Midrash Tanchuma Buber · Appendix to Korach, Chapter 5
1
ד"א ויקח קרח וגו'. זש"ה אח נפשע מקרית עוז ומדנים כבריח ארמון (משלי יח יט), אח נפשע מקרית עוז, אמר ר' אחא זה קרח שהיה מסובלי הארון, שנאמר ולבני קהת לא נתן כי עבודת הקדש עליהם בכתף ישאו (במדבר ז ט), והוא היה גדול מכל השבט ופשע אך בארון, שנאמר אח נפשע מקרית עוז, ואין עוז אלא ארון, שנאמר ויתן לשבי עוזו וגו' (תהלים עח סא).
(Numb. 16:1:) NOW KORAH <BEN IZHAR BEN KOHATH BEN LEVI> BETOOK HIMSELF…. This text is related (to Prov. 18:19): A BROTHER OFFENDED IS MORE <FORMIDABLE> THAN A FORTIFIED CITY; <SUCH> CONTENTIONS ARE LIKE A CASTLE BAR. A BROTHER OFFENDED IS MORE <FORMIDABLE> THAN A FORTIFIED CITY. R. Aha said: this refers to Korah, who was one of the bearers of the Ark.24Cf. above, Numb. 5a:2; Numb. R. 18:14. It is so stated (in Numb. 7:9) BUT TO THE CHILDREN OF KOHATH HE GAVE NO <WAGONS>, BECAUSE THEY HAD THE SERVICE OF THE HOLY OBJECTS, WHICH THEY CARRIED ON THEIR SHOULDERS. Now he was the greatest in the whole tribe, and yet he sinned against the Ark. (Prov. 18:19): A BROTHER OFFENDED IS MORE <FORMIDABLE> THAN A FORTIFIED CITY (literally: CITY OF STRENGTH <'oz>), and 'oz can only denote an Ark, as stated (in Ps. 78:61): AND HE HAS DELIVERED HIS STRENGTH ('oz) TO CAPTIVITY.25The biblical context concerns the loss of the Ark from Shiloh.
ד"א ויקח קרח וגו'. זש"ה אח נפשע מקרית עוז ומדנים כבריח ארמון (משלי יח יט), אח נפשע מקרית עוז, אמר ר' אחא זה קרח שהיה מסובלי הארון, שנאמר ולבני קהת לא נתן כי עבודת הקדש עליהם בכתף ישאו (במדבר ז ט), והוא היה גדול מכל השבט ופשע אך בארון, שנאמר אח נפשע מקרית עוז, ואין עוז אלא ארון, שנאמר ויתן לשבי עוזו וגו' (תהלים עח סא).
(Numb. 16:1:) NOW KORAH <BEN IZHAR BEN KOHATH BEN LEVI> BETOOK HIMSELF…. This text is related (to Prov. 18:19): A BROTHER OFFENDED IS MORE <FORMIDABLE> THAN A FORTIFIED CITY; <SUCH> CONTENTIONS ARE LIKE A CASTLE BAR. A BROTHER OFFENDED IS MORE <FORMIDABLE> THAN A FORTIFIED CITY. R. Aha said: this refers to Korah, who was one of the bearers of the Ark.24Cf. above, Numb. 5a:2; Numb. R. 18:14. It is so stated (in Numb. 7:9) BUT TO THE CHILDREN OF KOHATH HE GAVE NO <WAGONS>, BECAUSE THEY HAD THE SERVICE OF THE HOLY OBJECTS, WHICH THEY CARRIED ON THEIR SHOULDERS. Now he was the greatest in the whole tribe, and yet he sinned against the Ark. (Prov. 18:19): A BROTHER OFFENDED IS MORE <FORMIDABLE> THAN A FORTIFIED CITY (literally: CITY OF STRENGTH <'oz>), and 'oz can only denote an Ark, as stated (in Ps. 78:61): AND HE HAS DELIVERED HIS STRENGTH ('oz) TO CAPTIVITY.25The biblical context concerns the loss of the Ark from Shiloh.
חסלת הוספה לפרשת קרח
The End of the Supplement to Parashah Qorah