Parashas Korach: What Happened to Korach?

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Artwork: Wrath of God, by Titus Lunter

Parashas Korach: What Happened to Korach?

Introduction

“What happened to Korach?” It’s a simple question, and one might would assume it has a simple answer. I’d wager that if you took a poll, most Jews would respond: “Hashem made a miracle, causing the earth to swallow Korach and his followers alive.” That’s what I thought until I actually looked into the issue and realized that the answer isn’t so simple. 

Review of the Facts

First, let’s review the sequence of events. As you read this summary, be on the lookout for an answer to our question: 

Korach, Dasan and Aviram, Ohn ben Peles, and 250 leaders stand up in opposition to Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon, saying, “It is too much for you, for the entire assembly – all of them are holy. Why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem?” (Bamidbar 16:3). [Note: Many meforshim say that these 250 leaders were firstborns who were bitter about the fact that their role of serving in the Mikdash was taken away and given to the Leviim and Kohanim; that’s why they joined Korach in his attempt to “take back” the kehunah (priesthood) from the Kohanim.]

Moshe responds, “Tomorrow Hashem will make known who is His own and the holy one, and He will him draw close, and whomever He will choose, He will draw close to Himself” (ibid. 16:5). Moshe instructs these men to take fire-pans and bring ketores (incense) before Hashem, Who will make known His choice through His acceptance or rejection of the ketores. 

Moshe rebukes Korach. He calls him out on his populist campaign and exposes his true motive: the desire to seize the kehunah gedolah (high priesthood) from Aharon, which Korach felt was his birthright. 

Moshe attempts to reason with Dasan and Aviram; they spurn him, insult him, challenge his authority, and accuse him of despotism. Moshe is angry, and turns to Hashem. 

The next day, Korach and his 250 followers congregate in front of the Ohel Moed (Tent of Meeting); Korach assembles the rest of Bnei Yisrael to witness what will happen, with Dasan and Aviram and their followers standing nearby. 

Hashem declares His intent to destroy ALL of Klal Yisrael. Moshe intercedes on their behalf. Hashem responds by telling Moshe to urge Bnei Yisrael to distance themselves from around the tents of Korach, Dasan, and Aviram, and not touch anything of theirs, “lest they perish because of all their sins” (ibid. 16:26). 

Moshe announces that a test will be done to establish “that Hashem sent me to perform all these acts, that it was not from my heart.” If these men die a normal death, then Moshe’s status as shliach (messenger) of Hashem is a sham – but if Hashem miraculously causes the earth to swallow up these men and their possessions, “then it will be known that these men provoked Hashem” (ibid. 16:30). 

Immediately, “the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all the people who were with Korach, and the entire wealth; they and all that was theirs descended alive to the pit; the earth covered them over and they were lost from the congregation” (ibid. 16:32-33). 

Bnei Yisrael flee, fearing that the earth will swallow them as well. 

The chapter ends with the fate of Korach’s group: “A flame came forth from Hashem and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense” (ibid. 16:35).

Ambiguity in the Torah she'bi'Chsav’s Account

Notice anything? The pesukim never explicitly say what happened to Korach. In fact, there is a great deal of textual ambiguity. On the one hand, the pesukim imply that Korach was among “those wicked men” (ibid. 16:26) who were swallowed up with Dasan and Aviram. If Korach’s followers, household, and wealth were swallowed, it is certainly reasonable to assume that Korach himself was swallowed. On the other hand, the pesukim state that Korach was trying to prove that he deserved to be the kohen gadol, and Moshe’s whole test of offering the ketores was seemingly designed around Korach’s challenge. On that basis, it would be reasonable to assume that Korach was among the 250 men who offered the ketores and he was burned in the fire, like they were.

The three other accounts of the Korach Rebellion in Tanach only add layers to this ambiguity. Later on in Sefer Bamidbar (Parashas Pinchas) the Torah states: 

Dasan and Aviram [were the ones] who were summoned by the assembly, who contended against Moshe and Aharon among the assembly of Korach, when they contended against Hashem. Then the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and Korach with the death of the assembly, when the fire consumed the 250 men – and they became a sign. But the sons of Korach did not die (Bamidbar 26:9-11).

It seems clear from here that Korach did get swallowed up along with Dasan and Aviram, and was not burned in the fire with the 250 men. Yet, in Sefer Devarim, when Moshe lists the miraculous events that occurred in Yetzias Mitzrayim (the Exodus from Egypt) and in the Midbar (Wilderness), he says: 

[Remember] what He did to Dasan and Aviram, the sons of Eliav ben Reuven, when the earth opened its mouth wide and swallowed them, and their households, and their tents, and all the fortunes at their feet, in the midst of all Israel (Devarim 11:6).

