Judaism is a religion that stresses redemption. Every individual, even the most wicked, must have a chance for repentance and return. It is not surprising then that we find in our sources theidea that Korach is destined to come up from the earth that swallowed him and to eventually rejoin the Jewish people.
The gemara (Baba Basra 74a and Sanhedrin 110a) discussses how Rabbah bar Bar Chana were shown the place where Korach and his company were swallowed up. This passage apparently follows the view that Korach was swallowed and not burnt and even now he and his followers still chant that "Moshe and his Torah are true and we are liars."
Tosfos in Kiddushin 31b gives more details. Tosfos brings a different Medrash that 'Osof' was a descendant of Korach, and Osof was happy when he saw that the gates of Yerusholayim sank into the ground, because he then realized that, just as we know that ultimately the ground will open up again and the gates of Yerusholyim will reappear, his ancestor, Korach, will also be brought back. A number of sources, such as Maharsha to Sanhedrin 110 and Yalkut Reuveni on the Haftorah Bamidbar also quote this tradition. They indicate that Chana prayed for the redemption of Korach when she prayed to have a son, for Shmuel was a descendent of Korach.
This midrashic approach is elucidated by several commentaries, including the CHIDA and Chasam Sofer as well as Bnei Yissochar Tammuz 3:11. These and other sources are collected in Yalkut Moshiach V`Geulah vol 27 - Shlach - Korach.
One of the early sources for the idea that Korach will yet come up appears to be Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabbah Chapter 30 or the "ancient" Midrash Conen (p.8 in Yalkut HaRoim Hagadol. The latter says that the Avos, Moshiach ben Yosef, Moshiach Ben David and Eliyahu pray for redemption on Mondays and Thursdays whereas Korach and company make their request on Wednesday.
The Sefer Zera Berach quoted in Yalkut Moshiach V`Geulah (I have the original sefer as well) explains that it is specifically Wednesday that serves as their day for praying for redemption because Wednesday is the day when the machlokes took place between the moon and the sun, the archetype for all disputes. Korach is an emblem of dispute and dissention. Wednesday is also the last day to perform havdala for the previous Shabbas, which alludes to Moshe’s command to separate from the tents of Korach (Bamidbar 16:21).
In contrast, Emek HaMelech (p.508 new edition) based on a different variation of the tradition states that it is on Mondays and Thursdays that Korach's men plead for Moshiach to come to redeem them!
Emek HaMelech explains that Korach is a soul whose shoresh/rootl is from the world of Tohu. These souls are expressed in this world through their involvement in non-religiously-productive activites such as philosophy. Tzemach Tzedek in Yahel Ohr explains the connection of Korach to Tohu.” It is based on the passuk in Tehillim 92. The verse states that; “The righthouse shall flourish like a plam. The end-letters of this verse spell out the word Korach: צדיק כתמר יפרח. The commentary of Yahel Ohr to this verse goes on to explains that this allusion is based on the a reference is to a palm tree, which in the form of a lulav, together with the Esrog represent the rectified union of the 8th king of Edom: Hadar (esrog) and his wife(lulav). This is contrast to the first 7 kings who all died and thus belong solely to the world of Tohu. Interesting, one of these Kings is named Korach !
Parenthetically, Chasam Sofer questions how Korach's parents were allowed to name him after an evil person, Korach, the King of Edom, and how could Shaul HaMelech's parents also named him after on of these evil kings: naming after an evil person does not lead to a good mazel!
As I commented on a previous avakesh post, Likutei Levi Yitchak (Naso p.358) relate the end of Korach to one of the Edomite Kings of Tohu: Bela ben B'or ( literally: Swallower son of Burnt) In this fashion, it is also related to Korach being from Tohu as these judgements are also the names of the Kings of Tohu.
One of the explanations given as to why Korach complained against Moshe’s enactments was that he saw that the Leviim which represent gevurah should really be superior to cohanim, just like the halacha in future goes according to Shammai who is from gevurah / Tohu over Hillel who is from the world of chesed/Tikkun . However he was wrong because putting the Oros d'tohu into kelim d'tikkun has not yet taken place and Korach still awaits his rectification.
It is fascinating how the same sources can be understood very differently by different people. Subsequent to writing this post I came across a different treatment of some of these sources, and so I attach them here.
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