## Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering

###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:1
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/17:1)

**בּוֹ יְבֹאַר גֹּדֶל הַרְחָקַת הָאָדָם מִלִּהְיוֹת מֵעוֹזְרֵי הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת, אֲפִלּוּ אִם בָּזֶה מְסַיֵּעַ לְאָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ. וְשֶׁיִּרְאֶה בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ לְהַטִּיל שָׁלוֹם.**

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
**In this chapter there will be explained the greatness of one's distancing himself from abetting *machloketh* (even if by doing so [i.e., abetting it] he helps his father and his mother) and striving with all his strength to pursue peace.**


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:2
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/17:2)

**גַּם** יֵשׁ לוֹ לָאָדָם לְהִזָּהֵר מִלִּהְיוֹת מֵעוֹזְרֵי הַמַּחֲלֹקָת כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֵעָנֵשׁ גַּם הוּא בְּבֹא עֵת פְּקֻדָּתָם, כִּדְאָמְרִינַן (מכות דף ה':) עָנַשׁ הַכָּתוּב הַנִּטְפָּל לְעוֹבְרֵי עֲבֵרָה כְּעוֹבְרֵי עֲבֵרָה. וְאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ פָּרָשַׁת קֹרַח: בֹּא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה קָשָׁה הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת, שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹזֵר בַּמַּחֲלֹקֶת הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְאַבֵּד זִכְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ט"ז ל"ה): "וְאֵשׁ יָצְאָה מֵאֵת ה' וַתֹּאכַל אֶת" וְכוּ'. וְאָמְרִינַן (בסנהדרין ק"י.): אָמַר רַב כָּל הַמַּחֲזִיק בַּמַּחֲלֹקֶת עוֹבֵר בְּלָאו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בַּמִּדְבָּר י"ז ה'): "וְלֹא יִהְיֶה כְּקֹרַח וְכַעֲדָתוֹ". רַב אַסִּי אָמַר רָאוּי לְהִצְטָרֵעַ, כְּתִיב הָכָא וְכוּ'. וְעַיֵּן לְעֵיל בְּפֶרֶק ו', בְּמַה שֶּׁכָּתְבוּ בְּשֵׁם "סֵפֶר הַקָּנֶה", שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים מַחֲלִיף הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת עֹנֶשׁ הַצָּרַעַת בַּעֲנִיּוּת, וַהֲרֵי הוּא עָנִי הַנִּמְסָר בִּידֵי אָדָם.

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
One must also take care not to be among the abettors of *machloketh* so that he not be punished among them when their appointed time comes, as Chazal have stated (Makkoth 5b): "Scripture has punished the abettors of transgressors as the transgressors themselves." And in *Midrash Parshath Korach* we find: "Come and see how severe is *machloketh*. For if one abets *machloketh*, the Holy One Blessed be He destroys his remembrance, as it is written (Numbers 16:35): 'And a fire went forth from the L-rd and consumed the hundred and fifty men, the presenters of the incense.'" And, in Sanhedrin 110a: "Rav said: 'All who persist in *machloketh* transgress a negative commandment, viz. (Numbers 17:5): "And he shall not be like Korach and like his congregation."' R. Assi said: 'He deserves to contract *tzara'ath*.'" (And see above, Chapter VI, what is written in the name of *Sefer Hakaneh*, that sometimes the Holy One Blessed be He transforms the punishment of *tzara'ath* to poverty, so that he becomes dependent upon others.)


