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Why did On Ben Peles's wife succeed in saving him from Korach's rebellion when this seems like a religious matter where wives shouldn't interfere? Her intervention was actually about worldly matters - giving him a reality check about his true capabilities rather than feeding destructive ambitions like Korach's wife did. The contrast teaches that wise wives provide honest assessments of their husbands' abilities, while foolish ones encourage unrealistic ambitions.
This shiur examines the Talmudic account of On Ben Peles, who was initially part of Korach's rebellion but was saved by his wife's wisdom. The Gemara (גמרא) in Bava Metzia 59a discusses when a man should listen to his wife - in worldly matters (mili d'alma) but not in heavenly matters (mili d'shamayim). The speaker resolves an apparent contradiction: while Korach's rebellion was a religious matter, On Ben Peles's wife's intervention was actually about worldly matters - specifically, providing a reality check about his true capabilities. The analysis reveals that On Ben Peles's wife told him he wasn't suited to be Kohen Gadol regardless of who won the dispute, giving him crucial self-awareness. When he protested that he had sworn to participate, she devised a plan: she gave him wine so he would sleep, then sat by their tent entrance with her hair uncovered. When Korach's followers saw this, they concluded that On Ben Peles wasn't truly righteous and didn't want him in their group, effectively releasing him from his oath.
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Bava Metzia 59a
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