Arguing for the Sake of Heaven

The Mishnah in Pirkei Avot (5:17) taught that a dispute that is “LeShem Shamayim” will have lasting results, while any dispute “Shelo LeSham Shamayim” will not have lasting results. The Mishnah goes on to give examples of both types of disputes: “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 Korach and all his congregation.” Many commentators are confused by the example given of a machloket shelo leshem shamayim. The Mishnah only mentions one side of the dispute! Shouldn’t the Mishnah refer to the dispute as “Korach and Moshe”, thereby referencing both sides of the dispute? Rabbi Shimon Schwab explains that the hallmark of a dispute for the sake of Heaven is that the overarching interest is to arrive at the truth. Therefore each side is interested in hearing the arguments of the other side. However concerning a dispute that is Shelo L’Shem Shamayim the overarching interest is to be victorious and to be proven right. Arriving at the truth is much less important than winning the argument. In such a dispute, there is no interest in arriving at the truth, and therefore there is no interest in hearing a different perspective. A dispute not for the sake of Heaven doesn’t really have two sides. That’s why the example given of a machloket shelo leshem shamayim only references Korach and Korach’s followers; all of whom had the same perspective and the same opinion. There is no need to mention Moshe and Aharon because Korach and his followers were not interested in their position being challenged.

The Talmud (Brachot 58a) taught: “Just as people’s faces are different so too are their perspectives different.” Rabbi Shlomo Eiger explains that just as no one is bothered by the fact that people look different, so too we should not be bothered by the fact that people have different opinions. Just as each human being (with the occasional exception of identical twins) is unique in appearance, so too we should appreciate that people have different perspectives, opinions and ways of thinking. These differences should not be viewed as an unfortunate outcome but rather a reflection of Hashem’s will and the way He intends the world to operate.

It feels like just yesterday that we were in the throes of the 2020 presidential election. That election was one of the most divisive elections in the history of American politics. While we can point to legitimate differences of opinion between candidates and political parties, I believe that much of the rhetoric surrounding that election was a manifestation of disputes that were not for the sake of Heaven. Here we are again in the midst of the 2024 presidential election. We must become informed and educated on the issues and on the candidates. And we should remember to vote whenever we have the chance to do so- even in the primaries! But let us learn from the mistakes of Korach and his followers and avoid the impulse to argue merely to win. Let us be careful that our disputes are, in fact, for the sake of Heaven.