The story goes that the members of a shul were arguing about whether the custom there was to stand for the repetition of the Amidah. Some of them said “We always stand,” whilst others insisted that this was not the custom. In order to resolve the standoff, they went to see the last surviving founder of the shul and asked him if they must stand for the whole repetition of the Amidah. “That’s not the tradition,” he replied. “So we can sit?” “That’s not the tradition.” “So - what do we do? We can't stop screaming and yelling at each other...” “THAT’s the tradition!”

We tend to be like this once in a while ourselves. When we are not listening to what the other side is saying, it becomes a one-sided argument - perhaps even a monologue.

Korach is described in the Mishna as being an example of insincere Machlokes - or argument. But in contrast to Hillel and Shammai - the paradigm of sincere machlokes, it doesn't mention his opposite number - just his own cronies. Perhaps this indicates the above point - he had no ears for Moshe's words. Such a rigid position would never allow a real resolution - and the earth swallows him up without a trace.

But this is not the first machlokes in history. We need to go back to the very beginning of time, where we find a dispute between the 'upper' and 'lower' waters. We will find a very different debate. And a very different resolution from that of Korach's...