Parshas Korach & Parshas Chukas 5778

Why Did Korach Rebel Now?

Rabbi Josh Yuter cites three reasons (in his parsha blog) (from Rabbi Yonasan Eibshutz):

1. Because instead of 11 days until they enter Eretz Yisroel, it would now be 40 years.
2. Because he was afraid of dying from carrying the Aron for 40 years.
3. And here: He took advantage of the sitituation because the people were upset (Shadal)

There is a fourth reason possible also - some midrashim explain earlier that when the people listened to the spies, they wanted to appoint a new leader and return to Egypt. Those midrashim cite Dasan and Aviram as those alternate leaders proposed by the people, or even Korach (because he was rich). Based on that, it may be possible that is where these three people got the idea of leadership from in this week's parsha.

Many Spies

There are several sets of spies described in Tanach:

1. Sent by Moses to spy out the Land in Parshas Shlach
2. A set of spies sent by Moses to the city of Jazer (Numbers 21:32).
3. Two spies sent by Joshua to spy on the city of Jericho (Joshua 1 and 2).
4. Spies sent by Joshua to spy out Ai (Joshua 7).
5. The spies sent to spy out the city of Luz (Judges 1).
6. The Tribe of Dan sent to spy out the land who took Micah's idol (Judges 18).