Posts

There's No Machloket in Avot

 There are no machlokets - disagreements in Pirkei Avot, which stands in contrast to other mishnayot.  Perhaps the idea is that the Jewish principles of faith of Avot are the one truth behind all the other opinions of details.  This is the truth that everything else is around and about.

Korach

 My take on why an insincere argument is referenced as the paradigmatic argument of Korach and his group, rather than Korach against Moshe: It's because for Korach there was not other side, no Moshe's side. There was only his side. It reminds me of when students ask for more points on a test, but they don't want to hear your explanation as to why they lost the points, your side. They just want the points. Korach just wanted what he wanted, he didn't want answers to questions, didn't want dialogue around idea.