Our parsha opens up with a terrible accusation against Moshe Rabbeinu:

וַיִּֽקָּהֲל֞וּ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵהֶם֮ רַב־לָכֶם֒ כִּ֤י כׇל־הָֽעֵדָה֙ כֻּלָּ֣ם קְדֹשִׁ֔ים וּבְתוֹכָ֖ם יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמַדּ֥וּעַ תִּֽתְנַשְּׂא֖וּ עַל־קְהַ֥ל יְהֹוָֽה׃ They [Korach and his followers] combined against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and GOD is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above Hashem’s congregation?”

Korach levels the ultimate reproach against the leadership: who put you in charge?

Rabbeibu Bachya flushes this out for us:

כלם קדושים. על הבכורות אמר כן, כענין שכתוב (שמות י״ג:ב׳) קדש לי כל בכור. ומדוע תתנשאו. להיות המלכות למשה והכהונה לאהרן. כלם קדושים, “they are all holy.” Korach referred to the firstborn Israelites as “holy,” seeing the Torah had written in Exodus 13,2: “sanctify for Me every firstborn.” ומדוע תתנשאו, “and why do you try to elevate yourselves?” He meant Moses and Aaron respectively claiming the position of King and High Priest.

Korach seems to feel that Moshe and Aharon enjoy ac special connection with Hashem that entitled them to rule over the Jewish people. The reality was much different, which is born out in the Yalkut........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)