SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON ? Don’t Get Involved ?
Above, we discussed the seriousness of initiating and pursuing strife. One must also beware not to lend support to either party in a feud, lest he suffer along with them when their time of retribution arrives. As the Mishnah states: “Scripture punishes an accomplice
to transgressors like the transgressors themselves”
(Mishnah Makkos 1:7).
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The Midrash states (Bamidbar Rabbah 18:3): “Take heed of the severity of strife, for when one is an accomplice to strife, the Holy One, Blessed is He, brings about his end, as it is written [regarding those who sided with Korach], ‘A flame came forth from Hashem
and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense’ ” (Bamidbar?16:35).
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The Talmud states: “Rav said: Whoever maintains a dispute transgresses a negative commandment, as it is written, ‘... that he not be like Korach and his assembly ...’ ” (ibid. 17:5). Rav Asi said: Such a person is fit to be afflicted with tzaraas” (Sanhedrin
110a). In a previous chapter we cited the words of Sefer HaKaneh which state that at times God substitute’s poverty for tzaraas, thus placing the sinner at the mercy of his fellow men.
