Saadia's Tafsir on Bamidbar 17 (Parashat Korach)

Bamidbar 17:1

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר

Then God spoke to Moses directly.

Bamidbar 17:2

אֱמֹר אֶל-אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן-אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן וְיָרֵם אֶת-הַמַּחְתֹּת מִבֵּין הַשְּׂרֵפָה וְאֶת-הָאֵשׁ זְרֵה-הָלְאָה כִּי קָדֵשׁוּ

. . .

Command Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, that he lift the fire-pans from among the burned ones, and scatter the fire there — for they have become consecrated.

Bamidbar 17:3

אֵת מַחְתּוֹת הַחַטָּאִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָם וְעָשׂוּ אֹתָם רִקֻּעֵי פַחִים צִפּוּי לַמִּזְבֵּחַ--כִּי-הִקְרִיבֻם לִפְנֵי-יְהוָה וַיִּקְדָּשׁוּ וְיִהְיוּ לְאוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

. . .

As for the fire-pans of these men who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into thin beaten plates, a covering for the altar — for since they presented them before God they have become consecrated, and they shall be a sign for the sons of Israel.

Bamidbar 17:4

וַיִּקַּח אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֵת מַחְתּוֹת הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר הִקְרִיבוּ הַשְּׂרֻפִים וַיְרַקְּעוּם צִפּוּי לַמִּזְבֵּחַ

. . .

And Eleazar the priest took the copper fire-pans which the burned ones had presented, and they beat them into plates for the altar —

Bamidbar 17:5

זִכָּרוֹן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יִקְרַב אִישׁ זָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִזֶּרַע אַהֲרֹן הוּא לְהַקְטִיר קְטֹרֶת לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וְלֹא-יִהְיֶה כְקֹרַח וְכַעֲדָתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה בְּיַד-מֹשֶׁה לוֹ

. . . . . .

a memorial for the sons of Israel, so that no outsider who is not of the lineage of Aaron shall draw near to burn incense before God, and that none be like Korah and his assembly — as God laid down by the hand of Moses concerning him.

Bamidbar 17:6

וַיִּלֹּנוּ כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמָּחֳרָת עַל-מֹשֶׁה וְעַל-אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר אַתֶּם הֲמִתֶּם אֶת-עַם יְהוָה

. . .

And the whole congregation of the sons of Israel complained on the next day against Moses and Aaron, saying: 'You two have killed from the nation of God.'

Bamidbar 17:7

וַיְהִי בְּהִקָּהֵל הָעֵדָה עַל-מֹשֶׁה וְעַל-אַהֲרֹן וַיִּפְנוּ אֶל-אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהִנֵּה כִסָּהוּ הֶעָנָן וַיֵּרָא כְּבוֹד יְהוָה

. .

And when they had gathered against the two of them, they turned toward the tent of the assembly — and behold, the light of God appeared in the cloud.

Bamidbar 17:8

וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן אֶל-פְּנֵי אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד

.

And Moses and Aaron came forward before the tent of the assembly.

Bamidbar 17:9

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר

.

Then God spoke to Moses directly.

Bamidbar 17:10

הֵרֹמּוּ מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַזֹּאת וַאֲכַלֶּה אֹתָם כְּרָגַע וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל-פְּנֵיהֶם

. .

'If you remove yourselves from among this congregation, I shall destroy them in the twinkling of an eye.' And the two of them fell upon their faces.

Bamidbar 17:11

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-אַהֲרֹן קַח אֶת-הַמַּחְתָּה וְתֶן-עָלֶיהָ אֵשׁ מֵעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְשִׂים קְטֹרֶת וְהוֹלֵךְ מְהֵרָה אֶל-הָעֵדָה וְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם כִּי-יָצָא הַקֶּצֶף מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה הֵחֵל הַנָּגֶף

. . . . . . . .

And Moses said to Aaron: 'Take the fire-pan, and place upon it fire from the altar, and cast incense upon it, and go with it quickly to the congregation, and seek forgiveness for them — for the wrath has gone forth from before God, and the plague has already begun among them.'

Bamidbar 17:12

וַיִּקַּח אַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה וַיָּרָץ אֶל-תּוֹךְ הַקָּהָל וְהִנֵּה הֵחֵל הַנֶּגֶף בָּעָם וַיִּתֵּן אֶת-הַקְּטֹרֶת וַיְכַפֵּר עַל-הָעָם

. . . . .

And Aaron took it, just as Moses had said, and he came to the midst of the assembly — and behold, the pestilence had already begun among them; and he burned the incense, and sought forgiveness for them.

Bamidbar 17:13

וַיַּעֲמֹד בֵּין-הַמֵּתִים וּבֵין הַחַיִּים וַתֵּעָצַר הַמַּגֵּפָה

.

And he stood between the dead and the living, and the pestilence was held back.

Bamidbar 17:14

וַיִּהְיוּ הַמֵּתִים בַּמַּגֵּפָה אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת--מִלְּבַד הַמֵּתִים עַל-דְּבַר-קֹרַח

. .

