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Why does the me'il atone for lashon hara? The shiur explains that lashon hara stems from inner emptiness—people speak it to assert themselves and relieve pain, not from genuine animosity. The me'il's bells give kavod and space to others, countering this emptiness. Purim (פורים)'s greatness lies in each individual's personal kabbalah, independent of the group—a deeper commitment than Har Sinai's collective acceptance.
Rabbi Zweig explores the Baal HaTurim's connection between three appearances of "venishma" in Tanach: nasa venishma (Kabbalas HaTorah), venishma kol at the me'il, and venishma pisgam hamelech in Megillas Esther. The Gemara (גמרא) states that mikra megillah pushes away both Talmud (תלמוד) Torah (תורה) and avodah, yet this must be hinted at in these pesukim. The question arises: why specifically does the me'il represent all avodah, and how does it relate to the power of Megillah? The Gemara in Erchin teaches that each of the bigdei kehunah atones for specific sins, and the me'il specifically atones for lashon hara—"yavo davar shebakol vichaper al maaseh kol" (let something that makes sound atone for an act of sound). This characterization seems puzzling: lashon hara's severity lies in its content, not its volume. Why does Chazal describe it as "davar shebakol"?
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Tetzaveh - Me'il of the Kohen Gadol
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