Korah (Korach) led a rebellion against Moses and his brother, Aaron, during the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. As punishment, he met his demise by miraculously being swallowed up by the earth. Read on for 11 facts about this biblical personality and his ill-fated insurrection.
1. He Was Moses’ First Cousin
Korah was no random rabble-rouser off the street. In fact, he was close kin to Moses, whose authority he attempted to undermine, and Aaron, whose position he tried to usurp. Korah’s father, Yitzhar, and Moses’ father, Amram, were brothers, sons of Kehat and grandsons of Levi (the third of Jacob’s 12 sons).1
Read: 17 Facts About Moses
2. He Was Rich and Smart
Far from being a social misfit, Korah was fabulously wealthy, highly intelligent,2 and greatly respected. According to tradition, Korah obtained his wealth by discovering a portion of the treasures Joseph amassed by selling grain during the seven years of famine during his tenure as viceroy of Egypt.3 Additionally, Korah was a member of the Levite tribe, enabling him to participate in the service in the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary that traveled with the Jews in the desert.
Read: Who Were the Levites?
3. He Led a Rebellion Against Moses
Despite—and because of—his many qualities and high stature, Korah felt able to take a stance against Moses and Aaron. Coveting the position of High Priest,4 and jealous that his cousin Elitzafan had been chosen as head of the Kehat branch of the Levite tribe,5 he proceeded to stage a full-scale rebellion against Moses and Aaron.
4. He Had a Large Following
Korah was not alone in his resistance. He was joined by Dathan and Abiram, longtime troublemakers since the Jews’ days in Egypt, as well as an additional 250 community leaders.6 Together, they confronted Moses and claimed that Aaron’s appointment as High Priest was Moses’ own initiative, not G‑d’s.7 They further demanded that they all be allowed to serve as High Priests.8
As the rebellion gathered momentum, its ranks swelled, with Korah luring thousands more to his side.9
5. He Challenged Moses With Blue Cloaks
According to Midrashic tradition, Korah distributed 250 specially prepared cloaks to his supporters. These cloaks were not adorned with tzitzit strings as prescribed by Torah law, but instead were fully dyed with techelet, the blue or purple coloring ideally used for part of the tzitzit fringes on each corner.
Read: What Is Techelet?
“Do these cloaks require tzitzit?” Korah challenged Moses. “Yes, they do,” Moses replied. Korah’s cohorts then began to mock: “With a differently colored garment, one techelet string per corner is sufficient. If so, when an entire garment is dyed with techelet, shouldn’t its very color be enough to exempt it from tzitzit?!” In this way, Korah tried to undermine Moses by pointing to the supposed absurdity of the laws he had taught and questioning their Divine origin.10
Read: Hanging by a Thread
6. His Faction Was Given the “Incense Test”
To counter Korah’s claim that Aaron was not chosen by G‑d, Moses instructed Korah and the 250 key dissidents to take pans and offer ketoret (incense). G‑d would accept the sacrifice of the one He deemed worthy of the post of High Priest.11 Indeed, the next day, Korah and his men approached the sanctuary with their incense-filled pans.12
7. He Was Swallowed Up Alive
As the men stood with their pans, Moses warned the rest of the nation to stay clear of the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. He then foretold the unparalleled punishment that would befall the trio: the earth would open its mouth and swallow them and their households alive.13
As Moses finished speaking, his words came to pass, and Korah and his two cohorts disappeared into the earth, never to be seen again. Simultaneously, a Heavenly fire went forth and consumed the 250 incense-bearers.14
8. His Sons (and Their Songs) Survived
Initially, Korah’s three sons—Asir, Elkanah and Aviasaf—joined in their father’s insurgency. They soon regretted their actions and repented, however, and their lives were spared.15 Indeed, Korah’s descendants were among the Levites who sang in the Holy Temple,16 and several psalms in the Book of Psalms17 were either composed or sung18 by them. No less prestigious a persona than the prophet Samuel traced his lineage to Korah.19
Read: Samuel the Prophet
9. An Arab Showed a Sage Where He Fell
According to a fascinating account in the Talmud, the sage Rabbah son of Bar Chana was once traveling in the desert where he was joined by an Arab merchant. The Arab offered to show him the spot where Korah had been swallowed and proceeded to show him two cracks in the ground. Listening closely, Rabbah was able to hear subterraneous voices declaring, “Moses is true and his Torah is true, and we are wrong!”20
Read: Midrash and Reality
10. He Is the Classic Quarrelmonger in Jewish Literature…
When the Mishnah wants to give an example of an argument instigated for unholy purposes, it chooses Korah’s rebellion as the classic prototype.21 In fact, the Talmud states that anyone who supports a quarrel transgresses a Torah prohibition for following in Korah’s footsteps.22
Read: The Importance of Peace
11. … But There Was Depth to His Argument
At the same time, Korah should not be viewed simply as an agitator bent on subverting the status quo. He was a highly intelligent individual and there was more to his mutiny than meets the eye. Here is one way of understanding his claim:
Korah was against the notion that a nation needs a leader. He argued that every Jew had experienced the Divine revelation at Sinai and enjoyed a personal relationship with G‑d, rendering a leadership figure unnecessary.23 He failed to realize that Moses was more than just a leader. The Jewish people make up a single body of which Moses is the head. Just as the hand needs the head to move and be alive, so does each Jew need a spiritual head to help direct him on his path in life.
Read: Korach’s Real Problem
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