Datan and Aviram's Punishment
The opening of the ground to swallow Datan and Aviram is a strange punishment even by biblical standards. This is not the first or last time the Jewish people sinned and were punished. Generally speaking, however, the form of punishment (fire, plague etc) was a means to an end and not a particular point of focus. In the case of Datan and Aviram, on the other hand, the punishment appears to be integral to the story:
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה בְּזֹאת תֵּדְעוּן כִּי־ה’ שְׁלָחַנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵת כָּל־הַמַּעֲשִׂים הָאֵלֶּה כִּי־לֹא מִלִּבִּי׃ אִם־כְּמוֹת כָּל־הָאָדָם יְמֻתוּן אֵלֶּה וּפְקֻדַּת כָּל־הָאָדָם יִפָּקֵד עֲלֵיהֶם לֹא ה’ שְׁלָחָנִי׃ וְאִם־בְּרִיאָה יִבְרָא ה’ וּפָצְתָה הָאֲדָמָה אֶת־פִּיהָ וּבָלְעָה אֹתָם וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם וְיָרְדוּ חַיִּים שְׁאֹלָה וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי נִאֲצוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה אֶת־ה’׃ וַיְהִי כְּכַלֹּתוֹ לְדַבֵּר אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַתִּבָּקַע הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר תַּחְתֵּיהֶם׃ וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת־פִּיהָ וַתִּבְלַע אֹתָם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּיהֶם וְאֵת כָּל־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר לְקֹרַח וְאֵת כָּל־הָרֲכוּשׁ׃ וַיֵּרְדוּ הֵם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם חַיִּים שְׁאֹלָה וַתְּכַס עֲלֵיהֶם הָאָרֶץ וַיֹּאבְדוּ מִתּוֹךְ הַקָּהָל׃ וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתֵיהֶם נָסוּ לְקֹלָם כִּי אָמְרוּ פֶּן־תִּבְלָעֵנוּ הָאָרֶץ׃ (במדבר טז:כח-לד)
וְאֵשׁ יָצְאָה מֵאֵת ה’ וַתֹּאכַל אֵת הַחֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם אִישׁ מַקְרִיבֵי הַקְּטֹרֶת׃ (במדבר טז:לה)
Even before any specific analysis it is worth noting that the Torah devotes 7 verses to the punishment of Datan and Aviram compared to just a single verse for the punishment of the 250 followers. Within the lengthy description are several unusual details such as Moshe's prediction of the punishment, the reaction of the bystanders, and the personification of the earth which is described as opening its 'mouth’ and ‘swallowing’ Datan and Aviram.
ירידה vs עלייה
The point noted by Rashi is the emphasis on the 'descent' into the earth. After Moshe invites Datan and Aviram to engage in dialogue, they respond as follows:
וַיִּשְׁלַח מֹשֶׁה לִקְרֹא לְדָתָן וְלַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נַעֲלֶה׃ הַמְעַט כִּי הֶעֱלִיתָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ לַהֲמִיתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר כִּי־תִשְׂתָּרֵר עָלֵינוּ גַּם־הִשְׂתָּרֵר׃ אַף לֹא אֶל־אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ הֲבִיאֹתָנוּ וַתִּתֶּן־לָנוּ נַחֲלַת שָׂדֶה וָכָרֶם הַעֵינֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵם תְּנַקֵּר לֹא נַעֲלֶה׃ )במדבר טז:יב-יד)
Rashi explains that the descent is a punishment for their refusal to 'ascend' to Moshe:
לא נעלה. פִּיהֶם הִכְשִׁילָם, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם אֶלָּא יְרִידָה
The refusal to ascend is central to understanding the cause of their ‘downfall’ and contains multiple layers of meanings.
Its immediate meaning is literal and personal – refusal to ascend to Moshe’s location to engage in dialogue. The refusal to even meet Moshe directly undermines his authority and frames Datan and Aviram as rebels against Moshe’s leadership.
Beyond the literal, the refusal to ascend expresses their disinterest in the national enterprise (of which Moshe was representative). Their declaration of לא נעלה coupled with a cynical recollection of Egypt as the ‘land flowing with milk and honey’ stands as an utter rejection of Kalev’s עלה נעלה call to ascend to the promised land. Entrenched within their slave mentality, Datan and Aviram had little interest in grand ideals of national independence and the responsibility which comes with being part of a free and civilised society.[1]
Finally, on a spiritual level, Datan and Aviram's rejection of authority logically ends in a rejection of God as well. Recognition of the Creator requires a basic contemplation outside of oneself in the quest for an ultimate source. This mental freedom to see past one's immediate physical experience does not naturally reside in a slave, trained not to think beyond the specific task at hand. From this perspective, the refusal to ascend alludes to a form of materialism and spiritual disconnect. (This was discussed in more detail in a previous post when exploring the connection between the demand for meat and the sin of spies.)
