Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה
In this aliyah, we see the terrifying and awesome moment when Hashem's middas hadin is unleashed upon the rebels. After Moshe Rabbeinu begs Hashem not to destroy the entire congregation for the sin of a few, Hashem commands the Bnei Yisrael to separate themselves from the tents of Korach, Dasan, and Aviram. Moshe warns the people that if these men die a natural death, it would mean his mission was not from Hashem, but if the earth opens its mouth and swallows them alive, it will be an undeniable sign that they have spurned the Creator.
All introductions, summaries, and contextual notes are the editor's commentary and are not part of the original text.אַלע הַקְדָּמוֹת, סִכּוּמִים, און הערות זענען דעם רעדאַקטאָר'ס באַמערקונגען און זענען נישט קיין טייל פונעם אָריגינעלן טעקסט.
פָּסוּק א
Pasuk 1
וַיְדַבֵּרAnd spokeיְהוָהHashemאֶלtoמֹשֶׁהMosheוְאֶלand toאַהֲרֹןAharonלֵאמֹר׃saying
פָּסוּק ב
Pasuk 2
הִבָּדְלוּSeparate yourselvesמִתּוֹךְfrom the midst ofהָעֵדָהthe congregationהַזֹּאתthisוַאַכַלֶּהand I will destroyאֹתָםthemכְּרָגַע׃in an instant
פָּסוּק ג
Pasuk 3
וַיִּפְּלוּAnd they fellעַלuponפְּנֵיהֶםtheir facesוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidאֵלO GodאֱלֹהֵיGod ofהָרוּחֹתthe spiritsלְכָלof allבָּשָׂרfleshהָאִישׁshall the manאֶחָדoneיֶחֱטָאsinוְעַלand uponכָּלallהָעֵדָהthe congregationתִּקְצֹף׃will You be angry
פָּסוּק ד
Pasuk 4
וַיְדַבֵּרAnd spokeיְהוָהHashemאֶלtoמֹשֶׁהMosheלֵּאמֹר׃saying
פָּסוּק ה
Pasuk 5
דַּבֵּרSpeakאֶלtoהָעֵדָהthe congregationלֵאמֹרsayingהֵעָלוּwithdrawמִסָּבִיבfrom aroundלְמִשְׁכַּןthe dwelling ofקֹרַחKorachדָּתָןDasanוַאֲבִירָם׃and Aviram
פָּסוּק ו
Pasuk 6
וַיָּקָםAnd roseמֹשֶׁהMosheוַיֵּלֶךְand wentאֶלtoדָּתָןDasanוַאֲבִירָםand Aviramוַיֵּלְכוּand followedאַחֲרָיוafter himזִקְנֵיthe elders ofיִשְׂרָאֵל׃Yisrael
פָּסוּק ז
Pasuk 7
וַיְדַבֵּרAnd he spokeאֶלtoהָעֵדָהthe congregationלֵאמֹרsayingסוּרוּturn awayנָאpleaseמֵעַלfrom nearאָהֳלֵיthe tents ofהָאֲנָשִׁיםthe menהָרְשָׁעִיםthe wickedהָאֵלֶּהtheseוְאַלand do notתִּגְּעוּtouchבְּכָלanythingאֲשֶׁרthatלָהֶםis theirsפֶּןlestתִּסָּפוּyou be swept awayבְּכָלin allחַטֹּאתָם׃their sins
פָּסוּק ח
Pasuk 8
וַיֵּעָלוּand they withdrewמֵעַלfrom uponמִשְׁכַּןthe dwelling ofקֹרֶחKorachדָּתָןDasanוַאֲבִירָםand Aviramמִסָּבִיבfrom all aroundוְדָתָןand Dasanוַאֲבִירָםand Aviramיָצְאוּwent outנִצָּבִיםstandingפֶּתַחat the entrance ofאָהֳלֵיהֶםtheir tentsוּנְשֵׁיהֶםand their wivesוּבְנֵיהֶםand their childrenוְטַפָּם׃and their little ones
פָּסוּק ט
Pasuk 9
וַיֹּאמֶרAnd saidמֹשֶׁהMosheבְּזֹאתby thisתֵּדְעוּןyou shall knowכִּיthatיְהוָהHashemשְׁלָחַנִיsent meלַעֲשׂוֹתto doאֵת—כָּלall ofהַמַּעֲשִׂיםthe deedsהָאֵלֶּהtheseכִּיthatלֹאnotמִלִּבִּי׃from my heart
פָּסוּק י
Pasuk 10
אִםIfכְּמוֹתlike the death ofכָּלallהָאָדָםmankindיְמֻתוּןdieאֵלֶּהtheseוּפְקֻדַּתand the fate ofכָּלallהָאָדָםmankindיִפָּקֵדis visitedעֲלֵיהֶםupon themלֹאnotיְהוָהHashemשְׁלָחָנִי׃has sent me
פָּסוּק יא
Pasuk 11
