Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
The hatred Korah felt against Moses was still more kindled by his wife.
When, after the consecration of the Levites, Korah returned home, his
wife noticed that the hairs of his head and of his body had been
shaved, and asked him who had done all this to him. He answered,
"Moses," whereupon his wife remarked: "Moses hates thee and did this to
disgrace thee." Korah, however, replied: "Moses shaved all the hair of
his own sons also." But she said: "What did the disgrace of his own
sons matter to him if he only felt he could disgrace thee? He was quite
ready to make that sacrifice." [564] As at home, so also did Korah fare
with others, for, hairless as he was, no one at first recognized him,
and when people at last discovered who was before them, they asked him
in astonishment who had so disfigured him. In answer to their inquiries
he said, "Moses did this, who besides took hold of my hands and feet to
lift me, and after he had lifted me, said, 'Thou art clean.' But his
brother Aaron he adorned like a bride, and bade him take his place in
the Tabernacle." Embittered by what they considered as insult offered
him by Moses, Korah and his people exclaimed: "Moses is king, his
brother did he appoint as high priest, his nephews as heads of the
priests, he allots to the priest the heave offering and many other
tributes." [565] Then he tried to make Moses appear ridiculous in the
eyes of the people. Shortly before this Moses had read to the people
the law of the fringes in the borders of their garments. Korah now had
garments of purple made for the two hundred fifty men that followed
him, all of whom were chief justices. Arrayed thus, Korah and his
company appeared before Moses and asked him if they were required to
attach fringes to the corners of these garments. Moses answered, "Yea."
Korah then began this argument. "If," said he, "one fringe of purple
suffices to fulfil this commandment, should not a whole garment of
purple answered the requirements of the law, even if there be no
special fringe of purple in the corners?" He continued to lay before
Moses similar artful questions: "Must a Mezuzah be attached to the
doorpost of the house filled with the sacred Books?" Moses answered,
"Yea," Then Korah said: "The two hundred and seventy sections of the
Torah are not sufficient, whereas the two sections attached to the
door-post suffice!" Korah put still another question: "If upon a man's
skin there show a bright spot, the size of half a bean, is he clean or
is he unclean?" Moses: "Unclean." "And," continued Korah, "if the spot
spread and cover all the skin of him, is he then clean or unclean?"
Moses: "Clean." "Laws so irrational," said Korah, "cannot possibly
trace their origin from God. The Torah that thou didst teach to Israel
is not therefore God's work, but thy work, hence art thou no prophet
and Aaron is no high priest!" [566]
KORAH ABUSES MOSES AND THE TORAH
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