Eternal Dispute

Now Korah, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, betook himself, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—descendants of Reuben —

to rise up against Moses, together with two hundred and fifty Israelites, chieftains of the community, chosen in the assembly, men of repute.

They combined against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and יהוה is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above יהוה’s congregation?”

When Moses heard this, he fell on his face.

Every dispute that is for the sake of Heaven, will in the end endure; But one that is not for the sake of Heaven, will not endure. Which is the controversy that is for the sake of Heaven? Such was the controversy of Hillel and Shammai. And which is the controversy that is not for the sake of Heaven? Such was the controversy of Korah and all his congregation.

Rabbi Abba said that Shmuel said: For three years Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagreed. These said: The halakha is in accordance with our opinion, and these said: The halakha is in accordance with our opinion. Ultimately, a Divine Voice emerged and proclaimed: Both these and those are the words of the living God. However, the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel.

The Gemara asks: Since both these and those are the words of the living God, why were Beit Hillel privileged to have the halakha established in accordance with their opinion? The reason is that they were agreeable and forbearing, showing restraint when affronted, and when they taught the halakha they would teach both their own statements and the statements of Beit Shammai. Moreover, when they formulated their teachings and cited a dispute, they prioritized the statements of Beit Shammai to their own statements, in deference to Beit Shammai.

§ The Gemara relates another story about Ḥoni HaMe’aggel. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: All the days of the life of that righteous man, Ḥoni, he was distressed over the meaning of this verse: “A song of Ascents: When the Lord brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream” (Psalms 126:1). He said to himself: Is there really a person who can sleep and dream for seventy years? How is it possible to compare the seventy-year exile in Babylonia to a dream?

One day, he was walking along the road when he saw a certain man planting a carob tree. Ḥoni said to him: This tree, after how many years will it bear fruit? The man said to him: It will not produce fruit until seventy years have passed. Ḥoni said to him: Is it obvious to you that you will live seventy years, that you expect to benefit from this tree? He said to him: That man himself found a world full of carob trees. Just as my ancestors planted for me, I too am planting for my descendants.

Ḥoni went home and said to the members of the household: Is the son of Ḥoni HaMe’aggel alive? They said to him: His son is no longer with us, but his son’s son is alive. He said to them: I am Ḥoni HaMe’aggel. They did not believe him. He went to the study hall, where he heard the Sages say about one scholar: His halakhot are as enlightening and as clear as in the years of Ḥoni HaMe’aggel, for when Ḥoni HaMe’aggel would enter the study hall he would resolve for the Sages any difficulty they had. Ḥoni said to them: I am he, but they did not believe him and did not pay him proper respect. Ḥoni became very upset, prayed for mercy, and died. Rava said: This explains the folk saying that people say: Either friendship or death, as one who has no friends is better off dead.

“Moses spoke to the Lord, saying” (Numbers 27:15).
“May the Lord, God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation” (Numbers 27:16).
“Moses spoke to the Lord.… May the Lord…appoint” – halakha: If one sees numerous multitudes of people, he recites: Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who knows all secrets. Just as their faces are not similar to one another, so their dispositions are not identical to one another, but rather, each has a disposition of his own. Likewise, it says: “To set the calibration of the wind [laruaḥ]” (Job 28:25) – of the spirits of each and every person. Know that it is so, as thus Moses requested from the Holy One blessed be He at the time of death; he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, the dispositions of each and every one are revealed and known before You, and the dispositions of Your children are not similar to one another. When I depart, I implore You, appoint a leader over them who will bear each and every one in accordance with his dispositions,’ as it is stated: “May the Lord, [God of the spirits]…appoint.” It does not say “spirit,” but rather “spirits.”
“Command the children of Israel, and say to them: My offering, My food, for My fires, for a pleasing aroma to Me, you shall take care to present to Me at its appointed time” (Numbers 28:2).
That is what the verse said: “They asked Me about what is coming; will you command Me about My sons and about My handiwork?” (Isaiah 45:11). To what is this matter comparable? It is to a king who married a woman, and he had a groomsman. Any time the king would be angry at his wife, the groomsman would placate him and he would be reconciled with his wife. The groomsman was dying, and he began asking the king: ‘I implore you, please direct your attention to your wife.’ The king said to him: ‘If you are commanding me regarding my wife, command my wife in my regard that she should be careful regarding my honor.’ So, as it were, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Instead of you commanding Me: “May the Lord…appoint” (Numbers 27:16), command them that they should be diligent regarding My honor.’ What is written: “Command the children of Israel…My offering, My food” – first set for them the order of the offerings.

אלהי הרוחת GOD OF THE SPIRITS [OF ALL FLESH] — Why is this expression used? (i.e., why does it not state simply אלהי כל בשר?) He said to Him: “Lord of the Universe! the personality of each person is revealed to you, and no two are alike. Appoint over them a leader who will tolerate each person according to his individual character (Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas 10; cf. Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 776).