Daily Chumash Tuesday Korach – The earth swallows Koarch and kills his accomplices

Shelishi

1. Hashem instructs Moshe:
   • Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aaron saying that they are to separate themselves from the congregation as they will be destroyed in a moment. Moshe and Aaron prostrated themselves before Hashem and beseeched for His mercy, and that he should not punish the entire congregation because of the sin of one man.

2. Moshe instructs the Jewish people to disperse from the tent of Korach, Dasan and Aviram:
   • Hashem instructed Moshe to tell the congregation to disperse from the area of the encampments of Korach and Dasan and Aviram. Moshe, together with the elders of the Jewish people, approached Dasan and Aviram’s [camp] and told the congregation to disperse from the tents of these evildoers, and not to touch anything that is theirs, lest they will be killed for their sins. The congregation listened and dispersed from the area of Korach’s and Dasan and Aviram’s tent.

3. Moshe confronts Korach and Dasan and gives them a severe warning:
   • Dasan and Aviram confronted Moshe and came out of their tents with their wives and entire family.
   • Moshe warned them that Hashem sent him to do all of these actions and the following will be the sign that I did not fabricate it from my heart. If you die like a regular man, then you know that I am a fraudster and Hashem did not send me. If, however Hashem will create a new creation, and the earth will open its mouth and swallow you, and all that you own, into the depths of purgatory, then that will the sign that you have started a fight with G-d.

4. The earth swallows Koarch and kills his accomplices:
   • As Moshe finished speaking, the earth that was under them opened its mouth and swallowed their entire families and houses, and all the men who joined Korach, as well as all their property. They all descended alive into the depths of the earth and the earth covered them and they became lost from the congregation.
   • The people surrounding the area began fleeing with fright, having heard the screams of those who were swallowed, as they feared that they too would be consumed.
   • A fire exited from Hashem and consumed the 250 men that offered the Ketores.

5. The pans of the Ketores are used to plate the altar:
   • Hashem instructed Moshe to tell Elazar to gather all the Ketores pans, as the pans have become holy. The pans are to be used for covering the Mizbeiach, and serve as a sign for the Jewish people. Elazar did as Moshe commanded, and he gathered the pans and made it into a coating for the Mizbeiach to serve as a sign for the Jewish people that a non-Kohen may not offer Ketores before Hashem, and that one is not to be like Korach and his accomplices.

6. The congregation confronts Moshe and Aaron:
   • The next day, the entire Jewish people confronted Moshe and Aaron with the claim that they killed Hashem’s nation. As they were voicing their complaints, the cloud of glory covered the Ohel Moed and Hashem appeared.
   • Moshe and Aaron entered the Ohel Moed.