Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Numbers 16:19/רמב"ן על במדבר ט״ז:י״ט
אוְטַעַם וַיַּקְהֵל עֲלֵיהֶם קֹרַח אֶת כָּל הָעֵדָה – אֶת גְּדוֹלֵי הָעָם הַנּוֹעָדִים תָּמִיד אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, אוֹ בְּכוֹרֵי כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָרְאוּיִים לָעֲבוֹדָה. וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר "הָעָם" כְּמוֹ בָּעֵגֶל וּבַמְּרַגְּלִים, כִּי אִלּוּ הָיוּ כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה אוֹמֵר "וַאֲכַלֶּה אוֹתָם כְּרֶגַע וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל". וְכָל זֶה שֶׁהִזְכַּרְתִּי עַל הַבְּכוֹרִים (לעיל פסוקים א' ה') הוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (זבחים קי״ב) שֶׁאוֹמְרִים כִּי הָעֲבוֹדָה הָיְתָה לַבְּכוֹרוֹת, אֲבָל עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט הָיוּ כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּחִלָּה רְאוּיִים לַעֲבוֹדַת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, כִּי כֵּן הוּא הַדִּין לְעוֹלָם בְּבָמוֹת יָחִיד, וְנִבְחַר אַהֲרֹן לַעֲבוֹדַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְהַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְהָיָה קֹרַח טוֹעֵן עַל הַבְּחִירָה הַזֹּאת וְרוֹצֶה לְהַחְזִיר הָעֲבוֹדוֹת לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי כָל הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדוֹשִׁים:
1AND KORACH ASSEMBLED ALL THE CONGREGATION AGAINST THEM.132 The meaning of [the phrase “all the congregation” is] the leading men of all tribes, who are always summoned [as the congregation’s representatives] unto the door of the Tent of Meeting, or [it may refer to] the firstborn of all Israel who were [originally] eligible for the service [of the offerings]. Scripture does not mention [that Korach assembled] “the people,” [a phrase which it uses in the incidents of the [golden] calf133 and the spies,134? for if all Israel were guilty [here in the rebellion of Korach] He would have said: “that I may consume them in a moment135 — and will make thee a nation.”136 used here, it implies that He did not want to direct His punishment to the whole congregation. Now all that I have mentioned [above] about the firstborn is in accordance with the explanation of our Rabbis, who say137 that the service [of the offerings before the building of the Tabernacle] was performed by the firstborn. But according to the plain meaning of Scripture, all the Israelites [without exception] were at first eligible for the service of the offerings, for such is [indeed] always the law with respect to a High Place of an individual,138 and Aaron was chosen for the Service in the Tabernacle and Sanctuary. Korach thus was protesting against this selection [of Aaron alone], and wanted to restore the service [of the offerings] to all the Israelites, seeing all the congregation are holy.139