Sanhedrin 219

וסתרתה למזיה כל דאתא חזיה הדר אדהכי והכי אבלעו להו

and loosened her hair. Whoever came [to summon him] saw her and retreated.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It being immodest to look upon a married woman's loosened hair. ');">¹</span> Meanwhile, Korah's wife joined them [the rebels] and said to him [Korah], 'See what Moses has done. He himself has become king; his brother he appointed High Priest; his brother's sons he hath made the vice High Priests. If <i>terumah</i> is brought, he decrees, Let it be for the priest; if the tithe is brought, which belongs to you [i.e., to the Levite], he orders, Give a tenth part thereof to the priest. Moreover, he has had your hair cut off,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In accordance with the purification rites of the Levites; and let them share all their flesh (Num. VIII, 7). ');">²</span> and makes sport of you as though ye were dirt; for he was jealous<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'cast his eyes' — with envy. ');">³</span>

איתתיה דקרח אמרה ליה חזי מאי קעביד משה איהו הוה מלכא לאחוה שוויה כהנא רבא לבני אחוהי שוינהו סגני דכהנא אי אתיא תרומה אמר תיהוי לכהן אי אתו מעשר דשקילתו אתון אמר הבו חד מי' לכהן ועוד דגייז ליה למזייכו ומיטלל לכו כי כופתא עינא יהב במזייכו אמר לה הא איהו נמי קא עביד אמרה ליה כיון דכולהו רבותא דידיה אמר איהו נמי (שופטים טז, ל) תמות נפשי עם פלשתים

of your hair.' Said he to her, 'But he has done likewise!' She replied, 'Since all the greatness was his, he said also, Let me die with the Philistines.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Judges XVI, 30. This was used proverbially to denote readiness to suffer, so that others might suffer too. — Moses, retaining all the greatness himself, did not mind shaving his own hair off, seeing that he had caused all the rest to do so, thus depriving them of their beauty. ');">⁴</span> Moreover, he has commanded you, Set [fringes] of blue wool [in the corners of your garments];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XV, 38. ');">⁵</span> but if there is virtue in blue wool, then bring forth blue wool, and clothe thine entire academy therewith.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why limit it to a thread in the corner of the garment? Every scholar ought to be completely garbed therewith. ');">⁶</span>

ועוד דקאמר לכו עבדיתו תכלתא אי ס"ד תכלתא חשיבא [מצוה] אפיק גלימי דתכלתא וכסינהו לכולהו מתיבתך היינו דכתיב (משלי יד, א) חכמות נשים בנתה ביתה זו אשתו של און בן פלת ואולת בידה תהרסנה זו אשתו של קרח

Thus it is written, Every wise woman buildeth her house<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XIV, 1. ');">⁷</span> — this refers to the wife of On, the son of Peleth; but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands — to Korah's wife. And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XVI, 2. ');">⁸</span>

(במדבר טז, ב) ויקומו לפני משה ואנשים מבני ישראל חמשים ומאתים מיוחדים שבעדה קריאי מועד שהיו יודעים לעבר שנים ולקבוע חדשים אנשי שם שהיה להם שם בכל העולם

they were the most distinguished men of the community; chosen for the appointed times:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So translated here. E.V. 'famous in the congregation'. ');">⁹</span> meaning, they were skilled in intercalating the year<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V, supra 2a. ');">¹⁰</span> and fixing new moons; men of renown, famous throughout the whole world.

(במדבר טז, ד) וישמע משה ויפול על פניו מה שמועה שמע אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יונתן שחשדוהו מאשת איש שנאמר (תהלים קו, טז) ויקנאו למשה במחנה א"ר שמואל בר יצחק מלמד שכל אחד ואחד קנא את אשתו ממשה שנאמר (שמות לג, ז) ומשה יקח את האהל ונטה לו מחוץ למחנה

And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 4. ');">¹¹</span> What news did he hear? — R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in R. Jonathan's name: That he was suspected of [adultery with] a married women, as it is written, They were jealous of Moses in the camp,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CVI, 16. ');">¹²</span> which teaches that every person warned his wife<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 583, n. 1. ');">¹³</span>

(במדבר טז, כה) ויקם משה וילך אל דתן ואבירם אמר ר"ל מכאן שאין מחזיקין במחלוקת דאמר רב כל המחזיק במחלוקת עובר בלאו שנאמר (במדבר יז, ה) ולא יהיה כקרח וכעדתו

on Moses' account, as it is written, And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXIII, 7 — to avoid all ground of suspicion. ');">¹⁴</span> And Moses rose up and went in to Dathan and Abiram.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XVI, 25. ');">¹⁵</span> Resh Lakish said: This teaches that one must not be obdurate in a quarrel;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Moses disregarded his own dignity, going forth to the rebels in an attempt to end the quarrel. ');">¹⁶</span>

