Korach

This week’s parsha tells us that Korach got swallowed up in the ground. Why did he deserve this punishment and how was it similar to his sin? The passuk says tov by all the days of the briyah besides for the second. I heard from HaRav Aharon Shechter shlita: On the second day Hashem created a separation between the top and bottom waters. The passuk doesn’t say tov, because there was machlokes, a split! Only on the third day did Hashem make land to stand on. On the second day, day of splitting, machlokes, there was no room for standing. This is why Korach was swallowed up by the earth; where there is machlokes there is no place for existence.

The Mishna in Avos says that any argument  לשם שמיםwill stand, and any argument notלשם שמים will not stand. What is a מחלקת לשם שמים? The machlokes of Hillel and Shamai. What is a machlokes not לשם שמים? The machlokes of Korach and his group.

Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz zatzal explains (based on a Rambam) that when one argues with another person in order to know the ratzon Hashem, the emes, and not to  contradict or argue, it will remain. Meaning, when each side is interested in hearing out the other side, and seeing whose opinion is most understandable and accepted, then it will stand. This is because they are working together towards the truth. If however they argue in order to contradict and fight, then it is not emes, and it won’t last. The Yalkut Shimoni brings that Korach heard all of Moshe’s convincing and didn’t respond because he knew that Moshe was a great wise person and Korach would have to admit and give in. He decided it would be better not to get involved. When Moshe saw that there was no hope, he left him.  Not only didn’t they have a machlokes, he did not even want to hear from Moshe.

This is also hinted to in the Mishna. The Mishna says the machlokes of Hillel and Shamai and the machlokes of Korach and his group. It does not mention Moshe- because Korach had his side and didn’t listen at all to Moshe’s side. Moshe tried hearing out Korach, however he did not succeed. He was לשם שמים. Korach did not listen, and was not לשם שמים.  This is as opposed to Hillel who heard Shamai’s side. The Gemara says Bais Hillel was zoche to have the halacha like them because they told over Shamai’s side and even said it before their own opinion.

May Hashem help us be careful from machlokes and have the bracha of tov and shalom!