No mention of Korach whatsoever. Similarly, when David ha’Melech is going over the miraculous events of Yetzias Mitzrayim and the Midbar in Sefer Tehilim, he writes:

They were jealous of Moshe in the camp, and of Aharon, Hashem’s holy one. The earth opened and swallowed Dasan, and covered over the company of Aviram. And a fire burned amid their company, a flame set the wicked ablaze (Tehilim 106:15-17).

Again, there is no mention of Korach being swallowed up in the earth – or being burned in the fire, for that matter. Only Dasan and Aviram are identified as being swallowed up, and the pasuk doesn’t specify which “wicked” people were burned. 

Chazal’s Answer

As we might expect, Chazal noted these difficulties and offered two possible answers to our question – neither of which is what we would expect. The Gemara in Sanhedrin 10a states:

… Rebbi Yochanan said: Korach was not among those who were swallowed [by the earth] NOR was he among those who were burned. He wasn’t among those who were swallowed, as it is written: “All of the people who belonged to Korach” – [which implies them] but not Korach. He wasn’t among those who were burned, as it was written: “when the fire consumed the 250 men” – [which implies that the fire consumed them] but not Korach. 

It was taught in a Braisa: Korach was among those who were burned AND he was among those who were swallowed. He was among those who were swallowed, as it is written: “and the earth swallowed them and Korach.” He was among those who were burned, as it is written: “a fire went forth from before Hashem and consumed the 250 men” – and Korach was with them [since he, too, was vying for the kehunah].

Neither R’ Yochanan nor the author of the Braisa maintain that Korach was only swallowed up or only burned. Either he was swallowed AND burned, or he was neither. 

A couple of factual loose ends remain. According to R’ Yochanan, how did Korach die? Rashi [1] explains:

he was not among those who were swallowed nor was he among those who were burned – rather, he died in the plague. 

According to Rashi, R’ Yochanan holds that Korach died in the plague described in the next chapter, in which 14,000 of Bnei Yisrael died as a punishment for complaining against Moshe and Aharon and accusing them of killing the 250 leaders who offered the incense. 

And according to the Braisa, how is it possible that Korach was burned to death AND swallowed alive? Rashi explains:

He was among those who were burned and he was among those who were swallowed – his soul was burned (i.e. the fire killed him) but his body was still intact, and afterwards [his body] rolled to the place of those who were swallowed, and it was swallowed, as it is written in Parashas Pinchas: “and it swallowed them, and Korach with them” … and Korach was with them. [the Braisa cites a proof] from that which was written: “and it consumed the 250 men who offered the incense” – and Korach was among those who offered the incense, as it is written: “250 fire-pans – and you, and Aharon, each man with his fire-pan.”

The Significance of this Machlokes

The very existence of this machlokes, combined with the fact that both views are defensible from a textual standpoint, indicates that nobody actually knows for sure what happened to Korach. Each of the sides is speculating and citing textual evidence for support. 

The question for us is: What is this machlokes really about? What is the crux of the machlokes? Surely R’ Yochanan and the author of the Braisa would concede that the text is ambiguous. That being said, what non-textual argument would each side bring to support his view? 

[Methodological reminder: this is a midrash we're dealing with here, and the purpose of midrashim is to teach ideas - not history. That's why we're interested in what we learn from this midrash rather than what actually happened.]

Maharal’s Explanation of the Braisa

The Maharal [2] provides a solid explanation of the Braisa:

It is important for you to know that Dasan and Aviram, who quarreled with Moshe, did not seek the kehunah at all; they were just sinful and evil men who wanted to quarrel with Moshe. 

However, the 250 men did seek the kehunah, as is clear from the pasuk: “the 250 men who offered incense.” Therefore, Dasan and Aviram were swallowed … but the 250 men were not swallowed, but burned … for this is what is befitting for someone who seeks [a position of] greatness and distinction which is not appropriate for him. Their intent was not for the sake of opposing [Moshe’s authority], but because they wanted the prominence and distinction of the kehunah. All of this is evident from the pesukim, and there is no need to go on at length about it. 

Korach was the cause of the quarrel [with Moshe] and he was the cause of the 250 men wanting the kehunah … in the Braisa it was taught that both [punishments befell] him, since both sins were found in him.

This explanation is quite intuitive. There were really two chataim (sins) here: quarreling with Moshe, and seeking the kehunah. Those who sinned by starting up with Moshe (i.e. Dasan and Aviram) were punished by being swallowed by the earth; those who sinned by illicitly offering the ketores because they wanted the kehunah (i.e. the 250 men) were punished by being burned; and since Korach led both groups, and partook of both chataim, he received both punishments. 

Maharal’s Explanation of R’ Yochanan

This leaves us with R’ Yochanan. Why, according to R’ Yochanan, should Korach have suffered neither punishment, and instead, died in the subsequent plague, along with the 14,000 other members of Bnei Yisrael who didn’t have an active role in either of the two groups of sinners? 