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:3
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/17:3)

**וְהָאִישׁ** הַנִּלְבָּב יִתְבּוֹנֵן תָּמִיד בְּמַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל בְּמִדְרָשׁ רַבָּה פָּרָשַׁת אֱמֹר (ויקרא פרשה כ"ז) עַל הַפָּסוּק (קהֶלֶת ג' ט"ו): "וְהָאֱלֹהִים יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת הַנִּרְדָּף". רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַב יוֹסֵף אָמַר: לְעוֹלָם "וְהָאֱלֹהִים יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת הַנִּרְדָּף", אַתָּה מוֹצֵא צַדִּיק רוֹדֵף צַדִּיק "וְהָאֱלֹהִים יְבַקִּשׁ אֶת הַנִּרְדָּף", צַדִּיק רוֹדֵף רָשָׁע "וְהָאֱלֹהִים יְבַקִּשׁ אֶת הַנִּרְדָּף". ר' יְהוּדָה אָמַר בְּשֵׁם ר' יוֹסֵי בֶּן נְהוֹרַאי: לְעוֹלָם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא תּוֹבֵעַ דָּמָן שֶׁל נִרְדָּפִין מִן הָרוֹדְפִין, תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁכֵּן הוּא וְכוּ'. ר' אֶלְעָזָר בְּשֵׁם ר' יוֹסֵי בֶּן זִמְרָא אָמַר: אַף בַּקָּרְבָּנוֹת כֵּן, אָמַר הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: שׁוֹר נִרְדָּף מִפְּנֵי אֲרִי, עֵז נִרְדָּף מִפְּנֵי נָמֵר, כֶּבֶשׂ מִפְּנֵי זְאֵב, לֹא תַקְרִיבוּ לְפָנַי מִן הָרוֹדְפִין אֶלָּא מִן הַנִּרְדָּפִין וְכוּ'. וְאִם כֵּן יֵשׁ לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן מִזֶּה כַּמָּה יֵשׁ לָאָדָם לְהַרְחִיק אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִלִּהְיוֹת מֵעוֹזְרֵי הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת לִרְדֹּף צַד אֶחָד מֵהַצְּדָדִים, אַחֲרֵי שֶׁלְּבַסוֹף יִתְבַּע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת דָּמָן מִיָּדוֹ. וְתַחַת שֶׁהוּא מְקַוֶּה לִהְיוֹת מִן הַמְנַצְּחִין וְלִנְחֹל כָּבוֹד עַל יְדֵי זֶה, יִרְאֶה לְבַסּוֹף בְּבִזְיוֹנוֹ שֶׁיֵּעָנֵשׁ בְּצָרַעַת אוֹ בַּעֲנִיּוּת וְכַנַּ"ל. אֲבָל הַשּׁוֹמֵר עַצְמוֹ מִן הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת הֲרֵי זֶה מְכֻבָּד בִּפְנֵי הַבְּרִיּוֹת, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כ' ג'): "כָּבוֹד לָאִישׁ שֶׁבֶת מֵרִיב" וְגוֹ'. וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: וּמָה אִם מְרִיבָה שֶׁהִיא שֶׁל אָדָם עַצְמוֹ, כָּבוֹד לוֹ אִם כָּבַשׁ, קַל וָחֹמֶר מְרִיבָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ וְהוּא מַכְנִיס עַצְמוֹ לְתוֹכָהּ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (משלי כ"ו י"ז): "מַחֲזִיק בְּאָזְנֵי כָלֶב, עֹבֵר מִתְעַבֵּר עַל רִיב לֹא לוֹ".

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
And the man of heart must reflect always upon what Chazal have said in *Midrash Rabbah Parshath Emor* 27 on the verse (Koheleth 3:15): "And G-d seeks [i.e., stands up for] the pursued." R. Huna said in the name of R. Yosef: "G-d always 'seeks' the pursued." You find a *tzaddik* pursuing a *tzaddik* — "And G-d seeks the pursued"; a *tzaddik* pursuing an evildoer — "And G-d seeks the pursued." R. Yehudah said in the name of R. Yossi b. Nahora: "The Holy One Blessed be He always claims the blood of the pursued from the pursuers." R. Elazar said in the name of R. Yossi b. Zimra: "It is also so with sacrifices. The Holy One Blessed be He said: 'An ox flees a lion; a goat flees a leopard; a lamb flees a wolf — Do not sacrifice before Me [animals] from the pursuers, but from the fleers.'" And if so, one must give thought to distancing himself from abetting *machloketh*, from taking one side over another, since, in the final analysis the Holy One Blessed be He claims their blood from his hand. And instead of emerging "the victor" and gaining honor thereby, in the end he will be seen in his shame, being punished by either *tzara'ath* or poverty. But if one guards himself from *machloketh*, he is honored by men, as it is written (Mishlei 20:3): "A man's honor is abstention from a quarrel." And Chazal have said: "Now if a man is honored by suppressing a quarrel which is his own, how much more so [is he to be *censured*] for intervening [and taking sides] in a quarrel which is not his own. And thus is it written (Mishlei 26:17): 'As one who seizes a dog's ears is he who grows wrathful over a quarrel that is not his.'"


