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Miriam and the Spies - Rabbi Abe Weschler
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Many authorities, including the famed Rav Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi, 4800-4865),
ask, based on Midrash Tanchuma (Shelach 5), what connects the narrative of the Spies
to the narrative speaking of Miriam and her confinement?
Explains Rashi that Miriam's predicament was the result of what can generally be
classified as lashon hara, "evil speech" that she uttered, in this particular case
against her own brother, Moshe. In punishment for her remarks she was struck with
a case of tzara'at and what had been a private matter between her and her other
brother Aharon, became a very public affair (BeMidbar 12:15). Now these men who
were being sent on a very important mission to help plan the invasion of Canaan,
should have learned their lesson from Miriam's case, but they did not, and they
succumbed to the same drive to speak ill (see the comments of Rav Yaakov Ba'al HaTurim,
c. 5029-5103).
What lashon hara did these men speak? Says the verse (BeMidbar 13:32), "And they
brought forth word (dibbah) of the land." What kind of word? Explains Onkelos that
they gave the land a bad name, i.e., a bad reputation (shom bish). Rav Mordekhai
Levenstein points out that "shom bish" is the same translation that Onkelos offers
for the verse in Devarim (22:14) where it describes a man tarnishing his wife's
reputation (hotzi aleha shem ra) by accusing her of engaging in alilot devarim,
various misdeeds. Rav Mordekhai understands these to be false accusations (see Ibn
Ezra there for a different view). This is in line with the view of Rav Moshe ben
Nachman (Ramban, 4954-5030) that the spies spoke falsehoods in their report of the
land (BeMidbar 14:37).
Explains Rabbi Elazar ben Perata (Arakhin 15a) how from here one can see the great
negative power and impact lashon hara can have (and also the tremendous retribution
is store for one who speaks it – see Rabbi Eliyahu Ki Tov, Sefer HaToda''ah 35).
The disastrous result of the spies' falsified report is well-known. If such a catastrophe
can be brought about by speaking ill of trees and rocks, how much more is the catastrophe
that can result from lashon hara about people!
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