[סורו נא מעל אהלי האנשים הרשעים האלה] (שם טז כו). שנו רבותינו ארבעה נקראו רשעים,
[(Numb. 16:26:) PLEASE MOVE AWAY FROM THE TENTS OF THESE WICKED PEOPLE.] Our masters have taught: Four < types of people > are called wicked:45Tanh., Numb.5:8, cont.; Numb. R. 18:12, cont.; cf. PRK 30 (p.190b in Buber text; “Additional Piska” 28:2 in Braude’s translation).
2
הפושט ידו על חבירו להכותו, אע"פ שלא הכהו נקרא רשע, שנאמר ויאמר לרשע למה תכה רעך (שמות ב יג), הכית לא נאמר אלא למה תכה. והלוה ואינו משלם, שנאמר לוה רשע ולא ישלם (תהלים לז כא). [ומי שיש לו עזות פנים ואינו מתבייש מגדול הימנו, שנאמר העז איש רשע בפניו (משלי כא כט)]. ומי שהוא בעל מחלוקת, שנאמר סורו נא מעל אהלי [האנשים] הרשעים (במדבר טז כו),
The one who extends his hand against his companion to strike him. Even though he did not <actually> strike him, he is called wicked, as stated (in Exod. 2:13): SO HE SAID TO THE WICKED ONE: WHY WOULD YOU STRIKE46The midrash understands the verb in accord with post-biblical usage and is stressing the fact that the tense is future. So also Sanh. 58b; Rashi on Exod.2:13. YOUR COMRADE? "<Why> did you strike?" is not stated here but WHY WOULD YOU STRIKE?
The one who borrows and does not repay, as stated (in Ps. 37:21): THE WICKED PERSON BORROWS BUT DOES NOT REPAY.47Avot 2:9. [Also the one who has an insolent face but does not feel shame from someone greater than himself, as stated (Prov. 21:29): A WICKED PERSON PUTS ON A BRAZEN FACE.]
And the one who is the author of dissension, as stated (in Numb. 16:26): PLEASE MOVE AWAY FROM THE TENTS OF THESE WICKED [PEOPLE].
3
ושניהם היו בדתן ואבירם, עזות פנים, ומחלוקת, מחלוקת באותיותיה נדרשות, מ' מכה, ח' חרם, ל' ליקוי, ק קללה, ת' תועבה. ויש אומרים תכלית, כלייה מביא לעולם.
Now two <of these traits> were in Dathan and Abiram, <i.e.,> an insolent face and dissension (MHLQT). MHLQT ("dissension") is interpreted through its letters. M is for makkah ("striking"); H is for herem ("destruction"); L is for liqquy ("blemish"); Q is for qelalah ("curse"); and T is for to 'evah ("abomination"). But some say <that T stands for> takhlit ("end"), <since dissension> brings annihilation to the world.
[סורו נא מעל אהלי האנשים הרשעים האלה] (שם טז כו). שנו רבותינו ארבעה נקראו רשעים,
[(Numb. 16:26:) PLEASE MOVE AWAY FROM THE TENTS OF THESE WICKED PEOPLE.] Our masters have taught: Four < types of people > are called wicked:45Tanh., Numb.5:8, cont.; Numb. R. 18:12, cont.; cf. PRK 30 (p.190b in Buber text; “Additional Piska” 28:2 in Braude’s translation).
הפושט ידו על חבירו להכותו, אע"פ שלא הכהו נקרא רשע, שנאמר ויאמר לרשע למה תכה רעך (שמות ב יג), הכית לא נאמר אלא למה תכה.
והלוה ואינו משלם, שנאמר לוה רשע ולא ישלם (תהלים לז כא).
[ומי שיש לו עזות פנים ואינו מתבייש מגדול הימנו, שנאמר העז איש רשע בפניו (משלי כא כט)].
ומי שהוא בעל מחלוקת, שנאמר סורו נא מעל אהלי [האנשים] הרשעים (במדבר טז כו),
The one who extends his hand against his companion to strike him. Even though he did not <actually> strike him, he is called wicked, as stated (in Exod. 2:13): SO HE SAID TO THE WICKED ONE: WHY WOULD YOU STRIKE46The midrash understands the verb in accord with post-biblical usage and is stressing the fact that the tense is future. So also Sanh. 58b; Rashi on Exod.2:13. YOUR COMRADE? "<Why> did you strike?" is not stated here but WHY WOULD YOU STRIKE?
The one who borrows and does not repay, as stated (in Ps. 37:21): THE WICKED PERSON BORROWS BUT DOES NOT REPAY.47Avot 2:9.
[Also the one who has an insolent face but does not feel shame from someone greater than himself, as stated (Prov. 21:29): A WICKED PERSON PUTS ON A BRAZEN FACE.]
And the one who is the author of dissension, as stated (in Numb. 16:26): PLEASE MOVE AWAY FROM THE TENTS OF THESE WICKED [PEOPLE].
ושניהם היו בדתן ואבירם, עזות פנים, ומחלוקת, מחלוקת באותיותיה נדרשות, מ' מכה, ח' חרם, ל' ליקוי, ק קללה, ת' תועבה. ויש אומרים תכלית, כלייה מביא לעולם.
Now two <of these traits> were in Dathan and Abiram, <i.e.,> an insolent face and dissension (MHLQT). MHLQT ("dissension") is interpreted through its letters. M is for makkah ("striking"); H is for herem ("destruction"); L is for liqquy ("blemish"); Q is for qelalah ("curse"); and T is for to 'evah ("abomination"). But some say <that T stands for> takhlit ("end"), <since dissension> brings annihilation to the world.