NUM114 One who speaks lashon hara transgresses the positive commandment of זָכֹ֕ור אֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֛ה יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לְמִרְיָ֑ם בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ, “Remember what Hashem, your G-d, did to Miriam on the way" (Devarim 24:9). With this commandment, the Torah instructs us to constantly recall, verbally, the severe punishment that Hashem brought upon the righteous prophetess Miriam for speaking about Moshe. Miriam spoke only about her brother, whom she loved as herself, and whom she helped to raise as a child; she even risked her life to save him from the water. When she spoke about him, she did not denigrate him, but merely equated him to other prophets. Furthermore, she did not embarrass him by speaking in his presence, nor did she speak about him publicly. Rather, she spoke about him to her holy brother Aharon, in private. Moshe was not even offended by anything she said, as the pasuk states: והאיש משה ענו מאד, “And the man, Moshe, was very humble" (Bamidbar 12:3). Nevertheless, all of her good deeds did not help her, and she was still punished with tzaraas for what she did. If so, those foolish individuals who constantly relate terrible lashon hara about others will certainly be punished severely.