The story of Moses and the rebellion of Korah, Datan, and Aviram in the Book of Numbers gives us a powerful example.

The Torah tells us, “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to the congregation, saying: Withdraw from around the dwellings of Korah, Datan, and Aviram’” (Numbers 16:23-24). But the Midrash, specifically Bamidbar Rabbah, pauses on this moment, revealing a fascinating detail. Even though Moses received the instruction directly from God, he didn’t immediately order the people to withdraw. Instead, he went to Datan and Aviram himself to warn them. As it is stated, "Moses arose and went to Datan and Aviram" (Numbers 16:25).

Why? To show just how far he was willing to go to try and save them. Even though they were wicked and rebellious, Moses extended himself, hoping to placate them. The text emphasizes how difficult these men were to deal with. They wouldn’t even come out to meet him! Seeing their stubbornness, Moses acknowledges, "It was incumbent upon me to go this far." (Numbers 16:25)

And then he speaks to the congregation, warning them: “Depart now, away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything that is theirs, lest you be destroyed for all their sins” (Numbers 16:26).

But what made them wicked? Bamidbar Rabbah, drawing on earlier rabbinic teachings, identifies four characteristics of wickedness. It’s a bit of a moral checklist, if you will. First, one who raises a hand to strike another, even without actually hitting them, is considered wicked. This comes from Exodus 2:13, where it says, "Why do you strike your counterpart," using the future tense takeh. Second, someone who borrows and doesn’t repay is wicked, based on Psalms 37:21: “Wicked is one who borrows and does not repay; righteous is one who is gracious and gives.” Thirdly, insolence – lacking shame in the presence of those greater than you – marks a wicked person, as Proverbs 21:29 states: “The wicked man is insolent before him, but the upright discerns his way.” And finally, someone who is constantly engaged in dispute, in maḥloket, is considered wicked.

According to the Rabbis, Datan and Aviram embodied at least two of these traits: insolence and dispute. The Midrash even breaks down the Hebrew word maḥloket itself, offering a chilling interpretation: mem for maka (smiting), ḥet for ḥaron (fury), lamed for likui (punishment), kof for kelala (curse), and tav for to’eva (abomination). Some even say it signifies takhlit, the end, as it brings extermination to the world. Powerful stuff.

So, the people heed Moses's warning and withdraw. But Datan and Aviram, ever defiant, "emerged and stood at the entrance of their tents, with their wives, and their children, and their infants" (Numbers 16:27). Bamidbar Rabbah paints a vivid picture: they emerged cursing and blaspheming. Their defiance is compared to the Philistine who stood taunting the Israelites for forty days (1 Samuel 17:16).

Then comes Moses's famous declaration: "With this you will know that the Lord has sent me to perform all these actions, as it is not from my heart" (Numbers 16:28). Essentially, he's saying, "If these men die a natural death, then I'm a liar." The Midrash uses a fascinating analogy here: a king's daughter, a groomsman, and a claim about her virginity. The point? Moses is so certain of his mission that he's willing to put everything on the line.

He then calls upon God to create a unique and terrible punishment. "But if the Lord creates a creation, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and everything that is theirs, and they descend alive into the abyss, you shall know that these people have scorned the Lord" (Numbers 16:30). He even suggests that if God hasn't already created such a mouth in the earth, now would be a good time to do so!

God, in turn, seems to grant Moses this extraordinary power. The text quotes Job 22:28: "You decide something, and He will fulfill it for you, and light will shine upon your ways."

Ultimately, the earth does open up, swallowing Korah, Datan, Aviram, and all that belonged to them. A terrifying end, and a powerful reminder of the consequences of rebellion and wickedness.

But I keep coming back to that initial moment. That moment when Moses, despite everything, chose to walk toward his adversaries, to give them one last chance. It speaks volumes about the complexities of leadership, the burden of responsibility, and the enduring hope, even in the face of profound wickedness, that redemption is still possible. What does that moment mean to you?