Datan and Aviram vs the 250 followers
The last point in particular, places Datan and Aviram in direct opposition to the 250 followers. The 250 followers who participated in the incense burning demanded that everyone be able to take part in the sanctuary service and the Mishkan should be accessible to all. In contrast, Datan and Aviram make no reference to God and seem to have no interest in ‘ascending’ at all. The former represents spiritual anarchy whilst the latter is a form of political anarchy, but this is where the connection ends. Crucially, whilst both may be sourced in self-interest and even facilitate a superficial alliance, the purported objective of the 250 followers is spiritual growth whilst the position of Datan and Aviram lacks any spiritual component.
The 250 followers are consumed by fire reminiscent of the punishment of Nadav and Avihu who also broke rank to offer a ‘strange fire’ of their own. The fire descends from God and consumes them. In the case of Nadav and Avihu the punishment was a natural consequence of their actions. They drew too close, so the heavenly fire which consumed the sacrifices also consumed them:
וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי ה’ וַתֹּאכַל עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶת־הָעֹלָה וְאֶת־הַחֲלָבִים וַיַּרְא כָּל־הָעָם וַיָּרֹנּוּ וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם (ויקרא ט:כד)
וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי ה’ וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם וַיָּמֻתוּ לִפְנֵי ה’ (ויקרא י:ב)
The same was true with the 250 followers:
וְאֵשׁ יָצְאָה מֵאֵת ה’ וַתֹּאכַל אֵת הַחֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם אִישׁ מַקְרִיבֵי הַקְּטֹרֶת (במדבר טז:לה)
Datan and Aviram, on the other hand, were also ‘consumed’ – not by a fire from above, but from the earth below. The swallowing up and descent into the earth, carries the symbol of their being consumed by their own materialism.[2]
Link to the splitting of the sea
Until now we have discussed the symbolism of the 'descent' in general. However, I think there could be an additional layer of symbolism in the particular form of the punishment. This symbolism derives from certain parallels between the splitting of the earth to swallow up Datan and Aviram, and the splitting of the sea to swallow up the Egyptians:
Punishment of the Egyptians | Punishment of Datan and Aviram | |
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־הָעָם אַל־תִּירָאוּ הִתְיַצְבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת־יְשׁוּעַת ה’... וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַיָּד הַגְּדֹלָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה’ בְּמִצְרַיִם וַיִּירְאוּ הָעָם אֶת־ה’ וַיַּאֲמִינוּ בַּה’ וּבְמֹשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ | וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה בְּזֹאת תֵּדְעוּן כִּי־ה’ שְׁלָחַנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵת כָּל־הַמַּעֲשִׂים הָאֵלֶּה כִּי־לֹא מִלִּבִּי | Introductory speech by Moshe. Moshe authenticated as messenger of God. |
וַיּוֹלֶךְ ה’ אֶת־הַיָּם בְּרוּחַ קָדִים עַזָּה כָּל־הַלַּיְלָה וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת־הַיָּם לֶחָרָבָה וַיִּבָּקְעוּ הַמָּיִם | וַתִּבָּקַע הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר תַּחְתֵּיהֶם | Splitting of the earth/water |
וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי ה’ נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם | וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתֵיהֶם נָסוּ לְקֹלָם | Reaction and fleeing of the onlookers |
וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם וַיְכַסּוּ | וַתְּכַס עֲלֵיהֶם הָאָרֶץ | Covering over of the sinners |
אֶת־הָרֶכֶב וְאֶת־הַפָּרָשִׁים לְכֹל חֵיל פַּרְעֹה... לֹא־נִשְׁאַר בָּהֶם עַד־אֶחָד וַיְאַבְּדֵם ה' (דברים יא:ד) | וְאֶת־בָּתֵּיהֶם וְאֵת כָּל־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר לְקֹרַח וְאֵת כָּל־הָרֲכוּשׁ
| Emphasis on complete obliteration |
תְּהֹמֹת יְכַסְיֻמוּ יָרְדוּ בִמְצוֹלֹת כְּמוֹ־אָבֶן | וַיֵּרְדוּ הֵם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם חַיִּים שְׁאֹלָה | Descent of the sinners |
נָטִיתָ יְמִינְךָ תִּבְלָעֵמוֹ אָרֶץ | וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת־פִּיהָ וַתִּבְלַע אֹתָם | Swallowing up of the sinners by the ‘earth’ |
Moreover, in his long speech in Devarim, Moshe singles out these two specific episodes when recalling the demonstrations of God's 'mighty hand' witnessed by the nation:
