Seeking sources

[rhu]

I've been asked to give the dvar Torah next week (parshat Korach). I'm struck by one word in the description of the earth swallowing the conspirators, but haven't found any commentary about it:

וַיֵּרְדוּ הֵם וְכָל-אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם, חַיִּים--שְׁאֹלָה; וַתְּכַס עֲלֵיהֶם הָאָרֶץ, וַיֹּאבְדוּ מִתּוֹךְ הַקָּהָל.

So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit; and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the assembly. (JPS translation)

I'm wondering why the text specifies that they descended alive into the pit. My Mikrot Gedolot had nothing on this word. Anyone have other sources?

Comments

Google is your friend

[jikamens.livejournal.com]

http://www.sichosinenglish.com/books/vedibarta-bam/038.htm:

"But if G-d will create a new phenomenon, and the earth open its mouth and swallow them and all that is theirs, and they will descend alive to the pit." (16:30)


QUESTION: Why did Moshe wish such a strange death upon Korach and his followers?
ANSWER: Moshe loved all the Jewish people, including Korach and his followers. These people were sinning terribly, since by quarreling with him, they were actually defying Hashem's will. Had they died immediately, they would have left this world without doing teshuvah, and they would thus have lost their share in Olam Haba — the World to Come. Therefore, he prayed that they descend alive to the pit, hoping that while still alive, they would regret their wrongdoings and do teshuvah.
According to an opinion in the Gemara (Sanhedrin 109b) Korach and his followers do indeed have a share in Olam Haba.

"They and all that was theirs descended alive to the pit." (16:33)


QUESTION: Why did Korach and his people receive such a strange punishment?
ANSWER: Korach opposed the leadership of Moshe and Aharon. He argued, "The entire community is holy; why rise above the assembly of G-d?" (16:3). Korach, in effect, was advocating a government of anarchy.
Rabbi Chanina says, "Pray for the welfare of the government, for were it not for the fear of it, men would swallow one another alive" (Pirkei Avot 3:2). The punishment that Korach received was a message to him and to all future generations that without leadership, eventually one gets swallowed up alive.

See also http://www.dvar.org.il/parashot/Bamidbar/korach.html, which doesn't do a great job of specific sourcing but has a list of sources at the end.

Rabbi Riskin has this to say: http://www.ots.org.il/parsha/5763/korach63.htm

In general, I think you should look to the midrash for the answer to your question.

Re: Google is your friend

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

Ah, good, the first answer is what I was hoping to find a source for... Far better to provide citations than to suggest a chiddush :-)

Thanks.