בּוֹאוּ נְדַבֵּר עַל זֶה/Talk about it! (goes with מַחֲלֹקֶת in Midrash)
Rabbi Hanina suggests that מַחֲלֹקֶת (division)—even for a good cause—still causes division. This idea of a מַחֲלֹקֶת (division) that is for a good cause or not comes up in Pirkei Avot:
(יז) כָּל מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, אֵין סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. אֵיזוֹ הִיא מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת קֹרַח וְכָל עֲדָתוֹ:
Any מַחֲלֹקֶת (division) that is for the sake of heaven—its end will last. [Any מַחֲלֹקֶת (division)] that is not for the sake of heaven—its end will not last. What’s an example of a מַחֲלֹקֶת for the sake of heaven? Hillel and Shammai. What’s an example of a מַחֲלֹקֶת (division) not for the sake of heaven? Korah and his community.
- What do you think makes an argument “for the sake of heaven” or not? It may help you to think of some more examples for each. Have you ever been in such an argument?
- Even today, we discuss the disagreements between Hillel and Shammai when we learn Mishnah. But every year we also read and learn about Korah’s rebellion in the Torah! What does it mean, then, to say that “its end will last”?
- You can see a מַחֲלֹקֶת between Ramban and Seforno in the Parshanut section!
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- In This Week’s Parashah: מָה בַּפָּרָשָׁה
- Click here for Midrash / מִדְרָשׁ
- Click here for Commentary / פַּרְשָׁנוּת
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- Click here for Tell me more about this! / מַה זֶה?
- Click here for A Moment of Hebrew / רֶגַע שֶׁל עִבְרִית
- Click here for the Parashah Scavenger Hunt / שְׁאֵלוֹת הַשָּׁבוּעַ
