LEV491 Hashem loves His nation, the Jewish people, and wants the best for them, so much so that He refers to them as His “children,” “portion,” and “inheritance,” as well as by many other affectionate titles that indicate the extent of His love for them, as the pasuk says: אָהַ֤בְתִּי אֶתְכֶם֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה, "I love you, said Hashem"... (Malachi 1:2). Because of this great love, He distanced the Jewish people from all bad practices, and especially from lashon hara and rechilus, which cause people to argue and quarrel. At times, lashon hara and rechilus can even lead to bloodshed, as the Rambam writes in Hilchos Dei’os (7:1): “Even though this prohibition does not incur lashes, it is a grave sin, and causes the murder of many Jews. Therefore, the prohibition of lashon hara is juxtaposed with: לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ, “Do not stand by idly while your friend's blood is spilled" (Vayikra 19:16). Go and learn from what happened with Doeg the Adomi”—whose rechilus caused the massacre of Nov, the city of kohanim. [1 Samuel 21-22--AJL]. These deplorable practices [of lashon hara and rechilus] have caused many other terrible calamities. As we know, the sin of the Serpent was primarily one of lashon hara, for the Serpent spoke lashon hara about Hashem by telling Chavah that “Hashem ate from this tree and then created the world.” He used this claim to seduce Chavah, as Chazal say (Shabbos 146a), “The Serpent came unto Chavah and contaminated her.” We see, then, that his lashon hara led to immorality. The Serpent's actions also brought death into the world; we see, then, that his lashon hara led to bloodshed. In addition, the Serpent’s lashon hara caused Adam Harishon and Chavah to violate the will of Hashem. Consequently, one who speaks lashon hara is adopting the trait of the Serpent, which destroys the world. (Continued at [[GEN1437]] Genesis 37:2 reports SEFER 30-1).