וְאִםBut ifבְּרִיאָהa creationיִבְרָאwill createיְהוָהHashemוּפָצְתָהand opensהָאֲדָמָהthe earthאֶת—פִּיהָits mouthוּבָלְעָהand swallowsאֹתָםthemוְאֶתand —כָּלallאֲשֶׁרthatלָהֶםis theirsוְיָרְדוּand they descendחַיִּיםaliveשְׁאֹלָהto the pitוִידַעְתֶּםthen you shall knowכִּיthatנִאֲצוּhave provokedהָאֲנָשִׁיםthe menהָאֵלֶּהtheseאֶת—יְהוָה׃Hashem
פָּסוּק יב
Pasuk 12
וַיְהִיAnd it wasכְּכַלֹּתוֹas he finishedלְדַבֵּרto speakאֵת—כָּלall ofהַדְּבָרִיםthe wordsהָאֵלֶּהtheseוַתִּבָּקַעand split openהָאֲדָמָהthe groundאֲשֶׁרthatתַּחְתֵּיהֶם׃was under them
פָּסוּק יג
Pasuk 13
וַתִּפְתַּחand she openedהָאָרֶץthe earthאֶת—פִּיהָits mouthוַתִּבְלַעand she swallowedאֹתָםthemוְאֶתand —בָּתֵּיהֶםtheir householdsוְאֵתand —כָּלallהָאָדָםthe peopleאֲשֶׁרwhoלְקֹרַחbelonged to Korachוְאֵתand —כָּלallהָרֲכוּשׁ׃the possessions
פָּסוּק יד
Pasuk 14
וַיֵּרְדוּAnd they went downהֵםtheyוְכָלand allאֲשֶׁרthatלָהֶםbelonged to themחַיִּיםaliveשְׁאֹלָהto the depthsוַתְּכַסand it closedעֲלֵיהֶםover themהָאָרֶץthe earthוַיֹּאבְדוּand they perishedמִתּוֹךְfrom the midst ofהַקָּהָל׃the congregation
פָּסוּק טו
Pasuk 15
וְכָלAnd allיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelאֲשֶׁרwhoסְבִיבֹתֵיהֶםwere around themנָסוּfledלְקֹלָםat their voiceכִּיforאָמְרוּthey saidפֶּןlestתִּבְלָעֵנוּshe swallow usהָאָרֶץ׃the earth
פָּסוּק טז
Pasuk 16
וְאֵשׁAnd a fireיָצְאָהwent forthמֵאֵתfromיְהוָהHashemוַתֹּאכַלand it consumedאֵת—הַחֲמִשִּׁיםthe fiftyוּמָאתַיִםand two hundredאִישׁmenמַקְרִיבֵיwho were offeringהַקְּטֹרֶת׃the incense
פָּסוּק יז
Pasuk 17
וַיְדַבֵּרAnd spokeיְהוָהHashemאֶלtoמֹשֶׁהMosheלֵּאמֹר׃saying
פָּסוּק יח
Pasuk 18
אֱמֹרSayאֶלtoאֶלְעָזָרElazarבֶּןson ofאַהֲרֹןAharonהַכֹּהֵןthe Kohenוְיָרֵםand he shall liftאֶת—הַמַּחְתֹּתthe fire pansמִבֵּיןfrom betweenהַשְּׂרֵפָהthe burningוְאֶתand —הָאֵשׁthe fireזְרֵהscatterהָלְאָהbeyondכִּיforקָדֵשׁוּ׃they became holy
פָּסוּק יט
Pasuk 19
אֵת—מַחְתּוֹתthe fire pans ofהַחַטָּאִיםthe sinnersהָאֵלֶּהtheseבְּנַפְשֹׁתָםat the cost of their livesוְעָשׂוּand they shall makeאֹתָםthemרִקֻּעֵיhammered sheets ofפַחִיםplatesצִפּוּיas a platingלַמִּזְבֵּחַfor the altarכִּיforהִקְרִיבֻםthey offered themלִפְנֵיbeforeיְהוָהHashemוַיִּקְדָּשׁוּand they became holyוְיִהְיוּand they shall beלְאוֹתfor a signלִבְנֵיto the children ofיִשְׂרָאֵל׃Yisrael
פָּסוּק כ
Pasuk 20
וַיִּקַּחAnd he tookאֶלְעָזָרElazarהַכֹּהֵןthe Kohenאֵת—מַחְתּוֹתthe fire pans ofהַנְּחֹשֶׁתthe copperאֲשֶׁרthatהִקְרִיבוּthey offeredהַשְּׂרֻפִיםthose who were burnedוַיְרַקְּעוּםand they hammered themצִפּוּיas a platingלַמִּזְבֵּחַ׃for the Altar
פָּסוּק כא
Pasuk 21
זִכָּרוֹןa reminderלִבְנֵיto the children ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelלְמַעַןso thatאֲשֶׁר·לֹאnotיִקְרַבshall approachאִישׁa manזָרan outsiderאֲשֶׁרwhoלֹאis notמִזֶּרַעof the seed ofאַהֲרֹןAharonהוּאheלְהַקְטִירto burnקְטֹרֶתincenseלִפְנֵיbeforeיְהוָהHashemוְלֹאand notיִהְיֶהhe shall beכְקֹרַחlike Korachוְכַעֲדָתוֹand like his assemblyכַּאֲשֶׁרasדִּבֶּרspokeיְהוָהHashemבְּיַדby the hand ofמֹשֶׁהMosheלוֹ׃to him
