Sharp Arrows and Burning Coals - the evil tongue
Tazria
Parshas Tazria discusses the laws of Tzaraas. Tzaraas was not a physical illness or contagion. It was a spiritual malady that would strike a person as punishment for a number of different sins. The most famous of these sins is the sin of speaking Lashon Hara.
The Torah teaches us how Miriam was struck with Tzaraas for speaking Lashon Hara about her brother Moshe. Moshe Rabbeinu was struck with Tzaraas at the Burning Bush for speaking Lashon Hara about the Jewish people, when he questioned their faith.
Many printed editions of Tehillim have a heading for each chapter, describing the theme and reason for each chapter. Chapter 120 is introduced as; “An argument against those who speak Lashon Hara and how Lashon Hara can kill at an even greater distance than weapons.” In this chapter Dovid Hamelech speaks about Lashon Hara and its damaging effects.
Below is a selection of commentaries and Midrashim on chapter 120, explaining how its words reflect this message.
ה‘ הַצִּ֣ילָה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִשְּׂפַת־שֶׁ֑קֶר מִלָּשׁ֥וֹן רְמִיָּֽה
Hashem save my soul from false lips and from a deceitful tongue.
This refers to the false lips and deceitful tongue which slanders and maligns others.
מַה־יִּתֵּ֣ן לְ֭ךָ וּמַה־יֹּסִ֥יף לָ֗ךְ לָשׁ֥וֹן רְמִיָּֽה
What can you profit, what can you gain, O deceitful tongue?
The Midrash teaches that when a person steals, they do so because of their hunger and the need to feed their starving family. When a person engages in forbidden relationships, they do it to satisfy their desires. Most sins are committed to serve a personal benefit. But what gain or profit does a person get from speaking Lashon Hara?
The Gemara reads the verse as though Hashem is addressing the tongue itself, saying: “What more can I add for you to protect you from being able to cause harm? I have placed you behind two barriers, one hard (the teeth) and the other soft (our lips), yet you still break forth with your slander.”
חִצֵּ֣י גִבּ֣וֹר שְׁנוּנִ֑ים עִ֝֗ם גַּחֲלֵ֥י רְתָמִֽים
A warrior’s sharp arrows, with hot coals of Rosem-wood.
When one wields a sword, they can always retract it. This is like the harm of other sins, where one can always rectify their wrongs and ask Mechilah.
But speaking Lashon Hara is like shooting an arrow. Once the arrow is released, it cannot be retrieved. Like the arrow, one can sit in their own place and inflict untold harm on someone miles away. Lashon travels great distances very quickly. Since the slander spreads from person to person, once it is released, it can never be retrieved or rectified.
The Posuk likens Lashon Hara to the coals of Rosem wood. The Midrash relates the story of 2 travellers who stopped at a camp and lit a fire with Rosem wood. Months later when they returned, the coals looked cool, but when they raked the coals and walked over it, it burned their feet.
Lashon Hara, like a coal, may looks harmless on the surface, but inside it burns. Like Rosem wood, the embers of Lashon Hora continue to burn with long-lasting affects.
אֽוֹיָה־לִ֭י כִּי־גַ֣רְתִּי מֶ֑שֶׁךְ שָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּי עִֽם־אָהֳלֵ֥י קֵדָֽר
Woe is me, that I live with Meshech, that I dwell among the clans of Kedar.
This Pasuk describes the Jewish people in Golus. The word Meshech, aside from being a place, can also mean a long duration of time.
The first Temple was destroyed on account of the worst of sins; idolatry, murder and forbidden relationships. The Gemara notes that because their sins were ‘revealed’ - committed publicly, their Keitz, the end of their exile was ‘revealed’ to them. The their exile lasted only 70 years.
But when the second Temple was destroyed, their Keitz was hidden, because their sin was ‘hidden’, the Lashon Hara spoken behind each others’ backs. And so we live with Meshech, a Golus that has gone on for nearly 2000 years.