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:4
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/17:4)

**וַאֲפִלּוּ** אִם בַּעַל הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת הוּא קְרוֹבוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ הוּא אָבִיו, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן יֵשׁ לוֹ לְהִזָּהֵר עַד מְאֹד שֶׁלֹּא לַחֲלֹק לוֹ כָּבוֹד לְהִמָּשֵׁךְ אַחֲרָיו, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם אָבִיו מְצַוֵּהוּ בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּפְסַק בְּיוֹרֶה דֵּעָה בְּסִימָן ר"מ סָעִיף ט"ו, דְּאִם אָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו לַעֲבֹר אֲפִלּוּ עַל מִצְוָה שֶׁל דִּבְרֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמַע לוֹ, דְּגַם הַבֵּן וְגַם הָאָב כֻּלָּן חַיָּבִין בִּכְבוֹד הַמָּקּוֹם, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בְּעָוֹן חָמוּר שֶׁל מַחֲלֹקֶת.

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
And even if a party to the *machloketh* is his relative, even his father, even so he should take great care *not* to accord him the honor of joining him, even if his father commands him to do so (as ruled in *Yoreh Deah* 240:6, that if one's father tells him to transgress even a Rabbinical enactment, he is not to be heeded; for both son and father are obligated to honor the L-rd — how much more so in respect to the grave sin of *machloketh*!)


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:5
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/17:5)

**וּכְמוֹ** דְּמָצִינוּ בִּבְנֵי קֹרַח, שֶׁלֹּא נִמְשְׁכוּ אַחַר אֲבִיהֶן, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזֶּה הָיָה בִּזָּיוֹן לַאֲבִיהֶן, עַל כֵּן נִמְלְטוּ מֵהָעֹנֶשׁ שֶׁבָּא עַל אֲבִיהֶן, וּכְמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בַּיַּלְקוּט פָּרָשַׁת קֹרַח וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהילים א' א'): "אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ", אֵלּוּ בָּנָיו שֶׁל קֹּרַח, "אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָלַךְ בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים", שֶׁלֹּא הָלְכוּ בַּעֲצַת אֲבִיהֶן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ט"ז כ"ו): "סוּרוּ נָא מֵעַל אָהֳלֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָרְשָׁעִים הָאֵלֶּה", "וּבְדֶרֶךְ חַטָּאִים לֹא עָמַד", שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר י"ז ג'): "אֶת מַחְתּוֹת הַחַטָּאִים הָאֵלֶּה" וְכוּ' עַיֵּן שָׁם. וְאִיתָא בַּיַּלְקוּט, וּמַה זְּכוּת הָיָה בְּיָדָן שֶׁל בְּנֵי קֹרַח שֶׁיִּנָּצְלוּ? (פֵּרוּשׁ: מֵהָעֹנֶשׁ שֶׁבָּא עַל אֲבִיהֶן), שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִין אֵצֶל קֹרַח אֲבִיהֶן רוֹאִין אֶת מֹשֶה וְכוֹבְשִׁין אֶת פְּנֵיהֶם בַּקַּרְקַע. אָמְרוּ: אִם נַעֲמֹד מִפְּנֵי מֹשֶה רַבֵּנוּ, אָנוּ נוֹהֲגִין בִּזָּיוֹן בְּאָבִינוּ, וּכְבָר נִצְטַוֵּינוּ עַל כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם. לֹא נַעֲמֹד, כְּבָר כְּתִיב (ויקרא י"ט ל"ב): "מִפְּנֵי שֵׂיבָה תָקוּם", מוּטָב שֶׁנַּעֲמֹד מִפְּנֵי מֹשֶה רַבֵּנוּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָנוּ נוֹהֲגִין בִּזָּיוֹן בְּאָבִינוּ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הִרְחִישׁוּ אֶת לִבָּם בִּתְשׁוּבָה, עֲלֵיהֶם אָמַר דָּוִד (תהילים מ"ה ב'): "רָחַשׁ לִבִּי דָּבָר טּוֹב". מִזֶּה יֵשׁ לֵידַע, דְּאִם לֹא יִמָּשֵׁךְ אַחַר עֲצַת אָבִיו בְּמַחְלֻקְתּוֹ, לֹא יִתָּפֵשׂ בְּרִשְׁתּוֹ.

