2021/5781
In Parashat Korach, Korach, Datan, and Aviram, along with all of their family and property, are swallowed by the Earth. This is as punishment for the rebellion they led against Moshe and Aharon, wanting the position of Kohen Gadol. But there is a hidden story here that is not told in Parashat Korach and yet is intimately connected to it: the story of Korach’s sons. To solve the mystery of their omission, we will have to embark on an expedition through several Parshi’ot in several Sefarim and solve a mystery whose clues are hidden throughout the Torah.
Our first stop on our learning journey is Parashat Pinchas. Three Parshi’ot after Korach, in the middle of a large census that is preparing Bnei Yisrael for dividing up the land, at the count of Reuven, the Torah mentions that Datan and Aviram were Reuven’s great-grandchildren, the same demagogues who led the rebellion against Moshe and Aharon with Korach but got swallowed by the Earth. And then it adds, almost as an afterthought, “UBnei Korach Lo Meitu,” “and the children of Korach did not die”. Why is this critical information hidden here, in the wrong Parashah, in the count of Reuven of all places? Wouldn’t putting this information in Parashat Korach make a lot more sense?
Our learning expedition next brings us all the way back to Ancient Egypt, in Parashat Va’era, where more clues and a greater mystery about Bnei Korach await. In Perek 6, the Torah details the genealogy of Moshe, skimming through Reuven and Shimon before reaching Levi, and describing the family of Kehat in detail. Korach, an important member of the family, is, of course, mentioned, as are his children. Not only that, but here we get their names: Assir, Elkanah, and Aviassaph.
On the surface, it makes sense why these names are here: the names of everyone who was anyone in the family are mentioned here. But everyone else is also named later as well. Aharon’s children appear many more times. Uzziel’s sons are mentioned because one of them, Eltzaphan, later becomes Nasi Beit Av of Kehat in Parashat BeMidbar. But Bnei Korach are never mentioned by name anywhere else in the Torah. Why do their names only appear here?
We must now return to our Beis Camp to think about what we have seen and start finding answers to our questions. Bnei Korach did not sin by joining their father. As Ramban says (BeMidbar 16:32), they were Tzadikim. As such, they did not die with him. But perhaps another reward of not associating with their father was not being associated with him. When Korach rebels, when Korach dies, they are not even mentioned. Instead, the news that they survived is saved for a later date, when the Torah happens to mention Korach’s rebellion again.
We are still left with our second question, though. Why is Parashat Va’era the only place where we learn the names of Bnei Korach? Why are they omitted in Parashat Pinchas? After all, they are being praised in Pinchas, and it is in the middle of a census. Not only is it a perfect time for name-drop, but the Torah already does that, mentioning the names of Benot Tzlafchad there. Why are the names of Bnei Korach omitted there?
We can answer that it is not a great compliment to be told that you are not guilty for a terrible crime, like, for example, first-degree murder. While not murdering people is obviously a good thing, it’s not particularly special not to do it. If anything, being praised this way insinuates that while you didn’t do first-degree murder, you did do a lesser crime, perhaps second-degree murder. Chazal show this in a comment about Benot Tzlafchad, mentioned earlier. Benot Tzlafchad tell Moshe that their father did not die in Adat Korach, but died of his own sin. Rabbi Akiva (Shabbat 96b) explains that Tzlafchad was the Mekoshesh Eitzim who did a Melacha on Shabbat and was executed. Comparing Tzlafchad favorably to Korach implies that he would otherwise be viewed unfavorably.
It is the same thing with Bnei Korach. Saying that they were better than their father not only is not much of a compliment, but degrades them. After all, they were so much more than that. They wrote eleven of the compositions in Sefer Tehillim, including Monday’s Shir Shel Yom. They were men of a very high caliber. That is why the names of Assir, Elkanah, and Aviassaph are mentioned not in Parshat Korach with their rebellious father, not in Parashat Pinchas being associated with him, but in Parashat Va’era, in the genealogy that introduces the family of Moshe and Aharon. Their praise is being named only when surrounded by individuals of the highest caliber.
This concludes our expedition through the wilderness of learning. The ferry back home will be leaving shortly.