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קרח 8

Midrash Tanchuma Buber · Korach, Chapter 8

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    ודתן ואבירם (במדבר טז א). מיכאן אמרו אוי לרשע אוי לשכנו, טוב לצדיק טוב לשכנו, דתן ואבירם, שהיו שכנים לקרח, שהיה שרוי בדרום, דכתיב משפחות בני קהת יחנו וגו' (שם ג כט), דגלו של ראובן סמוך להם, [שנאמר] דגל מחנה ראובן תימנה (שם ב י), אבל דגל של יהודה היה במזרח, וישככשר וזבולון עמו, [שנאמר] והחונים קדמה מזרחה דגל מחנה יהודה (שם שם ג), וסמוכין להן משה אהרן ובניו, [שנאמר והחונים לפני המשכן קדמה לפני אהל מועד מזרחה משה ואהרן ובניו] (שם ג לח), לפי שהיו אלו סמוכין לתורה, לכך זכו להיות בני תורה, דכתיב יהודה מחוקקי (תהלים ס ט), [וכתיב] ומבני ישככר יודעי בינה לעתים (דה" יב לב), [וכתיב] ומזבולון מושכים בשבט סופר (שופטים ה יד), ודתן ואבירם שהיו שכנים לקרח בעל מחלוקת, לקו ואבדו מן העולם.

    (Numb. 16:1, cont.:) ALONG WITH DATHAN AND ABIRAM. From here they derived the saying: Woe to the wicked one, <and> woe to his neighbor.19Tanh., Numb.5:4, cont.; Numb.R. 18:5, cont.; see Neg. 12:6; Sifra to Lev.14:40 (157: Metsora‘, pereq 4); ARN, A, 9; cf. ARN, B, 16; Numb.R. 3:12; Suk. 56b; above, Numb.1:13. <What is> good for a righteous person is good for his neighbor. Because Dathan and Abiram were neighbors of Korah, who was dwelling to the south (of the Tabernacle), as stated (in Numb. 3:29): THE FAMILIES OF THE CHILDREN OF KOHATH WERE TO CAMP < ALONG THE SIDE OF THE TABERNACLE TO THE SOUTH>. The standard of Reuben was near them, [as stated] (in Numb. 2:10): THE STANDARD OF THE CAMP OF REUBEN SHALL BE TO THE SOUTH. However, the standard of Judah was in the east, and with him were Issachar and Zebulun, [as stated] (in Numb. 2:3): NOW THESE CAMPING IN FRONT TO THE EAST SHALL BE <THOSE UNDER> THE STANDARD OF THE CAMP OF JUDAH. And near them were Moses, Aaron, and his children, [as stated (in Numb. 3:38): THOSE WHO CAMPED BEFORE THE TABERNACLE, IN FRONT BEFORE THE TENT OF MEETING TO THE EAST, WERE MOSES, AARON, AND HIS CHILDREN.] Because these were near the Torah, they were therefore worthy to be Torah scholars, as written (in Ps. 60:9 [7]): JUDAH IS MY LAWGIVER.20Mehoqeq. Most translations render the word as scepter, since kingship was what Judah actually attained. [It is also written] (in I Chron. 12:33 [32]): AND FROM THE CHILDREN OF ISSACHAR, THOSE WHO HAD AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMES. [And it is written] (in Jud. 5:14): AND FROM ZEBULON THOSE WHO WIELD THE SCRIBAL PEN. But because Dathan and Abiram were neighbors to Korah, a master of dissension, they received <their due> and perished from the world.

Hebrew: Midrash Tanhuma haKadum veHaYashan, S. Buber, 1885 · Public Domain

English: Midrash Tanhuma, S. Buber Recension; trans. by John T. Townsend, 1989. · CC-BY

Texts from Sefaria.