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Why does the Torah (תורה) juxtapose Miriam's lashon hara about Moshe with the story of the spies? The shiur develops the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s insight that lashon hara primarily damages the speaker, not the subject, by breeding cynicism and destroying our ability to appreciate greatness. This explains how one can speak lashon hara about inanimate objects and why Moshe prayed for Miriam's healing from distorted perspective.
Rabbi Zweig begins by examining the juxtaposition of Miriam's punishment for speaking about Moshe and the story of the spies (meraglim). He raises three fundamental questions: Why did the spies need Miriam's example when lashon hara is already forbidden as severely as murder, idolatry, and adultery combined? How can one speak lashon hara about an inanimate object like the land of Israel? And how can one person pray for another's repentance when teshuva (תשובה) is personal? The Rambam (רמב"ם)'s insight reveals the revolutionary answer. When Miriam spoke about Moshe's separation from his wife, the Torah (תורה) emphasizes that "the man Moshe was very humble" - meaning he wasn't upset or affected by her words at all. This teaches that lashon hara can be a "victimless crime" in terms of the subject, yet still devastating to the speaker.
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Parshas Shelach - the story of the spies and Miriam's lashon hara
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