This coming Shabbas is Shabbas Mevarchim Chodesh Tammuz. The month as is described by the Navi is the month of calamities. It’s the month where the Jewish people sinned with the golden calf its the month that the breach in the wall of the bais Hamikdash occurred and eventually leading to the destruction. Where did this all begin and how can we learn from the past to make sure we’re not repeating the same mistake.
This weeks Parsha focuses on the sin of the spies. Many different explanations are given for what exactly was their sin and how they fell to such a low level. The Mishna in Erchin tells us that the sin was the sin of Loshon Hara. They said negative things about the land and about Hashem.
Where does Loshon hara begin and is it possible to catch it before it leads to terrible consequences. The Chafetz chaim explains in his Sefer Shmiras Halashon that when one sins with the sin of loshon hara he is transgressing the negative command of השמר לך פן תשכח את ה׳ אלוקיך watch yourself from forgetting Hashem your G-D. You see from here something very powerful a person wont sin with Loshon hara if he is humble before Hashem. If he recognizes that everything is a gift and Hashem knows exactly who and what each person needs.
It’s when a person gets into a space of jealousy or selfishness or insecurity which leads to negative speech about the threatening person in their life. So many fights could have been avoided if the person would catch themselves before they let out that negative statement which could have years of destruction.
The next time were thinking negative about a person or a situation lets quickly check inside of us for signs of forgetting Hashem it will save us a lot of trouble in the future and it will also serve as a Tikkun for the original sin of Loshon hara and be a merit for the Geulah Bimhera Beyamienu
by Rabbi Daniel Coren
Parshas Shlach- Catch yourself before you fall
