In light of this explanation, we can now understand the proof of “the incident of Korach”:
By referencing the incident of Korach, Rashi intends to bring proof of these two above-mentioned points (in Section 4): Firstly, the breakdown of boundaries on its own — when where people merely fail to “act according to My commandment” — brings wrath; but on the other hand, the wrath only manifests if “strangers” actually “shall enter this service of {the Levites}.”
And these two points can be seen in the incident of Korach: Korach sinned in trying to dissolve the boundaries within the Jewish nation, claiming: “For the entire assembly, all of them, are holy... so why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem?” This sin elicited Hashem’s “wrath” upon the entire Jewish nation, “Hashem spoke... ‘Separate yourselves from amid this assembly, and I shall destroy them in an instant.’”
On the other hand, although Korach had persuaded “the entire assembly” (“they were all convinced”), Hashem’s “wrath” did not actually manifest (as Moshe and Aharon argued: “The one man shall sin, but You will be angry with the entire assembly!?”). This only happens when the two hundred and fifty men actually offer incense, when the breakdown of boundaries happens on a practical level, “a strange person who is not of the offspring of Aharon shall draw near to bring the smoke of incense before Hashem.” {This breakdown was not localized to those two hundred and fifty men;} it extended to the Jewish nation, who went on to complain after the incident of Korach. It was at this point that Hashem’s “wrath” (which was already aroused beforehand) materialized, “for the wrath has gone out....”
