Why were the people worried that they might scatter? If they didn't want to, they wouldn't?
Rashi: They were rebelling against HaSh-m, and they were worried that He would sent a plague against them that would force them to scatter. 1
According to Maharal, what was their purpose in building the Tower?
Maharal: Refer to 11:1:2.5:1.
The Gemara writes (Sanhedrin 109a): "There were three sub-groups among the generation of the Dispersion. One said, 'Let us ascend and dwell there' - so HaSh-m dispersed them. One group said, 'Let us ascend and wage war' - and they became monkeys and demons. One group said, 'Let us ascend and worship idols' - and HaSh-m mixed up their languages." What was each group's intent, and why did each deserve its specific punishment?
Maharal (Chidushei Agados Vol. 3, p. 259-260; to Sanhedrin 109a): The first group wanted only to "ascend" - in status and fame - and the Dispersion undid their plans. The second group planned to wage war and counteract His decrees. HaSh-m had fondly created man in His image, and their belligerence displayed the opposite of His endearment. It is the Tzelem E-lokim (G-dly image) that associates man with the upper realms; HaSh-m therefore took that image away, and they became monkeys and demons. 1 The third group wanted to escape HaSh-m's dominion by means of the Tower. The world was created for man to live submissively upon the earth, under HaSh-m's dominion; the Tower defied this and was tantamount to idolatry. HaSh-m mixed their languages because their unity was not befitting without their accepting HaSh-m's Unity.
Maharal adds regarding the second group, that man is unique in the lower realms; if he ascends to Above, he is waging war against HaSh-m, for it is impossible for two to be "unique." HaSh-m therefore took away their Tzelem E-lokim, which is what makes man unique. See Maharal, Derech Chaim 3:14 (refer to 1:27:2.1; refer to 1:27:2.2:1).
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "[Let us build...] so that He not bring any plague upon us, to scatter us from here." What exactly was their concern, and what did they plan in response?
Mizrachi: They were not concerned about eventually scattering of their own accord, for they had agreed to dwell together. Rather, they were only concerned about HaSh-m bringing a plague upon them, and they built the city to "prevent" this.
Gur Aryeh: The Tower was an act of rebellion against HaSh-m (or an effort to counteract His decrees), 1 and that was their intent in saying, "lest we be dispersed." 2
Refer to 11:1:2.2:1; refer to 11:1:2.3:1.
Mizrachi presented the novel approach that the city was intended to avoid dispersion; Gur Aryeh seems to dispute this.
