The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.
On the bottom of Sanhedrin 109b, the gemara discusses On ben Peles - a person who is mentioned in the first pasuk of Korach, but is never heard from again. The gemara relates that On's wife talked On out of participating in Korach's plot to challenge Moshe. On's wife tells On - why are you getting involved with Korach? It should not make a difference to you as to whether Moshe or Korach is right as you will wind up a follower under either of them. On then tells his wife - what can I do, I already promised them that I would join! On's wife takes care of the problem as she gets him drunk puts him to sleep, before sitting with her hair uncovered outside of their tent. When Korach's band of men come to look for On to join them, they are embarrassed upon seeing that her hair is uncovered, so they leave without On.
The Gemara then compares On's wife to the wise woman in Mishlei 14:1 about whom it is written - חַכְמ֣וֹת נָ֖שִׁים בָּנְתָ֣ה בֵיתָ֑הּ. But R' Frand asked - what was the chachma? It was obvious that On would not gain from fighting this battle! R' Frand answered by quoting R' Chaim Shmulevitz who explains that that the chachma was that in the heat of an argument she did not lose her head. Generally when people argue they stop thinking or stop listening, but she was able to convince her husband not to get involved.
R' Frand that the concept can be seen in the way that Moshe addressed Korach in Bamidbar 16:5 as he tells Korach - בֹּ֠קֶר וְיֹדַ֨ע. Why does Moshe tell him that we will see in the morning? Because Moshe knew that there was no point in arguing now, but perhaps in the morning he could convince Korach to abandon the argument.
R' Frand linked this to the story in Sefer Chassidim about a man who had to travel many years away from his home. When he returned more than a decade later he saw his wife embracing another man and he wanted to kill him! He walked away instead and when he returned the next day he was told that was his son. We see from this that when angry, a person should stop and not act impulsively.
R' Frand mentioned a story told by R' Wein that Abraham Lincoln used to have a drawer in his desk where he put angry letters that he had written to his generals. He would then take them out weeks later and was thankful he had not dispatched them.
R' Frand also quoted R' Melech Biederman who had a different take on the pasuk. He explained that Moshe wanted to wait until the morning because it would give the 250 followers of Korach an opportunity to do a Cheshbon Hanefesh as suggested by the Zohar before going to sleep. They actually did reflect, but they felt that they were too far gone and that teshuva was not an option.
R' Biderman quoted the Arugas HaBosem who explains that this is why Moshe was commanded to take the pans that had been used and fashion them into a covering for the Mizbeyach. They had thought that they could not do teshuva, but the linking of the pans to the Mizbeyach is symbolic that everyone can return.
R' Frand said a final vort on the pasuk in Bamidbar 17:24 which states that after Aharon's staff flowered, everyone else took theirs home. But why would they keep it?
R' Frand answered in the name of R' Zalman Sorotskin that the staffs were symbols that could be displayed in the homes of those who were unsuccessful. Each man could point to the staff and say - I was willing to give up the comfortable life and become a Kohain where I would be beholden to others for priestly gifts in order to survive. But I was willing to do that if it meant that I could serve Hashem.
R' Frand compared this to the runners who participate in marathons and keep their number bibs on display. They can proudly say - I did not win the marathon, but I did compete.
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