A careful reading of the pasukim in this week's parsha shows that it doesn't mention Korach's death explicitly only that of his group. The 250 people who joined Korach were burned to death. Dasan and Aviram were swallowed alive in the earth. What happened to Korach? There is an opinion in the Gemara (Sanhedrin 110a) that Korach did not die with those who were burnt or those swallowed by the earth, but he actually died later in a plague. Another opinion says that Korach was both burnt and swallowed in to the earth. When the 250 people began to bring their Ketores, Korach joined them and was consumed by fire. He was standing near the pit, which opened up for Dasan and Aviram, and rolled in to the open mouth of the earth. According to the latter opinion, the reason Korach received both punishments is, if he had only been burnt and not swallowed, Dasan and Aviram would have complained, "Why were we burnt as followers of Korach, while Korach himself was not?" If he would have been swallowed but not burnt, the 250 people would have had a similar complaint. He therefore received both punishments. The fire burnt his Neshama, and his body rolled in to the open mouth of the earth. Thus all people witnessed him receiving his just deserts. |