וַיָּקֻמוּ לִפְנֵי משֶׁה וַאֲנָשִׁים מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵל חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתָיִם נְשִׂיאֵי עֵדָה קְרִאֵי מוֹעֵד אַנְשֵׁי שֵׁם: במדבר פט"ז פ"ב
They stood before Moshe with two hundred and fifty men from Klall Yisroel, leaders of the assembly, those summoned for meeting, men of renown. {Bamidbor 16:2}
Logically, a person who is a descendant of distinguished ancestors - “who has Yichus” - should be modest and humble. He should always think: “When will my deeds be as great as those of my ancestors?” In reality, we see that the opposite tends to be true... Such people are likely to be proud and arrogant. Perhaps they take their cue from Korach and his assembly - since. Because they were אנשי שם, men of renown, they were arrogant and quarrelsome - and so it has always been.
- Reb Naftoli of Ropschitz
וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל משֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם רַב לָכֶם כִּי כָל הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדשִׁים וּבְתוֹכָם ה' וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל קְהַל ה': במדבר פט"ז פ"ג
And they gathered themselves together against Moshe and against Aaron, and said to them, You take too much upon yourself, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and Hashem is among them. Why then do you lift up yourselves above the flock of Hashem? {16:3}
It is interesting to note that those who engage in a controversy with righteous men will attribute to these men traits which are the very opposite of their true character. This was also true in the case of Moshe, of whom the Torah states that he was “Very humble, above all the men that were on the face of the earth. {12:3}” His detractors, seeking to find fault with him, settled on arrogance, of all things, as the failing for which to attack their leader.
- Reb Menachem Mendel of Kotsk
וַיִּשְׁלַח משֶׁה לִקְרֹא לְדָתָן וּלְאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נַעֲלֶה: במדבר פט"ז פי"ב
And Moshe sent to call Doson and Avirom, the sons of Eli'ov; which said, we will not come up. {16:12}
מכאן שאין מחזיקין במחלוקת וכו' (רש"י)
From here we see that one should not strengthen a controversy – Rashi.
In every area in Jewish life, the principle of חזקה - presumption - applies. It is presumed that if there is a history of a particular action or state of being, that pattern will continue. Doson and Avierom had a track record of always being belligerent, and, following the principle of חזקה, there would be no point in Moshe approaching them. However, as Rashi says: אין מחזיקין במחלוקת - when it comes to seeking peace, we do not follow presumptions. We seek peace regardless. This is why Moshe still troubled himself to approach Doson and Avierom.
- Kesav Sofer
וְאִם בְּרִיאָה יִבְרָא ה' וּפָצְתָה הָאֲדָמָה אֶת פִּיהָ וּבָלְעָה אֹתָם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם וְיָרְדוּ חַיִּים שְׁאֹלָה וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי נִאֲצוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה אֶת ה': במדבר פט"ז פ"ל
But if Hashem creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth, and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then you shall understand that these men have provoked Hashem. {16:30}
Moshe Rabbeinu challenges Korach. He tells all of Bnei Yisroel that if Hashem kills Korach in a miraculous way then "Vidatem Ki Niatzu Ha'anashim Ha'eileh Es Hashem" you will know that these people angered Hashem (16:30). Why do they need to die in a miraculous way? Wouldn't it prove Moshe is right if they would just die on the spot and he remains standing? The Meshech Chochmoh explains that the tragedy of the whole fight was that Korach, Doson, and Avirom who were all great people knew that Moshe and Aharon were appointed by Hashem and that everything Moshe did, came from Hashem's command. Had they truly believed otherwise it would have made the Aveiroh less severe. Their gravest crime was that they told these lies simply as a way to ignite a rebellion among the people. It was the rest of Bnei Yisroel that was caught in this net, having been bought into the lies that Korach spread. Therefore, Moshe does not tell the people that if Korach dies it will prove that Moshe is right. He tells the people that if a great miracle occurs and these people suffer a horrific fate, it will prove, Ki Niatzu Ha'anashim that Korach knew the truth and did what he did simply to cause anger to Hashem. You don't need a miracle to prove who is right, but you need a miracle to prove what is in the heart of a person. The Tzanzer Rov said, how was Moshe Rabbeinu able to say וְאִם בְּרִיאָה יִבְרָא ה' {פט"ז פ"ל}? But if Hashem creates a new thing, etc..., how was Moshe Rabbeinu sure that a Hashem would create a new happening? (16:30). Answers The Divrei Chaim that Moshe Rabbeinu was sure that those who rebel against the ones who are appointed by Hashem would be punished in a way not seen before and out of the ordinary!
היוצא לנו מזה...
From this we must conclude, that every person must know, that the elevations of all the upper worlds, are weighed in the actions of this world. Every person must see to it, there should not be any Miniyoh (withholding) Chas VeSholom his part. As I heard from my father and teacher (Reb Osher of Stolin) ZT”L, it was once spoken before him about Moshiach, and he said, “Such you should know that from Hashem and from Tzadikim there is not any Miniyoh (withholding) for the coming of Moshiach. Rather the main Miniyoh is from simple people like us. And every person must see to it to place a various wick for Moshiach and see to it to have a portion in the light of Moshiach, and quicken his coming, also, through his hands. And if every person will do such, surely it will be the Geuloh Shleima IY”H. And all the worlds will elevate (Limaloh ulihaskil) to above and comprehension. Etc.
- Sefer Beis Aharon
