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וְיָרְדוּ חַיִּים שְׁאוֹלָה

[With regard to the company of Korach, it is written:] “They will go down alive to the grave.”

שֶׁגַּם בִּשְׁאוֹל חוֹשְׁבִים שֶׁהֵם חַיִּים

That is, even when in the grave they would think that they were alive.

הַבְּרָכָה בְּ–וְיָרְדוּ חַיִּים שְׁאוֹלָה

There is a blessing in “going down alive to the grave.”

כְּמוֹ בְּנֵי קֹרַח לֹא מֵתוּ

As [our Sages explain on the similar statement that] “the sons of Korach did not die,”

מָקוֹם נִתְבַּצֵּר לָהֶם וְעָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה

“a place was fortified for them [in Gehinnom]” and they repented,

כִּי תְּשׁוּבָה מוֹעֶלֶת רַק כָּל עוֹד שֶׁהוּא חַי

because repentance is effective only as long as one is alive. [Similarly, regarding those who descended alive into the grave:]

וְזוֹהִי הַבְּרָכָה

The blessing was

שֶׁגַּם בִּשְׁאוֹל יִהְיוּ חַיִּים וְיּוּכְלוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה

that even in the grave, they would be alive and able to repent.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

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