- Korach
The Mishnah on Daf 108a taught that עדת קרח – the congregation of Korach has no share in עולם הבא. The Gemara contrasts the wife of און בן פלת, who convinced him not to join the rebellion, with Korach’s wife, who instigated him to rebel. It concludes, "חכמות נשים בנתה ביתה" – the wise among women builds her house refers to אשת און בן פלת, and "ואולת בידה תהרסנה" – but the foolish one destroys it with her hands refers to אשת קרח. The Gemara describes the exalted status of Korach’s followers as מיוחדים שבעדה – distinguished people in the congregation, who knew how to be מעבר years and establish months, and were renowned worldwide. Reish Lakish says that Korach’s incredible wealth led to his downfall. The leather keys alone to Korach’s treasure houses were the load of three hundred white mules. He had discovered a third of Yosef’s vast wealth. Korach’s sons did not die, but a place was set for them high up in גיהנם, on which they sit and say שירה. An Amora relates being shown the spot, and hearing them calling: משה ותורתו אמת והן בדאים – “Moshe and his Torah are true, and ‘they’ (we) are liars!”
- Machlokes if the דור המדבר have a share in עולם הבא
The Mishnah discussed the דור המדבר, and a Baraisa elaborates. Rebbe Akiva says: דור המדבר אין להם חלק לעולם הבא – the generation of the desert has no share in עולם הבא, as the passuk says: במדבר הזה יתמו ושם ימתו – in this desert they will perish, and there they will die (the second phrase including עולם הבא). Rebbe Eliezer says they do come to עולם הבא, as the passuk says: אספו לי חסידי כרתי בריתי עלי זבח – gather to me my pious ones, who seal my covenant through sacrifice. Rebbe Yehoshua ben Korchah says this passuk refers to later generations, such as Rebbe Akiva and his colleagues, who sacrificed their lives for the sake of teaching Torah. Rebbe Yochanan said that Rebbe Akiva abandoned his usual generosity (explained below). He could have proven they have a share in עולם הבא, because Hashem said He would save the people of Yerushalayim through the merit of the דור המדבר: "לכתך אחרי במדבר בארץ לא זרועה" – “I remember your following Me in the Desert, in an unsown land.” If others can come to עולם הבא in their merit, certainly they themselves will merit עולם הבא!
- Machlokes if עשרת השבטים will return
In the next Mishnah, Rebbe Akiva says: עשרת השבטים אינן עתידין לחזור – the Ten Shevatim are not destined to return from galus, as the passuk says: וישלכם אל ארץ אחרת כיום הזה – and He threw them to another land, “as this very day.” מה היום הולך ואינו חוזר - Just as the day goes and never returns, the עשרת השבטים will also not return. Rebbe Eliezer disagrees, and darshens: מה יום מאפיל ומאיר – just as the day darkens and later becomes light, אף עשרת השבטים שאפילה להן כך – so too the Ten Shevatim, for whom it is dark, עתידה להאיר להם – the future will become light for them. A Baraisa quotes Rebbe Shimon saying that if their actions are “like this day,” (i.e., they do not repent), they will not return, but if they repent, they will return. Rebbe says they will come to עולם הבא, because the passuk says ובאו האבדים בארץ אשור – those lost in Assyria will come, referring to the עשרת השבטים exiled to אשור.
Rebbe Yochanan says: שבקה רבי עקיבא לחסידותיה – Rebbe Akiva abandoned his usual generosity, because he did not quote another passuk which strongly indicates they will return. Rebbe Akiva’s generosity is demonstrated from his saying, in disagreement with Rabban Gamliel, that the minor children of רשעים will come to עולם הבא.
