Wise Woman

The Gemarah (Sanhedrin 110a) says that חכמת נשים בנתה ביתה זו אשתו של און בן פלת for she told her husband either way you lose, you are either under Moshe's leadership or under Korach's leadership.  What is the great חכמה exhibited in On's wife's statement, it seems like a simple argument?  I would like to share two approaches.

One approach is that her statement itself is not one of earth shattering wisdom but it was the timing which made it wise.  At a time of great upheaval, when the regular order is disturbed, people tend to lose sense of simple logic and do thinks based upon impulse.  Her ability not to lose her cool and ability to think in a time when the public was being stirred up was her wisdom.  Her ability to maintain equilibrium despite the challenges is her wisdom.  

A second approach is that her ability to discern Korach's intent was her great wisdom.  Korach put forth an ideological challenge to Mosh's leadership and many were swayed by his argument.  The wife of On realized that although Korach puts forth a noble argument, his intent is not based upon holy intentions but he is motivated by greed.  The Mishna in Avot (5:17) refers to the rebellion of Korach as a מחלוקת שלא לשם שמים.  The Alter Of Kelm points out that we see from the Mishna the issue with Korach is not that he was blatantly wrong, but that his motivation was not לשם שמים.  He put forth a good argument which swayed many but On's wife was able to see the motivation behind Korach was his own ego and that would not be successful.