NOTES for Num 16:1-50
At first glance, the story of the sons of Korah may look like only a parable meant to strengthen the exclusive authority and prerogatives of the priesthood in everything related to sacrifice and worship. It is an instructive story: any attempt to violate the priesthood's monopoly over everything connected with worship is stopped by God quickly and decisively. That would be the whole matter if not for several other episodes that appear more than once in the Pentateuch. Take, for example, the story of the golden calf. Then the people wanted the calf above all because Moses had disappeared. The leader had disappeared. The one without whom they could go nowhere. What kind of "universal priesthood" can be discussed after that?
Now, when the Tabernacle already exists and the tradition has become at least somewhat established, it is easy to demand universal equality and everyone's right of access to the altar. But where were those "conscious" people who now demand the right to offer sacrifice during the story of the golden calf? It is hard, of course, to say exactly where these people would have been then; history does not deal in the subjunctive mood. There was, however, another story, when Moses went up the mountain to meet God: alone. Alone because the others said to him: you go up the mountain yourself, and we will stand here and wait, so that we do not die.
Here there is no subjunctive mood at all: Moses goes up the mountain alone. He goes to the mountain where alone one can become a priest, because God is there, the place of the Presence is there, and without meeting Him no one becomes a true priest. And then no one went up the mountain. No one among the people except Moses dared to climb to that altar, because they understood that everything there was very serious: smoke was over the mountain, and one might not come back from there... and therefore it was better not to go there.
Now, when the Tabernacle is standing, everything is different. Now it is not frightening to go to the altar; on the contrary, it is honorable. Now people can remember everyone's right to offer sacrifice. But God has not changed. The one who was afraid on the mountain will be afraid now too, once he understands with whom he is dealing and who is truly present in the Tabernacle. The earthquake, the earth opening up, which the story mentions, is a reminder of the smoking mountain. A reminder to those who had forgotten it while desiring a "universal priesthood."