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
As we find with the sons of Korach, that because they were not drawn after their father, even though this caused him great shame, they escaped his fate. As we find in *Yalkut Parshath Korach*: "This is as Scripture writes (Psalms 1:1): 'Happy is the man' — the sons of Korach; 'who did not walk in the counsel of the wicked' — who did not walk in the counsel of their father, as it is written (Numbers 16:26): 'Depart now from the tents of these wicked men'; 'and in the way of sinners they did not stand,' as it is written (Numbers 17:3): 'the censers of these sinners.'" And, in *Yalkut*: "What merit was there 'in the hands' of the sons of Korach that they were rescued [from his punishment]? When they were sitting with Korach, their father, they saw Moses and lowered their faces to the ground, saying: "If we stand up for Moses our teacher, we will be spurning our father, whom we have been commanded to honor. And if we do not stand, it is written (Vayikra 19:32): 'Before the hoary head shall you rise' — Better that we stand before Moses our teacher, even though we are thereby spurning our father.'" At that time, they moved their hearts to repentance. About them David said (Psalms 45:2): 'My heart has stirred with a good thing.'" From this we learn that if one is not drawn after his father's counsel in his *machloketh*, he will not be ensnared in his net.


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:6
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/17:6)

**הג"ה.** [וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם הוּא רוֹאֶה שֶׁהַדִּין עִם אָבִיו, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן יִרְאֶה לְהַשְׁקִיט וְלֹא לְהַחֲזִיק הַמְּרִיבָה עִם הַצַּד שֶׁכְּנֶגְדּוֹ. דְּמִלְּבַד מִצְוַת הֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם, יֵשׁ לוֹ לַחֲשֹׁב אוּלַי טוֹעֶה בְּדִמְיוֹנוֹ מִצַּד הָאַהֲבָה הַתְּקוּעָה בְּלֵב הָאָדָם שֶׁהוּא אוֹהֵב לְאָבִיו כְּנַפְשׁוֹ, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּסִפְרִי: רֵעֲךָ אֲשֶׁר כְּנַפְשֶׁךָ זֶה אָבִיךָ, וְאֵין אָדָם רוֹאֶה חוֹב לְעַצְמוֹ].

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
And even if one sees that the *din* is with his father, he should see to it to quiet the quarrel and not to strengthen it against the opposing party. For aside from the mitzvah of promoting peace, he should reflect that he might be mistaken in his assumption because of the love implanted in a man's heart for his father, whom he loves as himself. As we find in *Sifrei* (Devarim 13:7): "'Your friend who is as your soul' — this is your father." And a man cannot perceive *himself* as being in the wrong.


