DEUT1349 The Torah gives us advice on how to guard our speech: "Remember what the Lord your God did unto Miriam by the way as you came forth out of Egypt". Miriam spoke loshon hora about Moshe and was severely punished. By recalling her punishment we will realize the gravity of loshon hora. A person should not wonder how it is possible for someone to recite this verse (many repeat it daily after davening) and immediately afterwards to relate loshon hora. Merely saying it by rote will not prove beneficial. One must give the matter a proper amount of thought and only then will recalling Miriam's punishment effect a change. Needless to say, it is also necessary to be well–versed in the laws of loshon hora.