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How can speaking about land compare to lashon hara about a person? The spies exemplified how lashon hara distorts reality by taking true facts out of context, just as they reported constant funerals without noting that God was distracting inhabitants for their safety. This self-deception convinces speakers they're nobly 'telling truth' while actually living in a world of lies.
This shiur examines the juxtaposition between Miriam's lashon hara about Moshe and the spies' negative report about the Land of Israel. Rabbi Zweig addresses the fundamental question: how can we compare speaking lashon hara about a person to speaking negatively about an inanimate object like land? The answer lies in understanding that both involve the same fundamental distortion of reality. The Gemara (גמרא) in Megillas Eichah reveals that the spies were 'makdim pei l'ayin' - they put their mouth before their eyes. This means they decided what they wanted to say before they properly observed, allowing their predetermined agenda to shape their perception rather than letting honest observation inform their speech.
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