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:7
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 17:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/17:7)

**וְכָל** זֶה כְּשֶׁאֵין יְכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ לִמְחוֹת וּלְהַשְׁקיט הַמְּרִיבָה, אֲבָל אִם הַבֵּן נְשׂוּא פָּנִים לְאָבִיו וִיכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ לְהַשְׁקִיט הַמְּרִיבָה וְהוּא מַחֲרִישׁ, נֶעֱנָשׁ עֲבוּר זֶה. וְכִדְאִיתָא בְּתָנָא דְּבֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ פֶּרֶק כ"א וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: וְלֹא יִרְאֶה אָדָם אֶת אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ כְּשֶׁהֵם מְדַבְּרִים דְּבָרִים יְתֵרִים (פֵּרוּשׁ: לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְכַדּוֹמֶה וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן עֲוֹן מַחֲלֹקֶת, שֶׁכָּלוּל בּוֹ הַכֹּל) וְיַחֲרִישׁ לָהֶם, וְאִם עָשָׂה כֵּן, הוּא וְהֵם אֵינָם מְמַלְּאִים יְמֵיהֶם וּשְׁנוֹתֵיהֶם. וְכֵן לְכָל אָדָם מִצְוָה לְהַטִּיל שָׁלוֹם בֵּין הַצְּדָדִים, וְהוּא מִכְּלַל הַדְּבָרִים, שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶן בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקְּרֶן קַיֶּמֶת לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּפֵאָה פֶּרֶק א'. וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם הוּא רוֹאֶה בְּצַד אֶחָד, שֶׁאֵין הַדִּין עִמָּם, וּרְאוּיִים לְעֹנֶשׁ עֲבוּר מַחֲלֹקֶת וְהַיְכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ הָכֵי יֵשׁ לוֹ לָאָדָם לְהִתְאַזֵּר בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין הַצְּדָדִים, וְלֹא יִתְעַצֵּלִ בָּזֶה, אֲפִלּוּ הוּא הֶחָשׁוּב שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ (במדבר ט"ז כ"ה): "וַיָּקָּם מֹשֶה וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם" (פֵּרוּשׁ: לְהַשְׁלִים בְּדִבְרֵי שָׁלוֹם), וְאָמְרוּ רַזַ"ל (סנהדרין ק"י.) מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵין מַחֲזִיקַין בְּמַחֲלֹקֶת. וְאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ: לְפִי שֶׁהָלַךְ מֹשֶה לְפִתְחוֹ שֶׁל דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם, זָכָה לְהַצִּיל אַרְבָּעָה צַדִּיקְים מִפִּתְחוֹ שֶׁל גֵּיהִנֹּם, וְאֵלוּ הֵן ג' בְּנֵי קֹרַח וְאוֹן בֶּן פֶּלֶת. וּכְתִיב (תהילים ל"ד ט"ו): "בַּקִּשׁ שָׁלוֹם וְרָדְפֵהוּ", וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: בַּקְּשֵׁהוּ לְאוֹהַבְךָ "וְרָדְפֵהוּ" עִם שׂוֹנַאֲךָ, בַּקְּשֵׁהוּ בִּמְקוֹמְךָ "וְרָדְפֵהוּ" בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרִים, בַּקִּשֵׁהוּ בְּגוּפְךָ "וְרָדְפֵהוּ" בְּמָמוֹנְךָ, בַּקְּשֵׁהוּ לְעַצְמְךָ "וְרָדְפֵהוּ לַאֲחֵרִים", בַּקְּשֵׁהוּ הַיּוֹם "וְרָדְפֵהוּ" לְמָחָר, וְכַוָּנַת הַמִּדְרָשׁ בַּמֶּה שֶּׁמְּפָרֵשׁ "וְרָדְפֵהוּ" לְמָחָר, לוֹמַר, שֶׁאַל יִתְיָאֵשׁ הָאָדָם בְּדַעְתּוֹ לַחֲשֹׁב שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לְהַשְׁלִים, אֶלָּא יִרְדֹּף אַחַר הַשָּׁלוֹם הַיּוֹם וְגַם לְמָחָר וּלְיוֹמָא אוֹחֲרָן עַד שֶׁיַּגִּיעֵהוּ, כִּי אֲפִלּוּ עֲבוֹת הָעֲגָלָה אִם תִּמְעַךְ בּוֹ תָּמִיד, יִקָלֵשׁ וְיִנָּתֵק לְבַסּוֹף, כֵּן בָּזֶה, אֲפִלּוּ אִם בְּפַעַם אַחַת וּשְׁתַּיִם לֹא עָלְתָה לוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא יַחְדֹּל מִמִּדָּה קְדוֹשָׁה הַזּוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם דְּבָרָיו לֹא יוֹעִילוּ כְּלָל אֵצֶל בַּעֲלֵי הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת בְּעַצְמָם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּתְגַּבְּרָה בָּהֶם מִדַּת הַנִּצָּחוֹן וְנִתְעַוְּרוּ עֵינֵיהֶם מֵרְאוֹת הָאֱמֶת, עַל כָּל פָּנִים יְעַכֵּב בָּזֶה אֶת הָאֲנָשִׁים הַחִצּוֹנִים, אֲשֶׁר אֵין נוֹגֵעַ לָהֶם הָרִיב, וְרַק נִמְשְׁכוּ לְפִי תֻּמָּן אַחֲרֵי עֲצָתָן הָרָעָה שֶׁל בַּעֲלֵי הַמַּחֲלֹקֶתִ, וְיַצִּילָן בָּזֶה מֵעֹנֶשׁ הַמַּר, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה מֹשֶה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָׁלוֹם וְכַנַּ"ל.