Let’s all make a firm resolution to be more careful with our words when speaking about others. In this merit we will bring Moshiach and an end to the Meshech of Golus.
The Torah teaches us how Miriam was struck with Tzaraas for speaking Lashon Hara about her brother Moshe. Moshe Rabbeinu was struck with Tzaraas at the Burning Bush for speaking Lashon Hara about the Jewish people, when he questioned their faith.
Many printed editions of Tehillim have a heading for each chapter, describing the theme and reason for each chapter. Chapter 120 is introduced as; “An argument against those who speak Lashon Hara and how Lashon Hara can kill at an even greater distance than weapons.” In this chapter Dovid Hamelech speaks about Lashon Hara and its damaging effects.
Below is a selection of commentaries and Midrashim on chapter 120, explaining how its words reflect this message.
ה‘ הַצִּ֣ילָה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִשְּׂפַת־שֶׁ֑קֶר מִלָּשׁ֥וֹן רְמִיָּֽה
Hashem save my soul from false lips and from a deceitful tongue.
This refers to the false lips and deceitful tongue which slanders and maligns others.
מַה־יִּתֵּ֣ן לְ֭ךָ וּמַה־יֹּסִ֥יף לָ֗ךְ לָשׁ֥וֹן רְמִיָּֽה
What can you profit, what can you gain, O deceitful tongue?
The Midrash teaches that when a person steals, they do so because of their hunger and the need to feed their starving family. When a person engages in forbidden relationships, they do it to satisfy their desires. Most sins are committed to serve a personal benefit. But what gain or profit does a person get from speaking Lashon Hara?
The Gemara reads the verse as though Hashem is addressing the tongue itself, saying: “What more can I add for you to protect you from being able to cause harm? I have placed you behind two barriers, one hard (the teeth) and the other soft (our lips), yet you still break forth with your slander.”
חִצֵּ֣י גִבּ֣וֹר שְׁנוּנִ֑ים עִ֝֗ם גַּחֲלֵ֥י רְתָמִֽים
A warrior’s sharp arrows, with hot coals of Rosem-wood.
When one wields a sword, they can always retract it. This is like the harm of other sins, where one can always rectify their wrongs and ask Mechilah.
But speaking Lashon Hara is like shooting an arrow. Once the arrow is released, it cannot be retrieved. Like the arrow, one can sit in their own place and inflict untold harm on someone miles away. Lashon travels great distances very quickly. Since the slander spreads from person to person, once it is released, it can never be retrieved or rectified.
The Posuk likens Lashon Hara to the coals of Rosem wood. The Midrash relates the story of 2 travellers who stopped at a camp and lit a fire with Rosem wood. Months later when they returned, the coals looked cool, but when they raked the coals and walked over it, it burned their feet.
Lashon Hara, like a coal, may looks harmless on the surface, but inside it burns. Like Rosem wood, the embers of Lashon Hora continue to burn with long-lasting affects.
אֽוֹיָה־לִ֭י כִּי־גַ֣רְתִּי מֶ֑שֶׁךְ שָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּי עִֽם־אָהֳלֵ֥י קֵדָֽר
Woe is me, that I live with Meshech, that I dwell among the clans of Kedar.
This Pasuk describes the Jewish people in Golus. The word Meshech, aside from being a place, can also mean a long duration of time.
The first Temple was destroyed on account of the worst of sins; idolatry, murder and forbidden relationships. The Gemara notes that because their sins were ‘revealed’ - committed publicly, their Keitz, the end of their exile was ‘revealed’ to them. The their exile lasted only 70 years.
But when the second Temple was destroyed, their Keitz was hidden, because their sin was ‘hidden’, the Lashon Hara spoken behind each others’ backs. And so we live with Meshech, a Golus that has gone on for nearly 2000 years.
Let’s all make a firm resolution to be more careful with our words when speaking about others. In this merit we will bring Moshiach and an end to the Meshech of Golus.