This week’s Torah portion features the ill-fated rebellion of Korach, who leads a mutiny against Moses and Aaron (his first cousins), demanding to know “Why do you raise yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?” (Num. 16:3) Korach was particularly incensed at the appointment of Aaron as High Priest. Korach’s top henchmen are Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Pelet, and 250 prominent Israelites also join the rebellion. They offer up incense to prove their worthiness, but God does not accept their offering; instead, in His fury, he causes the earth to open up and swallow Korach and his family, and the rest of the rebels are consumed by fire.
Mysteriously, one of the ringleaders, On ben Pelet, disappears from the Torah narrative after the first verse. He is not listed among the rebels who are punished and is never mentioned again. What happened to On ben Pelet? Did he change his mind about joining the rebellion and if so, why?
The Midrash explains that On ben Pelet was saved by his wife. When he came home one day and told her that he’d joined a rebellion against Moses, On’s wife knew that was a terrible idea. “What do you gain by it?” she asked. “Your position will be the same, whether Aaron or Korach is the high priest.” On acknowledged the validity of her argument, but he’d already sworn an oath to Korach. To save her husband, she plied him with alcohol until he passed out, then sat at the entrance of her tent with her head uncovered. When Korach’s messengers came to get On, they turned back at the sight of his wife dressed immodestly. She prayed to God for her husband and begged Moses’ forgiveness. For the rest of his life, On repented for his sin. Korach’s wife, on the other hand, egged her husband on, and they both were swallowed up by the earth.
Moral of the story? Marry a wise and righteous woman, and listen to her advice!
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