פָּסוּק כב
Pasuk 22
וַיִּלֹּנוּAnd they complainedכָּלall ofעֲדַתthe congregation ofבְּנֵיthe children ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelמִמָּחֳרָתon the morrowעַלagainstמֹשֶׁהMosheוְעַלand againstאַהֲרֹןAharonלֵאמֹרsayingאַתֶּםyouהֲמִתֶּםhave caused death toאֶת—עַםthe people ofיְהוָה׃Hashem
פָּסוּק כג
Pasuk 23
וַיְהִיAnd it wasבְּהִקָּהֵלwhen gatheringהָעֵדָהthe congregationעַלagainstמֹשֶׁהMosheוְעַלand againstאַהֲרֹןAharonוַיִּפְנוּand they turnedאֶלtoאֹהֶלthe Tent ofמוֹעֵדMeetingוְהִנֵּהand beholdכִסָּהוּcovered itהֶעָנָןthe cloudוַיֵּרָאand appearedכְּבוֹדthe glory ofיְהוָה׃Hashem
פָּסוּק כד
Pasuk 24
וַיָּבֹאAnd cameמֹשֶׁהMosheוְאַהֲרֹןand Aharonאֶלtoפְּנֵיthe front ofאֹהֶלthe Tent ofמוֹעֵד׃Meeting
Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם
The ground miraculously splits open, swallowing Dasan, Aviram, and their households alive, while a heavenly fire consumes the two hundred and fifty men who offered the incense. Following this, Hashem commands Eleazar to gather the copper fire pans of the deceased to be hammered into a plating for the Mizbe'ach, serving as an eternal warning that no non-Kohen may offer incense. Despite these open miracles, the very next day the congregation complains against Moshe and Aaron, accusing them of bringing death upon Hashem's people, which prompts the appearance of the Kavod Hashem at the Ohel Moed.
לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home
My dear friend, look at what happened here. The earth opened its mouth, fire came down from Shamayim, and yet, the very next morning, the people complained again. How is this possible? It shows us the terrifying power of a grudge and the blindness of machlokes (dispute). Once a person lets the fire of strife enter their heart, even the greatest open miracles cannot change their mind. The yetzer hara of conflict completely blinds a person to reality.
But look at the tikkun (rectification) the Torah gives us. The very copper fire pans used by the rebels were hammered into a plating for the Mizbe'ach (Altar). Why? To serve as a constant, physical reminder. Every time a Yid brought a korban, they saw that copper and remembered the danger of stepping out of their designated role and fueling division. We need these physical reminders in our own lives to stop us before we speak a word of strife or harbor resentment.
We must create our own 'reminders' in our daily lives to guard our peace and our families from the destructive touch of machlokes. When you feel the urge to argue, to prove you are right, or to join in a dispute that is not yours, you must physically step back, just as Bnei Yisrael had to physically move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram to save themselves.
Today, the moment you feel yourself getting drawn into an argument or a grievance—whether at home, in the shul, or at work—silently say to yourself, 'This is not my fire,' and physically walk away from the room or close the chat.