Pisqa’ 275¹

1

“Remember what HASHEM your God did to Miriam” (Dt.24:9)—

Now, what is the relevance of this

[incident] to that [ruling about plague-signs]?

The connection is made

in order to teach you that

plague-signs appear only because

of slanderous speech.²

Now isn’t it a simple matter of logic?

Just as Miriam—

who spoke only out of Moses’ ear-shot,

and for Moses’ own benefit,

in praise of the All-Present,

and for the up-building of the world—

was punished in this way,

all the more so should punishment

come upon one who speaks of

his companion’s shame in public!³

2

“On the road” (Dt.24:9)—

in the hour of your utter confusion.

 

“As you left Egypt” (Dt.24:9)—

at the hour of your liberation.⁴

Actually, the verse connects this to Miriam

in order to teach you that

whenever the [tribal] banners set forth to march,

they would not budge until Miriam stood at their head.

And so does He say:

“And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” (Mi.6:4)

1. H:269;JN2: 220.
2. //ARNA:9.
3. Sifre Nu., 99. Cf. Pisqa’ 1.18.
4. This exegesis of Dt.24:9 seems to have be transferred from Pisqa’ 250.1. See also 296.2.