Remember Miriam: 5 Commentaries on One Powerful Torah Verse

The Torah, the book of books, is far more than a collection of laws and stories. It is a vast and intricate system of divine wisdom, revealed through many layers to those who seek to understand it more deeply. Every verse, and sometimes every individual word, contains worlds of meaning, from the straightforward understanding to the deepest spiritual insights.

Throughout the generations, Jewish sages have uncovered different levels of understanding within the Torah, from its plain meaning to the teachings of Kabbalah. Its extraordinary richness lies not only in its scope, but also in its ability to offer every person moral direction, spiritual inspiration, and guidance for every area of life.

In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Ki Tetzei, we find the following verse:

“Remember what Hashem your God did to Miriam along the way when you left Egypt” (Deuteronomy 24:9).

What exactly are we being commanded to remember? Rashi, Rashbam, Ramban, Ibn Ezra, and Ralbag each reveal a different dimension of this single verse.

Rashi: A Warning Against Lashon Hara

Rashi explains: “If you wish to be careful not to be stricken with tzaraat (a spiritual infliction described in the Torah), do not speak lashon hara: remember what was done to Miriam, who spoke about her brother and was stricken with tzaraat.”

According to Rashi, remembering Miriam serves as a direct warning against lashon hara, harmful or derogatory speech about another person. Miriam’s experience reminds us of the seriousness of our words and the consequences that can follow when speech is misused.

Rashbam: No One Is Above the Law

Rashbam connects the verse to the Torah’s preceding instructions regarding tzaraat: “Be careful concerning the affliction of tzaraat, to observe carefully and act.”

Even if the person afflicted is a king, such as King Uzziah, he is not granted special treatment. The laws must still be observed, and he must be isolated as required.

The Torah continues, “According to all that they instruct you,” and then tells us to remember what Hashem did to Miriam. Although Miriam was a prophetess and the sister of Moses, she was not exempt from the law. Instead, “she shall be confined for seven days.”

The words “along the way when you left Egypt” add another dimension. Even though the Jewish people were in the middle of their journey, “the people did not journey until Miriam was brought back in” (Numbers 12:15). The entire nation waited for her, but the laws themselves were not suspended.

Miriam’s greatness did not exempt her from the Torah’s requirements. If this was true for someone of her stature, how much more so does it apply to everyone else.

Ramban: Remember Miriam Out Loud

Ramban emphasizes that the commandment “Remember what Hashem your God did to Miriam” is a positive mitzvah, comparable to other commandments in the Torah that require us to remember significant events.

“It is an actual positive mitzvah, just as ‘Remember the day of Shabbat to sanctify it’ (Exodus 20:8); ‘Remember this day on which you left Egypt’ (Exodus 13:3); and ‘Remember what Amalek did to you’ (Deuteronomy 25:17), all are mitzvot. Therefore, this is likewise one of them, and it is a warning against speaking lashon hara.”

According to Ramban, we are commanded to verbally remember Miriam’s punishment so that we ourselves will be careful to avoid lashon hara. Remembering the incident is not merely advice or a historical recollection. It is itself a mitzvah.

Ramban emphasizes just how striking Miriam’s punishment was:

“He commands us with a positive mitzvah: that we remember the great punishment Hashem inflicted on the righteous prophetess, who spoke only about her brother, who had repaid her kindness and whom she loved as herself. She did not speak in his presence, so that he would be embarrassed, nor before the public, but only privately, between herself and her holy brother. Yet none of her good deeds helped her. So too, if you sit and speak about your brother, if you disparage your mother’s son, you will not escape.”

Miriam was an extraordinarily righteous woman. She loved Moses and did not speak publicly in an attempt to humiliate him. Nevertheless, her words carried consequences. Her story therefore serves as a powerful warning about the seriousness of lashon hara, even when spoken privately and without an intention to cause harm.

Ramban further explains that the incident should be remembered aloud:

“From here it appears that our rabbis treat it as a mitzvah, not merely a narrative or advice for avoiding afflictions. How could it be that lashon hara, which is equivalent to bloodshed, would not have a complete prohibition in the Torah, or a prohibition derived from a positive commandment? Rather, this verse contains a major warning against it: to avoid it whether openly or privately, whether one intends to harm and disgrace or has no intention of causing harm at all. This is one of the 613 mitzvot.”

Ibn Ezra: More Than a Physical Affliction

Ibn Ezra connects Miriam’s experience directly to the spiritual cause of tzaraat:

“Regarding Miriam, this is proof for the teaching: ‘Do not read metzora, but rather motzi ra [one who brings forth evil].’”

His explanation emphasizes that tzaraat should not be understood merely as a physical condition. Miriam’s experience demonstrates its connection to harmful speech and spreading negativity about another person.

The wordplay between metzora and motzi ra highlights the connection between a person’s speech and the affliction that follows.

Ralbag: The Torah’s Laws Apply to Everyone

Ralbag also focuses on the fact that Miriam’s exceptional stature did not exempt her from the laws of tzaraat.

“This was said to teach that it is not appropriate to turn right or left from what the Torah commanded regarding the metzora. Do you not see that even Miriam, despite her great stature and that of her brother, Hashem did not agree to exempt her from any of the laws of tzaraat? Rather, she was required to remain confined for seven days until she was healed, even though her confinement delayed all of Israel, as it says: ‘The people did not journey until Miriam was brought back in’ (Numbers 12:15).”

Despite being a prophetess and the sister of Moses, Miriam received no exemption. She remained outside the camp for seven days, and the entire Jewish people waited until she was able to return.

Ralbag further explains that Miriam’s story teaches that afflictions such as tzaraat can come as a result of lashon hara and other sins. The placement of this passage therefore reinforces the connection between a person’s actions and their consequences.

A single verse in Parashat Ki Tetzei thus opens the door to several distinct lessons. Rashi emphasizes the danger of lashon hara. Rashbam teaches that even the greatest individuals are not above the Torah’s laws. Ramban understands remembering Miriam as a positive mitzvah that should be expressed verbally. Ibn Ezra highlights the connection between harmful speech and tzaraat, while Ralbag emphasizes the binding nature of the Torah’s laws regardless of a person’s stature.

Together, these interpretations demonstrate the extraordinary depth of Torah study. One short verse can contain multiple layers of meaning, each revealing another aspect of how we speak, how we behave, and how seriously we approach Hashem’s commandments.

The Torah’s wisdom is never exhausted. The deeper we look, the more there is to discover.