר וידע וגו׳ TOMORROW THE LORD WILL MAKE KNOWN [WHO ARE HIS] — “Now (this hour of the day)” — he meant — “is a time of excessive drinking, and it is therefore not proper to appear before Him”. But his real intention in postponing the matter was that perhaps they might repent (abandon their opposition) (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 5).

בקר וידע ה' את אשר לו. לַעֲבוֹדַת לְוִיָּה:

'בקר וידע ה את אשר לו TOMORROW THE LORD WILL MAKE KNOWN WHO ARE TO BE HIS for the Levitical service,

ואת הקדוש. לִכְהֻנָּה:

ואת הקדוש AND HIM WHO IS HOLY enough for the priesthood,

והקריב. אוֹתָם אליו; וְהַתַּרְגּוּם מוֹכִיחַ כֵּן "וִיקָרֵב לָקֳדָמוֹהִי", "יְקָרֵב לְשִׁמּוּשֵׁיהּ"; וּמִ"אַ בקר, אָ"ל מֹשֶׁה, גְּבוּלוֹת חָלַק הַקָּבָּ"ה בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, יְכוֹלִים אַתֶּם לַהֲפֹךְ בֹּקֶר לְעֶרֶב? כֵּן תּוּכְלוּ לְבַטֵּל אֶת זוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר וַיַּבְדֵּל" (בראשית א'), כָּךְ "וַיִּבָּדֵל אַהֲרֹן לְהַקְדִּישׁוֹ" וְגוֹ' (דהי"א כ"ג):

והקריב AND HE WILL BRING them אליו UNTO HIM. The Targum proves that this is so (i.e. that Scripture alludes to two different matters), for it renders the first phrase by “He will bring near to Him”, and the second by “He will bring near to His service”. — A Midrashic explanation of the word בקר (instead of the more usual מחר) is the following: Moses said to him (Korah): “The Holy One, blessed be He, has assigned bounds in His world; can you, perhaps, change the morning into evening? Just as little, will you be able to make this (Aaron’s appointment as High Priest) of none effect, — as indeed it states, (Genesis 1:5) “and it was evening and it was morning… (Genesis 1:4) “and God separated (ויבדל) [light from darkness]”; and in the same sense (that the separation should be of a permanent character) it states, (I Chronicles 23:13) “and Aaron was separated (ויבדל) that he should be sanctified [as most holy … to minister unto him]” (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 5).

זאת עשו קחו לכם מחתות. מָה רָאָה לוֹמַר לָהֶם כָּךְ? אָמַר לָהֶם, בְּדַרְכֵי הַגּוֹיִם יֵשׁ נִימוּסִים הַרְבֵּה וְכוּמָרִים הַרְבֵּה וְכֻלָם (אֵין) מִתְקַבְּצִים בְּבַיִת אֶחָד, אָנוּ אֵין לָנוּ אֶלָּא ה' אֶחָד, אָרוֹן אֶחָד, וְתוֹרָה אַחַת וּמִזְבֵּחַ אֶחָד וְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל אֶחָד, וְאַתֶּם ר"ן אִישׁ מְבַקְּשִׁים כְּהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה, אַף אֲנִי רוֹצֶה בְכָךְ, הֵא לָכֶם תַּשְׁמִישׁ חָבִיב מִכֹּל, הִיא הַקְּטֹרֶת הַחֲבִיבָה מִכָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, וְסַם הַמָּוֶת נִתַּן בְּתוֹכוֹ, שֶׁבּוֹ נִשְׂרְפוּ נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּ, לְפִיכָךְ הִתְרָה בָהֶם והיה האיש אשר יבחר ה' הוא הקדש — כְּבָר הוּא בִקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ, וְכִי אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁמִּי שֶׁיִּבְחַר הוּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ? אֶלָּא אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה, הֲרֵינִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם, שֶׁלֹּא תִּתְחַיְּבוּ, מִי שֶׁיִּבְחַר בוֹ יֵצֵא חַי וְכֻלְּכֶם אוֹבְדִין (תנחומא):