וְאֶת־אֹתֹתָיו וְאֶת־מַעֲשָׂיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בְּתוֹךְ מִצְרָיִם לְפַרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם וּלְכׇל־אַרְצוֹ׃ וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְחֵיל מִצְרַיִם לְסוּסָיו וּלְרִכְבּוֹ אֲשֶׁר הֵצִיף אֶת־מֵי יַם־סוּף עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם בְּרׇדְפָם אַחֲרֵיכֶם וַיְאַבְּדֵם יְהֹוָה עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה׃ וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לָכֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר עַד־בֹּאֲכֶם עַד־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה׃ וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְדָתָן וְלַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב בֶּן־רְאוּבֵן אֲשֶׁר פָּצְתָה הָאָרֶץ אֶת־פִּיהָ וַתִּבְלָעֵם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּיהֶם וְאֶת־אׇהֳלֵיהֶם וְאֵת כׇּל־הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם בְּקֶרֶב כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ כִּי עֵינֵיכֶם הָרֹאֹת אֶת־כׇּל־מַעֲשֵׂה יְהֹוָה הַגָּדֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה (דברים יא:ג-ז)
What is the meaning of this connection?
At its most basic level it appears that this is yet another aspect of the מידה כנגד מידה in the punishment of Datan and Aviram. The most inflammatory aspect of Datan and Aviram’s response was in referring to the exodus from Egypt as being taken out of a land of milk and honey, the classic metaphor for the land of Israel. Having expressed such longing for Egypt it was only fitting that they shared a similar fate to that of the Egyptians.
However, the deeper meaning may lie in the one major difference between the two episodes. With the splitting of the sea, the miraculous element lay in the exposing of the earth beneath, thereby enabling the Jews to cross on dry land. As such, the drowning of the Egyptians was a consequence of the sea returning to its natural state. The Egyptians died from their own foolishness in assuming that the waters which held firm to allow the Jews to cross would remain similarly suspended for them. It is indeed ironic that despite the ten plagues, what destroyed them once and for all, was in fact no miracle at all, but the return to nature of the waters.
The cognitive dissonance of the Egyptians seems connected to their polytheistic worldview, whereby various forces can act independently and be manipulated to the extent that the uniformity of nature is lost and chaos reigns. In such a world, even great miracles such as the splitting of the sea can go undetected as acts of God.
In the case of the downfall Datan and Aviram, the opening up of the earth was the nature-defying act itself. It is of note that this is the only reference we have to something explicitly referred to as a new ‘creation’ outside of the process of creation itself (though the impression is more of an anti-creation). As discussed earlier, the self-centred outlook of Datan and Aviram prevented them from acknowledging any source or authority beyond themselves. Moshe's outburst - 'not one donkey have I taken, nor have I wronged any one of them' - highlights their ingratitude as the core issue. The social chaos which derives from this attitude is the counterpart to the cosmic chaos of Egyptian theology. Datan and Aviram were guilty of blindness to any outside force whereas the Egyptians worshipped every force around them.
This adds yet another dimension to the punishment of Datan and Aviram. The swallowing up of Datan and Aviram suggests that nothing in the world, even the basic support structure of the earth itself, can be taken for granted. Their worldview did not provide space for recognition of a creator, so creation did not provide space for them. The complete indifference towards anything outside of their own sphere of existence was the other side of the irrational assumption of the Egyptians that the suspended waters would not come crashing down.
[1] The Talmud (Bavli Nedarim 64b) equates Datan and Aviram with the two quarrelling Jews in Egypt:
וַיֹּאמֶר מִי שָׂמְךָ לְאִישׁ שַׂר וְשֹׁפֵט עָלֵינוּ הַלְהָרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר כַּאֲשֶׁר הָרַגְתָּ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּירָא מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמַר אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר
The impression is that these Jews would have preferred to fight it out to the death than subject themselves to any outside authority or system of government. This strongly resonates with the words of Datan and Aviram which is presumably the basis of the Midrashic commentary:
הַמְעַט כִּי הֶעֱלִיתָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ לַהֲמִיתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר כִּי־תִשְׂתָּרֵר עָלֵינוּ גַּם־הִשְׂתָּרֵר
[2] As a point of contrast, consider Eliyahu who ascends to ‘heaven’ in a chariot of fire as if consumed by his own spiritual intensity.
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