Parshas Korach 5777

Who Got the Land of Korach's Company?

The Torah writes (Numbers 16:32):

and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households, all Korah’s people and all their possessions.

The Talmud (Bava Batra 118b) states:

Abaye said to him: We are referring to the protesters who were among the assembly of Korah. This term is not referring to all those who protested, but rather to the 250 individuals who protested along with Korah, and it is their portions of land that Joshua and Caleb received.

(Korach himself was a Levite and did not get land, plus his sons survived and they probably got whatever portion of Levite cities he was supposed to get)

When Did Korach Get His Name?

The Zohar writes (3:49a):

When did he get the name Korach? At the time he was shaved [like all the other Levites]. At the time that Korach saw his head without any hair and he saw Aaron adorned with royal garments, it became light in his eyes and he became jealous of Aaron

(see also our previous post about his name being the same as the grandson of Esau)

What Was Korach's Job?

The Midrash writes (Bamidbar Rabbah 18:15):

Korach was the treasurer of household of Pharaoh and in his hands he held the keys to all of the treasuries

Midrash also writes (ibid 18:3):

Our Sages say: Korach was a wise person and he was from the carriers of the Ark