We can now appreciate the wonders of the Torah. In contrast to Korach’s wife—who encouraged him to dispute the rulings and authority of Moshe and Aharon—the wife of Ohn ben Peles saved her husband from the fate of Korach and his assembly. Here is what we are taught in the Gemara (ibid.):
אי "אמר רב און בן פלת אשתו הצילתו, אמרה ליה מאי נפקא לך מינה, מר רבה אנת תלמידא, ואי מר רבה אנת תלמידא. אמר לה מאי אעביד, הואי בעצה ואשתבעי לי בהדייהו. אמרה ליה ידענא דכולה כנישתא קדישתא נינהו דכתיב כי כל העדה כולם קדושים, אמרה ליה תוב דאנא מצילנא לך. תיה ואגניתיה גואי. אותבה על בבא וסתרתה למזיה, אשקיתיה חמרא וארוי כל דאתא חזיה הדר, אדהכי והכי אבלעו להו".
Rav said: Regarding Ohn ben Peles, his wife saved him. She said to him, “What does it matter to you (who wins)? If this master (Moshe) prevails, you will remain a disciple, and if that master (Korach) prevails, you will remain a disciple.” You have nothing to gain. He said to her, “What should I do? I participated in their deliberations, and I swore to join them.” She said to him, “I know that the entire assembly are all holy, as it is written (Bamidbar 16, 3): “For all the entire assembly, all of them, are holy.” (Since they are modest and holy, they will not enter our tent if my hair is uncovered and unkempt.) She said to him, “Return home, for I will save you.” She gave him wine to drink and got him drunk and put him to bed inside (their tent). She then sat at the entrance (of the tent) and let down her hair. Everyone (of Korach’s assembly) who came (to summon Ohn) saw her (in this immodest state) and stayed away. Meanwhile (until Ohn ben Peles slept off his intoxication), they (Korach’s assembly) were swallowed up.
Further on in the Gemara (ibid. 110a), Chazal confirm that as opposed to the wife of Ohn ben Peles, Korach’s wife actually provoked his discontent after being shaved and encouraged him to oppose Moshe and Aharon. Thus, the Gemara concludes: "היינו דכתיב חכמות נשים בנתה ביתה, זו אשתו של און בן פלת, ואולת בידיה תהרסנו, זו אשתו של קרח"—this is the meaning of that which is written (Mishlei 14, 1): “The wise among women, each builds her house”—this is a reference to the wife of Ohn ben Peles; “but the foolish one tears it down with her hands”—this is a reference to the wife of Korach. The former was wise and constructive and saved her husband’s life, whereas the latter was foolish and destructive, precipitating her husband’s downfall and demise.
As we learned from the brilliant Rabbi YehoNasan Eybeschutz, zy”a, HKB”H braided and gathered together the hair on Chava’s head to teach her “tzniyut”—to exhibit modesty and not to overindulge. This was the rationale for uncovering and mussing up the hair of the “sotah”; it indicated that she did not exhibit “tzniyut.” Therefore, the wife of Ohn ben Peles cleverly let her hair down immodestly and mussed it up to ward off Korach’s followers searching for her husband. In a sense, she was hinting to them that the aim of Korach was not to avoid excesses and overindulgence—symbolized by the removal of hair—but rather to indulge in riches and kavod. She was hinting to them the dangers of following Korach—that he would lead them to their doom. Thus, they understood that her husband, Ohn, would not be joining their rebellion.