רב אשי אמר ראוי ליצטרע כתיב הכא ביד משה לו וכתיב התם (שמות ד, ו) ויאמר ה' לו עוד הבא נא ידך בחיקך

for Rab said: He who is unyielding in a dispute violates a negative command, as it is written, And let him not be as Korah, and as his company.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XVII, 5. ');">¹⁷</span> R. Ashi said: He deserves to be smitten with leprosy: here it is written, [as the Lord said] to him by the hand of Moses,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');">¹⁸</span> whilst elsewhere, it is said, And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. [… and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. IV, 6; to which 'the hand of Moses' is taken to allude. ');">¹⁹</span>

אמר ר' יוסי כל החולק על מלכות בית דוד ראוי להכישו נחש כתיב הכא (מלכים א א, ט) ויזבח אדוניהו צאן ובקר ומריא עם אבן הזוחלת וכתיב התם (דברים לב, כד) עם חמת זוחלי עפר

R. Joseph said: Whoever contends against the sovereignty of the House of David deserves to be bitten by a snake. Here it is written, And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings I, 9. ');">²⁰</span> whilst elsewhere it is written, with the poison of serpents [zohale]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H]. ');">²¹</span> of the dust.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXII, 24. ');">²²</span>

אמר רב חסדא כל החולק על רבו כחולק על השכינה שנאמר (במדבר כו, ט) בהצותם על ה' א"ר חמא ברבי חנינא כל העושה מריבה עם רבו כעושה עם שכינה שנאמר (במדבר כ, יג) המה מי מריבה אשר רבו בני ישראל (על) [את] ה'

R. Hisda said: Whoever contends against [the ruling of] his teacher is as though he contended against the <i>Shechinah</i>, as it says, when they strove against the Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXVI, 9. The reference is to Korah's rebellion; though against Moses only, it is stigmatised as being against God. ');">²³</span> R. Hama son of R. Hanina said: Whoever quarrels<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., in general. ');">²⁴</span> with his teacher is as though he quarrelled with the <i>Shechinah</i>, as it is said, This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XX, 13. V. n. 14. ');">²⁵</span>

א"ר חנינא בר פפא כל המתרעם על רבו כאילו מתרעם על השכינה שנאמר (שמות טז, ח) לא עלינו תלונותיכם כי (אם) על ה' א"ר אבהו כל המהרהר אחר רבו כאילו מהרהר אחר שכינה שנאמר (במדבר כא, ה) וידבר העם באלהים ובמשה

R. Hanina b. Papa said: Whoever expresses resentment against his teacher, is as though he expressed it against the <i>Shechinah</i>, as it is said, Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XVI, 8. ');">²⁶</span> R. Abbahu said: He who imputes [evil] to his teacher is as though he imputed [it] to the <i>Shechinah</i>, as it says, And the people spake against God, and against Moses.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXI, 5. ');">²⁷</span> Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. V, 12. ');">²⁸</span>

(קהלת ה, יב) עושר שמור לבעליו לרעתו אמר ר"ל זה עושרו של קרח (דברים יא, ו) ואת כל היקום אשר ברגליהם א"ר אלעזר זה ממונו של אדם שמעמידו על רגליו ואמר רבי לוי משוי ג' מאות פרדות לבנות היו מפתחות של בית גנזיו של קרח וכולהו אקלידי וקילפי דגילדא

Resh Lakish said: This refers to Korah's wealth. And all the substance that was at their feet:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XI, 6. ');">²⁹</span> R. Eleazar said: This refers to a man's wealth, which puts him on his feet. R. Levi said: The keys of Korah's treasure house were a load for three hundred white mules,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This of course is not to be taken literally. ');">³⁰</span> though all the keys and locks were of leather.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Instead of metal, so as to be light in weight, yet they amounted to such a load. ');">³¹</span>

א"ר חמא ברבי חנינא ג' מטמוניות הטמין יוסף במצרים אחת נתגלתה לקרח ואחת נתגלתה לאנטונינוס בן אסוירוס ואחת גנוזה לצדיקים לעתיד לבא

R. Hama son of R. Hanina said: Three treasures did Joseph hide in Egypt: one was revealed to Korah; one to Antoninus the son of Severus,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 610, n. 7. ');">³²</span> and the third is stored up for the righteous for the future time. R. Johanan also said: Korah was neither of those who were swallowed up nor of those who were burnt. 'Neither of those who were swallowed up' — as it is written, [And the earth&nbsp;… swallowed them up…] and all the men that appertained unto Korah,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XVI, 32. ');">³³</span>

וא"ר יוחנן קרח לא מן הבלועים ולא מן השרופין לא מן הבלועין דכתיב (במדבר טז, לב) ואת כל האדם אשר לקרח ולא קרח ולא מן השרופים דכתיב (במדבר כו, י) באכול האש את חמשים ומאתים איש ולא קרח