זאת עשו קחו לכם מחתות THIS DO: TAKE YOU CENSERS — What reason had he to speak to them thus? He said to them: according to the custom of the heathens there are numerous forms of divine worship, and consequently numerous priests, for they cannot assemble for worship in one temple; we, however, have One God, one Ark, one Law, one Altar, all constituting one form of worship and therefore we need but one High Priest; — and you, 250 men, all demand the High Priesthood?! I would like this myself, but events will prove that this is impossible. Here you have a rite which is dear to God more than any other — it is the offering of incense, which is even dearer to Him than all the sacrifices, but a deadly poison is contained in it, for through it Nadab and Abihu were burnt!” (cf. Leviticus 10:2). It was on this account that he warned them by saying, And it shall come to pass that the man whom the Lord will choose is the holy one — he is already in his state of holiness (not “he will become holy”; he thus warned them that there was not the slightest likelihood that they would be chosen). This must be the meaning of הוא הקדוש, not "he will become holy”, for do we not know that he whom He would choose would become holy? But this, in effect, is what Moses said to them: “I am telling you this in order that you may not imperil your lives, for only he whom He will choose will come out of this alive, but all of you will perish” (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 5).

מחתות. כֵּלִים שֶׁחוֹתִין בָּהֶם גֶּחָלִים וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם בֵּית יָד:

מחתות CENSERS — vessels into which coals are raked and which have a handle (cf. Rashi on Exodus 27:3).

רב לכם בני לוי. דָּבָר גָּדוֹל אָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם; וְלֹא טִפְּשִׁים הָיוּ, שֶׁכָּךְ הִתְרָה בָהֶם וְקִבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם לְקָרֵב? הֵם חָטְאוּ עַל נַפְשׁוֹתָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֵת מַחְתּוֹת הַחַטָּאִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָם" (במדבר י״ז:ג׳), וְקֹרַח שֶׁפִּקֵּחַ הָיָה מָה רָאָה לִשְׁטוּת זֶה? עֵינוֹ הִטְעַתּוּ, רָאָה שַׁלְשֶׁלֶת גְּדוֹלָה יוֹצְאָה מִמֶּנּוּ — שְׁמוּאֵל שֶׁשָּׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן — אָמַר בִּשְׁבִילוֹ אֲנִי נִמְלָט, וְכ"ד מִשְׁמָרוֹת עוֹמְדוֹת לִבְנֵי בָנָיו, כֻּלָּם מִתְנַבְּאִים בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כָּל אֵלֶּה בָנִים לְהֵימָן" (דברי הימים א כ"ה ה'), אָמַר אֶפְשָׁר כָּל הַגְּדֻלָּה הַזֹּאת עֲתִידָה לַעֲמֹד מִמֶּנִּי וַאֲנִי אֶדּוֹם? לְכָךְ נִשְׁתַּתֵּף לָבֹא לְאוֹתָהּ חֲזָקָה, שֶׁשָּׁמַע מִפִּי מֹשֶׁה שֶׁכֻּלָּם אוֹבְדִים וְאֶחָד נִמְלָט, "אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר ה' הוּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ" — טָעָה וְתָלָה בְעַצְמוֹ, וְלֹא רָאָה יָפֶה, לְפִי שֶׁבָּנָיו עָשׂוּ תְשׁוּבָה, וּמֹשֶׁה הָיָה רוֹאֶה. — תַּנְחוּמָא:

רב לכם בני לוי means, “It is a great (an important) thing that I have told you, ye sons of Levi”). But were they not fools in that although he so sternly warned them they nevertheless undertook to offer! They, however, sinned against their own souls (i.e., they were regardless of their lives) as it is said, (17:3) “the censers of these sinners against their souls”. — But Korah who certainly was a clever (lit., open-eyed) man, what reason had he to commit this folly? His mind’s eye misled him. He saw by prophetic vision a line of great men (more lit., a great chain) descending from him, amongst them the prophet Samuel who was equal in importance to Moses and Aaron together (cf. Psalms 99:6: משה ואהרן בכהניו ושמואל בקראי שמו), and he said to himself, “On his account I shall escape the punishment”. And he further saw twenty-four Mishmars (shifts of Levites who formed the Temple Choir) arising among his grand-children, all of them prophesying by the Holy Spirit, — as it is said, (I Chronicles 25:5) “All these (prominent musicians) were sons of Heiman” (Heiman was a descendant of Korah; cf. I Chronicles 6:18—23). — He said, “Is it possible that all this dignity is to arise from me and I shall remain silent (be myself of no importance)?” On this account he joined the others in order to attain to that prerogative, because he had indeed heard from the mouth of Moses that all else of them would perish and one would escape: "He whom the Lord will choose will be holy". He mistakenly applied this to himself. But he had not seen correctly, for his sons repented of their rebellious attitude and therefore did not die at that time (cf. Numbers 26:11), and it was from them that Samuel and the Levitical singers were descended. Moses, however, foresaw this. (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 5).

רב לכם. דָּבָר גָּדוֹל נְטַלְתֶּם בְּעַצְמְכֶם לַחֲלֹק עַל הַקָּבָּ"ה:

רב לכם means, a great responsibility have you taken upon yourselves in rebelling against the Holy One, blessed be He.

ויאמר משה אל קרח שמעו נא בני לוי. הִתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ בִּדְבָרִים רַכִּים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָהוּ קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף, אָמַר עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתַּתְּפוּ שְׁאָר הַשְּׁבָטִים וְיֹאבְדוּ עִמּוֹ, אֲדַבֵּר גַּם אֶל כֻּלָּם, הִתְחִיל לְזָרֵז בָּהֶם "שִׁמְעוּ נָא בְּנֵי לֵוִי" (תנחומא):

ויאמר משה אל קרח שמעו נא בני לוי AND MOSES SAID UNTO KORAH, HEAR, I PRAY YOU, YE SONS OF LEVI — He began to speak to him with gentle words; when, however, he saw that he was stubborn, he said to himself: Before the other tribes join him and perish together with him, I will speak to them all!” He thereupon began to admonish them: “Hear ye, ye sons of Levi!” (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 6).

ולעמד לפני העדה. לָשִׁיר עַל הַדּוּכָן:

ולעמד לפני העדה AND TO STAND BEFORE THE CONGREGATION to sing on the Duchan (the Platform).

ויקרב אתך. לְאוֹתוֹ שֵׁרוּת שֶׁהִרְחִיק מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁאָר עֲדַת יִשְֹרָאֵל:

ויקרב אתך AND HE HATH BROUGHT THEE NEAR to that service from which He has excluded the rest of the congregation of Israel.

לכן. בִּשְׁבִיל כָּךְ אתה וכל עדתך הנעדים אִתְּךָ עַל ה', כִּי בְשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ עָשִׂיתִי לָתֵת כְּהֻנָּה לְאַהֲרֹן, וְלֹא לָנוּ הוּא הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת הַזֶּה (שם):

לכן means because of this — because of all this that I have mentioned, אתה וכל עדתך הנועדים BOTH YOU AND ALL YOUR CONGREGATION WHO ARE GATHERED with you, על ה׳ are AGAINST THE LORD, for it is by His commission that I am acting in giving the Priesthood to Aaron; and this rebellion is therefore not against “us” (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 6).

וישלח משה וגו'. מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵין מַחֲזִיקִין בְּמַחֲלֹקֶת, שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה מְחַזֵּר אַחֲרֵיהֶם לְהַשְׁלִימָם בְּדִבְרֵי שָׁלוֹם (סנהדרין ק"י):

וישלח משה וגו׳ AND MOSES SENT [TO CALL DATHAN AND ABIRAM] — From here we may learn that one should not persist in strife (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 10), for, you see, Moses sought them out in order to conciliate them by peaceful words (Sanhedrin 110a).

לא נעלה. פִּיהֶם הִכְשִׁילָם, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם אֶלָּא יְרִידָה:

לא נעלה WE WILL NOT GO UP — Their mouth tripped them up (i.e. unwittingly they made mention of their fate) — that they would have only a “descent” (their words are taken to mean: we shall not be going up; we shall go down into the depths of the earth) (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 6).