And the number of those who died in that pestilence was fourteen thousand and seven hundred — besides those who died on account of Korah.

Bamidbar 17:15

וַיָּשָׁב אַהֲרֹן אֶל-מֹשֶׁה אֶל-פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהַמַּגֵּפָה נֶעֱצָרָה

. .

Then Aaron returned to Moses, to the entrance of the tent of the assembly, and the pestilence had been held back.

Bamidbar 17:16

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר

Then God spoke to Moses directly.

Bamidbar 17:17

דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְקַח מֵאִתָּם מַטֶּה מַטֶּה לְבֵית אָב מֵאֵת כָּל-נְשִׂיאֵהֶם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם--שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מַטּוֹת אִישׁ אֶת-שְׁמוֹ תִּכְתֹּב עַל-מַטֵּהוּ

. . . . .

'Command the sons of Israel, and take from them a staff, one staff for each father's house, from their nobles, for the houses of their fathers — twelve staves; and write the name of each man upon his staff.

Bamidbar 17:18

וְאֵת שֵׁם אַהֲרֹן תִּכְתֹּב עַל-מַטֵּה לֵוִי כִּי מַטֶּה אֶחָד לְרֹאשׁ בֵּית אֲבוֹתָם

. . .

And Aaron's name — write it upon the staff of Levi; for you are to take but one staff for the whole body of the houses of their fathers.'

Bamidbar 17:19

וְהִנַּחְתָּם בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד--לִפְנֵי הָעֵדוּת אֲשֶׁר אִוָּעֵד לָכֶם שָׁמָּה

. .

'And place them in the tent of the assembly, before the testimony, where I shall meet you there.'

Bamidbar 17:20

וְהָיָה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אֶבְחַר-בּוֹ--מַטֵּהוּ יִפְרָח וַהֲשִׁכֹּתִי מֵעָלַי אֶת-תְּלֻנּוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֵם מַלִּינִם עֲלֵיכֶם

. . .

'And the man whom I shall choose — his staff shall put forth branches, so that I may quiet away from Me the complaining of the sons of Israel, which they are complaining against you.'

Bamidbar 17:21

וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּתְּנוּ אֵלָיו כָּל-נְשִׂיאֵיהֶם מַטֶּה לְנָשִׂיא אֶחָד מַטֶּה לְנָשִׂיא אֶחָד לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם--שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מַטּוֹת וּמַטֵּה אַהֲרֹן בְּתוֹךְ מַטּוֹתָם

. . . .

And Moses spoke this to the sons of Israel, and all their nobles gave to him a staff, one staff for each noble, for the houses of their fathers — twelve staves; and Aaron's staff was among their staves.

Bamidbar 17:22

וַיַּנַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הַמַּטֹּת לִפְנֵי יְהוָה בְּאֹהֶל הָעֵדֻת

.

And Moses placed them before God, in the tent of the testimony.

Bamidbar 17:23

וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה אֶל-אֹהֶל הָעֵדוּת וְהִנֵּה פָּרַח מַטֵּה-אַהֲרֹן לְבֵית לֵוִי וַיֹּצֵא פֶרַח וַיָּצֵץ צִיץ וַיִּגְמֹל שְׁקֵדִים

. . . .

And when the next day came, Moses entered the tent of the testimony — and behold, the staff of Aaron, which was for the house of Levi, had put forth branches: it had brought out branches, and had burst into blossom, and had formed almonds.

Bamidbar 17:24

וַיֹּצֵא מֹשֶׁה אֶת-כָּל-הַמַּטֹּת מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה אֶל-כָּל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּרְאוּ וַיִּקְחוּ אִישׁ מַטֵּהוּ

. . .

And Moses brought out all the staves from before God to all the sons of Israel, and each one looked at his own staff and took it.

Bamidbar 17:25

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה הָשֵׁב אֶת-מַטֵּה אַהֲרֹן לִפְנֵי הָעֵדוּת לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת לְאוֹת לִבְנֵי-מֶרִי וּתְכַל תְּלוּנֹּתָם מֵעָלַי וְלֹא יָמֻתוּ

. .

Then God said to Moses: 'Return Aaron's staff before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for those who are rebellious, that their complaining against Me may be brought to an end, and they shall not perish.'

Bamidbar 17:26

וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֹתוֹ כֵּן עָשָׂה

.

And Moses did as God had commanded him in this.

Bamidbar 17:27

וַיֹּאמְרוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר הֵן גָּוַעְנוּ אָבַדְנוּ כֻּלָּנוּ אָבָדְנוּ

. .

Then the sons of Israel said to Moses: 'Behold, some of us have died and some of us have perished — so we are all doomed.'

Bamidbar 17:28

כֹּל הַקָּרֵב הַקָּרֵב אֶל-מִשְׁכַּן יְהוָה יָמוּת הַאִם תַּמְנוּ לִגְו‍ֹעַ

. .

And if every one who draws near to the dwelling of God is destroyed, then behold — we are perishing, we are dying.'