[implying], but not Korah himself. 'Nor of those who were burnt' — for it is written, What time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXVI, 10. ');">³⁴</span> — but not Korah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since there were two hundred and fifty besides Korah; v. XVI, 17, where Korah is mentioned apart from the two hundred and fifty. ');">³⁵</span> A Tanna taught in a Baraitha: Korah was one of those who were swallowed up and burnt.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' First his soul was burnt, the body remaining intact, and this in turn was swallowed up (Rashi). ');">³⁶</span>

במתניתא תנא קרח מן השרופין ומן הבלועין מן הבלועים דכתיב (במדבר כו, י) ותבלע אותם ואת קרח מן השרופין דכתיב (במדבר טז, לה) (ותצא אש מלפני ה') [ואש יצאה מאת ה'] ותאכל את חמשים ומאתים איש וקרח בהדייהו

'Of those who were swallowed up' — as it is written,&nbsp;… and swallowed them up together with Korah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 10. ');">³⁷</span> 'Of those who were burnt' — since it is written, And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men [that offered incense],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XVI, 35. ');">³⁸</span> which includes Korah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He includes Korah among the two hundred and fifty men who offered incense, as stated in v. 17. ');">³⁹</span>

אמר רבא מאי דכתיב (חבקוק ג, יא) שמש ירח עמד זבולה לאור חציך יהלכו מלמד שעלו שמש וירח לזבול אמרו לפניו רבש"ע אם אתה עושה דין לבן עמרם נצא ואם לאו לא נצא עד שזרק בהם חצים אמר להן בכבודי לא מחיתם בכבוד בשר ודם מחיתם והאידנא לא נפקי עד דמחו להו

Raba said: What is meant by the verse, The sun and the moon stood still in their zebul, at the light of thine arrows they went?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hab. III, 11; according to tradition, there are seven heavens, of which zebul is one. What were they doing in zebul, seeing that they are set in the rakia' — a lower heaven, translated in Gen. I, 4, 'firmament'? ');">⁴⁰</span> — This teaches that the sun and the moon ascended from the rakia' to the zebul, and exclaimed before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Sovereign of the Universe! If thou wilt execute justice for Amram's son [by punishing Korah and his assembly], we will go forth [to give light]; if not, we will not go forth.' Thereupon he shot arrows at them, saying, 'For My honour ye did not protest, yet ye protest for the honour of flesh and blood!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Men worship you, whereby they dishonour Me, yet ye do not protest. ');">⁴¹</span> So now they do not go forth until they are driven to it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [As they do not wish to give light to sinful man.] ');">⁴²</span>

דרש רבא מאי דכתיב (במדבר טז, ל) ואם בריאה יברא ה' ופצתה האדמה את פיה אמר משה לפני הקב"ה אם בריאה גיהנם מוטב ואם לאו יברא ה' למאי אילימא למבריה ממש והא (קהלת א, ט) אין כל חדש תחת השמש אלא לקרובי פיתחא

Raba gave the following exposition: What is meant by the verse, But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XVI, 30. ');">⁴³</span> — Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, 'If the Gehenna has already been created, 'tis well; if not, let the Lord create it.' Now, in respect of what? If actually to create it, but there is no new thing under the sun!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. I, 9. ');">⁴⁴</span> But [he prayed] that its mouth might be brought up [to the spot where they were standing].

(במדבר כו, יא) ובני קרח לא מתו תנא משום רבינו אמרו מקום נתבצר להם בגיהנם וישבו עליו ואמרו שירה אמר רבה בר בר חנה זימנא חדא הוה קאזלינא באורחא אמר לי ההוא טייעא תא ואחוי לך בלועי דקרח אזיל חזא תרי בזעי דהוה קא נפק קיטרא מנייהו שקל גבבא דעמרא אמשיי' מיא ואותביה בריש רומחיה ואחלפי' התם איחרך א"ל אצית מה שמעת ושמעית דהוו קאמרי הכי משה ותורתו אמת והן בדאים

Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXVI, 11. ');">⁴⁵</span> A Tanna taught: It has been said on the authority of Moses our Master: A place was set apart for them in the Gehenna, where they sat and sang praises [to God]. Rabbah b. Bar Hana said: I was proceeding on my travels, when an Arab said to me, 'Come, and I will shew thee where the men of Korah were swallowed up.' I went and saw two cracks whence issued smoke. Thereupon he took a piece of clipped wool, soaked it in water, attached it to the point of his spear, and passed it over there, and it was singed. Said I to him, 'Listen to what you are about to hear.' And I heard them saying thus: 'Moses and his Torah are true, but they [Korah's company] are liars.'