Musar su II Cronache 26:16

The sin of machloketh obtains even if one argues with another who is equal to him in status. How much more so, G-d forbid, if he argues with a Torah scholar, even if he is not his Rabbi. How much more so if he is his Rabbi, is his sin great and his wickedness redoubled. For it is well known that the way of men of machloketh is to shame by words those who oppose them. And the greatness of the punishment of one who shames a Torah scholar is well known from what is stated in Sanhedrin, Chapter Chelek, and is ruled in Yoreh Deah 234:6, that one who shames a Torah scholar is in the category of (Numbers 15:31): "For the word of the L-rd he has despised. That soul shall be utterly cut off; its sin is in it." And even in our day, if he be but fit to rule [on halachah] and toils in Torah, he is called a Torah scholar. And if one shames him, even in general matters, and even not in his presence, it is a grave sin and he is liable to nidui [excommunication] because of this (as we find in Yoreh Deah 246:7 and in the Shach section 68.) And there is also no cure for his illness, as we find in Shabbath 119b: "R. Yehudah said in the name of Rav: 'If one shames a Torah scholar, there is no cure for his illness.'" And the destruction of Jerusalem also is attributed to this sin, as we find there: "Jerusalem was destroyed only because Torah scholars were shamed there, as it is written (II Chronicles 26:16): 'And they shamed the angels of G-d [i.e., the Torah scholars], and scorned His words and mocked His prophets until the wrath of the L-rd rose against His people, without cure.'" They have also said (Berachoth 19a): "R. Yehudah b. Levi said: 'All who slander a Torah scholar after his death descend to Gehinnom.'"

This also enables us to understand how the surviving Israelites, having observed this great miracle, could say to Moses and Aaron: "you caused the death of G–d's people" (17,6)! They did not refer to Korach, his family, or Datan and Aviram. They referred only to those two hundred and fifty well intentioned people. Their complaint against Moses was that he should not have been in such a hurry to advise these men to offer incense as a result of which they died. They felt that Moses should have waited to give them an opportunity to reconsider. Actually, whatever Moses did, he did at G–d's bidding, since G–d brings immediate retribution to those who challenge the institution of the Priesthood. G–d demonstrated this by the speed with which the staff of Aaron sprouted, produced blossoms and bore almonds (17,23). Rashi explains that the reason the fruit were almonds is because almonds ripen sooner than any other fruit after the winter season. This is to serve as a warning that anyone challen-ging the system of the priesthood will experience immediate retribution. A case in point is Uzziah the king of Yehudah who although a member of the tribe of Yehudah, arrogated to himself priestly functions such as the offering of incense. (Chronicles II 26,16/21). Having seen how Aaron's staff performed, the people finally acquiesced.