The Maharal offers an answer along the lines of his explanation of the Braisa:

If Korach had been swallowed, he wouldn’t have received the punishment that was befitting of the 250 men who sought the kehunah – and if he had been burned, he wouldn’t have received the punishment that was befitting for him because of his quarrel, for he did join with Dasan and Aviram. Therefore [R’ Yochanan] said that he wasn’t among those who were swallowed nor was he among those who were burned; instead, death [simply] came to him, and by dying a regular death, it was equal to both [of the other punishments].

According to the Maharal, since Korach was in an awkward position of deserving both punishments, he simply died, so as not to detract from either of the two punishments by subjecting him to the other one. 

Moreover, it would seem that unlike Rashi, who holds that Korach died in the plague sent by Hashem to kill Bnei Yisrael, the Maharal holds that he died a regular “natural” death. 

Difficulties with the Maharal’s Answer

In my humble opinion, this answer is difficult, and feels a bit forced – especially in light of the Braisa’s intuitive account. The punishment received by each group was midah kneged midah (measure for measure). The 250 men who brought a “strange fire” were burned in a fire sent by Hashem, “a God Who is like a consuming fire” (Devarim 4:42). According to the Abravanel [3], Dasan and Aviram’s punishment was midah kneged midah because “just as they opened their mouths without restraint to damage Moshe Rabbeinu’s authority and lower his status in the eyes of the nation, Hashem caused the earth to open its mouth and cause them to descend to the utmost depths.” 

Considering the educational midah kneged midah nature of these punishments, it doesn’t seem satisfying to say, “Korach deserved both punishments, but since he couldn’t get both, he just died a regular death.” 

Furthermore, the author of the Braisa would object to the premise of R’ Yochanan’s position, saying: “What do you mean ‘he couldn’t get both punishments’? Hashem burned his soul and then caused his body to be swallowed by the earth. What’s so difficult about that?”

Chasam Sofer’s Explanation of R’ Yochanan

The Chasam Sofer [4] offers a different explanation for R’ Yochanan, which hinges on an often overlooked aspect of Korach’s punishment that we glossed over in the pesukim:

… the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all the people who were with Korach, and the entire wealth; they and all that was theirs descended alive to the pit; the earth covered them over and they were lost from the congregation.

The Chasam Sofer writes:

Korach was one of the wealthiest people; everyone honored him, and the 250 princes of Israel followed after his counsel. But now, in a single moment, he found himself standing naked as the day he was born, deprived of all his tremendous wealth without a single thing remaining, for everything – even a sewing-needle – was swallowed in the earth, and all of his relatives and friends were either swallowed or burned; even his sons did teshuvah and distanced themselves from him. There is no greater degradation than this. Its taste is far more bitter than death, and worse than being swallowed or burned. 

According to the Chasam Sofer, Korach’s punishment was midah kneged midah. He sinned by staging a coup to seize the kehunah gedolah for the sake of personal glory, and he was punished by having every last vestige of personal glory taken away from him. This, to my mind, is a more satisfying explanation of R’ Yochanan’s view. 

The Crux of the Machlokes

In light of the Chasam Sofer’s explanation, it turns out that the machlokes is really more unified than it initially seemed. Both the Braisa and R’ Yochanan agree (a) that there were two groups of sinners, (b) that each group’s punishment was midah kneged midah, (c) that Korach was leading cause of both chataim, and (d) that Korach’s punishment was also midah kneged midah. 

The machlokes between the Braisa and R’ Yochanan centers on the question: As the cause of both chataim, what form would Korach’s midah kneged midah punishment take? 

According to the Braisa, Korach simply received both midah kneged midah punishments. In contrast, R’ Yochanan maintained that the combination of these two midah kneged midah punishments would result in some deficiency – either because the message would be diluted, as the Maharal implied with his explanation, or because Korach’s sin as the leader was more severe than that of his followers, or because there was some superadded element within Korach’s sin which was not present in either of the two groups of his followers. Either way, Korach’s midah kneged midah punishment took on a form specific to him – one which singled him out from both groups, removed him from the community at large, and most importantly, stripped him of all the glory and power he so desperately sought, leaving him with absolutely nothing – “a fate worse than death” for a man of Korach’s ambitions.

Conclusion

That’s all I’ve got at this point. Perhaps someone can sharpen the definition of the machlokes. 

Either way, I think this is a great example of how we shouldn’t rely on our “elementary school level” recollection of the classic episodes in Torah, but should always read the text with fresh eyes and a fresh mind – and when we find “new” problems, we should search for answers and insights from the baalei Mesorah who preceded us and blazed these trails of understanding.

[1] Rabbeinu Shlomo ben Yitzchak (Rashi), Commentary on Sanhedrin 110a

[2] Rav Judah Loew ben Bezalel, Chidushei Agados l’Maharal on Sanhedrin 110a

[3] Don Yitzchak Abravanel, Commentary on Bamidbar 16:30

[4] Rav Moshe Schreiber, Toras Moshe: Parashas Korach, cited in Daf al Daf to Sanhedrin 110a