“Miryam and Aharon began criticizing Moshe on account of the Ethiopian woman he had married, for he had in fact married an Ethiopian woman.”
Numbers 12:1
It is in Numbers 12 we read of an attack on Moses. Miriam and Aaron began to talk among themselves concerning the fact that Moses had taken a Cushite wife. This action caused contention within the family unit and the two questioned of each other, “Has the Adonai spoken only through Moshe? Hasn’t He also spoken through us? (Num 12:2)” It was true that Adonai did speak through Moshe and did speak through Aharon and Miryam as well, but the fact was truth was being used in a negative way. Adonai called all three to the Tent of Meeting and in the appearance of the pillar of cloud, spoke to Aharon and his sister. Because the two had spoken in truth against Adonai’s anointed man, they had committed the sin of Lashon Hara. After the anger of Adonai burned against them, Miryam was left standing, leprous. Looking further at a penalty for committing Lashon Hara in the Talmud, it is believed that one can experience a version of tzaraath, which is defined as a skin disease. While Miryam’s disease was limited to only a week based on the pleading to Adonai by her brothers (Num 12:11-13), Miryan still had to stay outside and secluded from the camp as punishment until the disease passed.
Numbers 11:30 – 12:16
No comments:
Post a Comment