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
And all this, when he is powerless to protest and to quiet the quarrel. But if the son finds favor with his father and is able to quiet the quarrel and keeps silent, he is punished because of this. As we find in *Tanna d'bei Eliyahu* 21: "And a man should not look on when he sees his parents engaging in idle talk [(i.e., *lashon hara* and the like, and, how much more so, *machloketh*, which subsumes all)], and remain silent. And if he does, both he and they do not live out their days and years. And, likewise, it is a mitzvah for every man to make peace between the sides. And this [(making peace)] is one of those things whose fruits a man eats in this world, with the principal remaining for the world to come, as we find in *Peah* 1. And even if he sees that the *din* is not in accordance with one party and that they deserve to be punished for the *machloketh*, but he is able [to suppress it], even so, he should make every effort to make peace between the sides. And he should not be lax in doing so even if he is the most eminent man in Israel, as we find (Numbers 16:25): "And Moses arose and went to Dathan and Aviram [to make peace]." And Chazal have said (Sanhedrin 110a): "From here we derive that it is forbidden to persist in *machloketh*." And in the *Midrash* we find: "Because Moses went to the [tent] entrance of Dathan and Aviram, he merited rescuing four *tzaddikim* from the entrance of Gehinnom: the three sons of Korach and On ben Peleth." And it is written (Psalms 34:15): "Seek peace and pursue it," concerning which Chazal have said: "Seek it for your loved one and pursue it with your foe. Seek it in your place and pursue it in other places. Seek it with your body and pursue it with your possessions. Seek it for yourself and pursue it for others. Seek it today and pursue it tomorrow." The intent of the *Midrash* in "and pursue it tomorrow" is: Let one not despair of making peace, but let him pursue it today and also tomorrow and also the day after until he attains it. For even the stoutest of cart ropes, if it is constantly worn down, will weaken and snap in the end. Here, too. Even if one does not succeed the first or second time, let him not abandon this holy trait [of pursuing peace]. And even if his efforts do not succeed at all with the parties to the *machloketh* themselves, the trait of "triumphing" having overpowered them and their eyes having been blinded to the truth, still, this will deter the "outsiders," who are not parties in the *machloketh*, but who have been drawn into it by the evil counsel of the parties involved, and will save them from bitter punishment, as in the instance of Moses our teacher, may peace be upon him.