במדבר, פרק ט״ז, פסוק ט״ו

Faced with a bitter rebellion, Moses experiences a deep emotional reaction that goes far beyond mere anger, expressing profound sadness and heartache [רש״י, העמק דבר]. This intense sorrow stems from the fact that the rebels, particularly Dathan and Abiram, completely refused to even speak with him or listen to his rebuke. Their silence makes it clear that this is not a genuine disagreement over policy or leadership. Instead, it reveals pure arrogance, deeply rooted personal hatred, and an absolute refusal to repent [העמק דבר, קונטרס חיבה יתירה, ביאור יש״ר].

In response to their hostility, Moses turns to God with a severe request, asking Him to reject their offerings. Commentators offer several ways to understand exactly what Moses is asking God to refuse. One approach suggests he is referring to the incense that the rebels plan to offer the following day, asking God to turn away from it [רש״י, ספורנו, מלבי״ם]. Another perspective is that Moses is asking God to reject the rebels' portion in the daily communal sacrifices. By doing so, the heavenly fire would ignore their share, preventing them from achieving atonement for their sins [רמב״ן, רבנו בחיי, שפתי כהן]. A broader view maintains that Moses is pleading with God to reject any sacrifice or prayer they might ever offer [רמב״ן, טור, תרגום אונקלוס]. Because the rebels' sin is an offense against their fellow man, no sacrifice or Day of Atonement can clear them of guilt without direct reconciliation [ספורנו]. Furthermore, Moses worries that the rebels might be protected by the merit of good deeds they performed in the past. Therefore, he uses his standing as a righteous leader to strip away their merits, asking God to ignore their past positive actions entirely [אור החיים].

Defending himself against accusations of acting like a tyrannical ruler, Moses declares that he has never confiscated a donkey from the people. In the ancient world, kings and officials routinely seized animals from citizens for royal or public service. Moses, however, never used his authority to take anything from the Israelites [רמב״ן, ספורנו, רש״ר הירש]. Commentators explain this to mean either that he did not take a single animal [רשב״ם, חזקוני], or that he did not take an animal belonging to any specific individual among them [רש״י, הכתב והקבלה, גור אריה]. He underscores his selfless dedication by recalling his initial journey from Midian to Egypt to redeem the Israelites. Even though this was a public mission entirely for their benefit, he transported his family on his own private donkey rather than asking the public to fund his travel or provide an animal from communal property [רש״י, שפתי כהן, הכתב והקבלה].

Finally, Moses asserts that he has never caused harm to any of them. He never abused his judicial authority to pervert justice, falsely convict an innocent person, or damage anyone's dignity [ספורנו, אור החיים]. This statement carries a deeply personal and profound weight, specifically regarding Dathan. According to tradition, Dathan was the very person who informed Pharaoh about Moses killing the Egyptian many years earlier, an act of betrayal that forced Moses to flee for his life. Although Moses had every legal right to seek revenge against the man who tried to have him killed, he never repaid Dathan's evil with harm [אלשיך, חזקוני, שפתי כהן].