This week’s Parashah, Parashat Tazria, deals with Tzara’at at length. The Torah explains what Tzara’at looks like, how to deal with it, and more. Interestingly, it does not say what causes Tzara’at. The Rabbis however, discuss the ways in which one gets Tzara’at. Among other things, the main cause is speaking Lashon Hara, or slander, about someone else. The question is, what is so terrible about Lashon Hara that it causes one to get such a severe punishment? Tzara’at can cause money loss, embarrassment, and a week alone outside the camp. Simply, Lashon Hara is so bad because it can harm people in terrible ways. For example, if someone tells his friend that a certain person, let’s say Moshe, once did something bad, it can come back to bite him in unimaginable ways. If Moshe applies for a job and the person interviewing him heard this Lashon Hara, he may not get the job. Or if a woman Moshe is dating heard it, she may not want to marry him. This is why Lashon Hara has such a severe punishment, in order to prevent one from telling Lashon Hara that can harm others.
That is true, but it goes much deeper than that. The Pasuk in Breishit (2:7) states: “וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה”. “And Hashem blew into his nose the Neshama of life, and the man became a נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה.” Onkelos translates נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה as רוח ממללא - a speaking spirit. This teaches that the Neshama is what gives a person the ability to speak. Since the Neshama and speech are fundamentally connected, when one sins through speech, by speaking Lashon Hara, the soul is greatly damaged, and therefore, the punishment is so harsh
There is a story in the Midrash that demonstrates this point beautifully. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel once asked Tavi, his servant, to buy him “good food” from the market. Tavi returned with a tongue. Then, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel asked him to buy “bad food”. Once again, Tavi came back with a tongue. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel asked Tavi how a tongue can be both good and bad, and Tavi, who was known for his wisdom, responded: If it is good, it is very good, and if it is bad, it is very bad. One has the ability to speak great things. To be kind, to give compliments, to teach Torah, and more. But, Chas V’Shalom, one can also use his speech for evil, which, as Tavi said, is terrible. Additionally, the Pasuk in Mishlei (18:21) says: “מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁוֹן” - “Death and life is in the hand of the tongue.” One can make someone “live” with his words, by being kind to them, but also “kill” someone through evil speech.
As one can see, speech is very strong, and can be used in both good and bad ways. May we all have the Zechut to use our speech for the right things and be careful not to speak Lashon Hara, using Parashat Tazria to be Mechazek us in this matter.