זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד לָשׁוֹן וְגוֹ' (משלי יח, כא), הַכֹּל תָּלוּי בַּלָּשׁוֹן. זָכָה, לְחַיִּים, נִתְחַיֵּב, לְמָוֶת. עָסַק בַּתּוֹרָה בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ, זָכָה לְחַיִּים. שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה עֵץ חַיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ (שם ג, יח). וְהִיא רְפוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל לָשׁוֹן הָרַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מַרְפֵּא לָשׁוֹן עֵץ חַיִּים, וְסֶלֶף בָּהּ שֶׁבֶר בְּרוּחַ (שם טו, ד). וְאִם עָסַק אָדָם בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרַע, מִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ, לְמָוֶת. שֶׁקָּשֶׁה לָשׁוֹן הָרַע כִּשְׁפִיכַת דָּמִים. שֶׁכָּל הַהוֹרֵג, אֵינוֹ הוֹרֵג אֶלָּא נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת. וְהַמְסַפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרַע, הוֹרֵג שְׁלֹשָה, הָאוֹמְרוֹ וְהַמְקַבְּלוֹ וְהַנֶּאֱמָר עָלָיו. שֶׁהֲרֵי דּוֹאֵג אָמַר לָשׁוֹן הָרַע עַל אֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן אֲחִיטוּב, וְנֶהֱרַג, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ מוֹת תָּמוּת אֲחִימֶלֶךְ (ש״א כב, טז). וְנֶהֱרַג שָׁאוּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיָּמָת שָׁאוּל בְּמַעֲלוֹ אֲשֶׁר מָעַל בַּה' (דה״א י, יג). וְכֵן שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר, עֲמָד נָא עָלַי וּמֹתְתֵנִי כִּי אֲחָזַנִי הַשָּׁבָץ (ש״ב א, ט), קַטֵּיגוֹרְיָא שֶׁל נֹב עִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים. וְאֵין הַשָּׁבָץ אֶלָּא בִּגְדֵי כְּהֻנָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְעָשִׂיתָ מִשְׁבְּצוֹת זָהָב (שמות כח, יג). וְדוֹאֵג נִשְׁתָּרֵשׁ מֵחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּמֵחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: גַּם אֵל יִתָּצְךָ לָנֶצַח יַחְתְּךָ וְיִסָּחֲךָ מֵאֹהֶל, וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךָ מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים סֶלָה (תהלים נב, ז), מֵחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. מִי קָשָׁה, הַמַּכָּה בַּחֶרֶב אוֹ הַמַּכָּה בַּחֵץ. הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר, הַמַּכָּה בַּחֵץ. שֶׁהַמַּכָּה בַּחֶרֶב, אֵינוֹ יָכֹל לְהָמִית אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן קָרוֹב אֶצְלוֹ וְנָגַע בּוֹ. וְהַמַּכֶּה בַּחֵץ, אֵינוֹ כֵן אֶלָּא זוֹרֵק אֶת הַחֵץ וּמַכֶּה אוֹתוֹ בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא רוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ. לָכֵן נִמְשָׁל מְסַפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרַע כְּחֵץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: חֵץ שָׁחוּט לְשׁוֹנָם מִרְמָה דִּבֵּר (ירמיה ט, ז). וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, בְּנֵי אָדָם שִׁנֵּיהֶם חֲנִית וְחִצִּים וּלְשׁוֹנָם חֶרֶב חַדָּה (תהלים נז, ה). רְאֵה מַה קָּשֶׁה לָשׁוֹן הָרַע, וְהוּא קָשֶׁה מִשְּׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים וּמִגִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּמֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. מִשְּׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, דִּכְתִיב: גָּדוֹל עֲוֹנִי מִנְּשׂוֹא (בראשית ד, יג). מִגִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, דִּכְתִיב: וְאֵיךְ אֶעֱשֶׂה הָרָעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת (בראשית לט, ט). מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, דִּכְתִיב: אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְּדוֹלָה (שמות לב, לא). וּבִמְסַפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרַע, אֵין כָּתוּב בּוֹ לֹא גָּדוֹל וְלֹא גְּדוֹלָה, אֶלָּא גְּדֹלוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יַכְרֵת ה' כָּל שִׂפְתֵי חֲלָקוֹת, לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֶּרֶת גְּדֹלוֹת (תהלים יב, ד). לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד לָשׁוֹן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד לָשׁוֹן. אַל תֹּאמַר, הוֹאִיל וְנִתְּנָה לִי רְשׁוּת לְדַבֵּר, הֲרֵינִי אוֹמֵר כָּל מַה שֶּׁאֲבַקֵּשׁ. כְּבָר הִזְהִירָה אוֹתְךָ הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: נְצֹר לְשׁוֹנְךָ מֵרָע וּשְׂפָתֶיךָ מִדַּבֵּר מִרְמָה (תהלים לד, יד). וְשֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר, שֶׁאַתָּה מְחַסֵּר. אֵין אַתָּה אֶלָּא מִשְׂתַּכֵּר. וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צָוְחָה, שׁוֹמֵר פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ שׁוֹמֵר מִצָּרוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ (משלי כא, כג). אַל תִּקְרֵי מִצָּרוֹת, אֶלָּא מִצָּרַעַת נַפְשׁוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד לָשׁוֹן. קָשֶׁה לָשׁוֹן הָרַע, שֶׁאֵין אָדָם מוֹצִיאוֹ מִפִּיו עַד שֶׁהוּא כּוֹפֵר בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ לִלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ נַגְבִּיר שְׂפָתֵינוּ אִתָּנוּ מִי אָדוֹן לָנוּ (תהלים יב, ה). כִּבְיָכוֹל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא צָוַח עַל מְסַפְּרֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרַע, מִי יָקוּם לִי עִם מְרֵעִים וְגוֹ' (תהלים צד, טז), מִי יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בָּהֶם. וּמִי יַעֲמֹד בָּהֶם, גֵּיהִנָּם. וְגֵיהִנָּם צֹוַחַת, אַף אֲנִי אֵינִי יְכוֹלָה לַעֲמֹד בָּהֶם. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֲנִי מִלְּמַעְלָן, וְאַתְּ מִלְּמַטָּן. אֲנִי זוֹרֵק בָּם חִצִּים מִלְּמַעְלָה, וְאַתָּה הוֹפֶכֶת עֲלֵיהֶם גֶּחָלִים מִלְּמַטָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: חִצֵּי גִּבּוֹר שְׁנוּנִים עִם גַּחֲלֵי רְתָמִים (תהלים קכ, ד). אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, רְצוֹנְכֶם לְהִמָּלֵט מִגֵּיהִנָּם, הַרְחִיקוּ עַצְמְכֶם מִלָּשׁוֹן הָרַע וְאַתֶּם זוֹכִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מִי הָאִישׁ הֶחָפֵץ חַיִּים וְגוֹ' (תהלים לד, יג). וּכְתִיב: נְצוֹר לְשׁוֹנְךָ מֵרַע וּשְׂפָתֶיךָ מִדַּבֵּר מִרְמָה, סוּר מֵרַע וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב בַּקֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם וְרָדְפֵהוּ (תהלים לד, יד טו). לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע. לְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁהַמְסַפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרַע, הַנְּגָעִים בָּאִין עָלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע. הַמּוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע, מוֹצֵא רָע, שֶׁהַנְּגָעִים רָעִים מוֹצְאִין בְּגוּפוֹ. רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב בְּמִרְיָם, וַתְּדַבֵּר מִרְיָם וְאַהֲרֹן בְּמֹשֶׁה (במדבר יב, א). לְפִיכָךְ, וַיִּפֶן אַהֲרֹן אֶל מִרְיָם וְהִנֵּה מְצֹרַעַת (תהלים לד, יא). מַה כְּתִיב שָׁם, זָכוֹר אֶת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְמִרְיָם וְגוֹ' (דברים כד, ט). וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמַה מִרְיָם שֶׁלֹּא דִּבְּרָה אֶלָּא בְּאָחִיהָ חֲבִיבָהּ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו וְלֹא נִתְכַּוְּנָה אֶלָּא לְהַחְזִירוֹ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, כָּךְ. הַמְסַפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרַע עַל חֲבֵרוֹ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. מַה כְּתִיב לְמַעְלָה מִן הָעִנְיָן, הִשָּׁמֵר בְּנֶגַע הַצָּרַעַת (דברים כד, ח). וְאַף אַהֲרֹן שֶׁהָיָה כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, נָגְעָה בּוֹ יָדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּחַר אַף ה' בָּם וַיֵּלַךְ (במדבר יב, ט). בָּם, בְּמִרְיָם וּבְאַהֲרֹן, אֶלָּא שֶׁאַהֲרֹן נִתְרַפֵּא מִיָּד. וּמִרְיָם, לְאַחַר שִׁבְעָה יָמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַתִּסָּגֵר מִרְיָם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים (במדבר יב, טו). הֱוֵי, זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע, הַמּוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע, שֶׁמָּצָא רָע. וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בַּנָּחָשׁ הַקַּדְמוֹנִי, עַל שֶׁאָמַר לָשׁוֹן הָרַע עַל בּוֹרְאוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ נִצְטָרֵעַ. מָה אָמַר. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, כִּי יֹדֵעַ אֱלֹהִים כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְכֶם מִמֶּנּוּ וְנִפְקְחוּ עֵינֵיכֶם וִהְיִיתֶם כֵּאלֹהִים יוֹדְעֵי טוֹב וָרָע (בראשית ג, ה). אָמַר לָהֶם: כָּל אֻמָּן שׂוֹנֵא אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ, וּכְשֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לִבְראֹת אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ, מִן הָאִילָן הַזֶּה אָכַל וּבָרָא אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ. אַף אַתֶּם אִכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְאַתֶּם יְכוֹלִין לִבְראֹת עוֹלָם כָּמוֹהוּ. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַתָּה סִפַּרְתָּ לָשׁוֹן הָרַע, סוֹפְךָ לִלְקוֹת בְּצָרַעַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים אֶל הַנָּחָשׁ כִּי עָשִׂיתָ זֹאת אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה (בראשית ג, יד). בְּמָה אֵרְרוֹ. בְּצָרַעַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת הִיא (ויקרא יג, נב). אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, הַסְּלָעִים שֶׁהֵן עַל הַנָּחָשׁ, זוֹ הִיא צָרַעְתּוֹ. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא כָּל בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין מִתְרַפְּאִין בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְהַנָּחָשׁ אֵינוֹ מִתְרַפֵּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה (בראשית ג, יד), מִכָּאן שֶׁהַכֹּל מִתְרַפְּאִין וְהוּא אֵינוֹ מִתְרַפֵּא. בִּבְנֵי אָדָם כְּתִיב: אָז יְדַלֵּג כָּאַיָּל פִּסֵּחַ (ישעיה לה, ו). וּכְתִיב: אָז תִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֵי עִוְרִים וְגוֹ' (ישעיה לה, ה). וְכֵן הַחַיָּה וְהַבְּהֵמָה, זְאֵב וְטָלֶה יִרְעוּ כְּאֶחָד, וְאַרְיֵה כַּבָּקָר יֹאכַל תֶּבֶן. אֲבָל הַנָּחָשׁ, עָפָר לַחְמוֹ, שֶׁאֵין מִתְרַפֵּא לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁהוּא הוֹרִיד כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת לֶעָפָר. מִי גָּרַם לוֹ, עַל שֶׁאָמַר לָשׁוֹן הָרַע. (Lev. 14:2:) “This shall be the law of the leper.” This text is related (to Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Everything depends on the tongue. [If] one is acquitted, he is acquitted for life; [if] one is not acquitted, he is condemned to death. [If] one is engaged in Torah with his tongue, he is acquitted for life, inasmuch as the Torah is a tree of life, as stated (in Prov. 3:18), “[Wisdom] is a tree of life to those who take hold of it.” It (i.e., the Torah) is also one's healing for the evil tongue (i.e., slander), as stated (in Prov. 15:4), “A healing tongue is a tree of life.” But if one is occupied with slander, his soul is condemned to death, since slander is more harmful than the shedding of blood. Thus whoever kills takes only one life, but the one who speaks slander kills three people: the one who tells it, the one who accepts it, and the one about whom it is told.9PRK 4:2; Lev. R. 26:2; Numb. R. 19:2; Deut. R. 5:10; M. Pss. 12:2; yPe’ah 1:1 (16a). Doeg spoke slander against Ahimelech; and he (i.e., Ahimelech) was killed, as stated (in I Sam. 22:16), “But the king said, ‘You shall surely die, Ahimelech.’” Saul also was killed, [as stated] (in I Chron. 10:13), “So Saul died for the treachery which he had committed against the Lord.” And thus did Saul say (in II Sam. 1:9, to a young man), “Please stand over me and slay me, for death throes have seized me.” [The young man was] the accuser10Gk.: kategoros. of Nob, the city of priests [against Saul]. Now death throes (shbts) can only denote priesthood, since it is stated (in Exod. 28:13 with reference to high-priestly dress), “And you shall make gold brocade (rt.: shbts).” Doeg also was uprooted (shrsh) from the life of this world and from all life in the world to come. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 52:7), “God will also tear you down for ever; He will seize you, tear you away from your tent, and uproot (shrsh) you from the land of the living. Selah,” [i.e., He will uproot you] from life in the world to come. Who is more severe? One who smites with the sword or [one who] smites with the dart? Say the one who smites with the dart. The one who smites with the sword is only able to kill his companion if he draws near to him and touches him; but in the case of one who smites with the dart, it is not so. Rather one throws the dart wherever he sees him. Therefore, one who speaks slander is comparable to the dart, as stated (in Jer. 9:7), “Their tongue is a sharpened dart; it speaks deceit.” It also says (in Ps. 57:5), “people, whose teeth are spears and darts, and whose tongue a sharp sword.” See how harmful slander is, in that it is more harmful than adultery, shedding blood and idolatry.11M. Pss. 52:2. Of adultery it is written (in Gen. 39:9, where Joseph is addressing Potiphar's wife), “then how shall I do this great evil and sin against God?” Of shedding blood it is written (in Gen. 4:13), “My sin is greater than I can bear.” Of idolatry it is written (in Exod. 32:31, with reference to the golden calf), “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin.” But when it (i.e., Scripture) mentions slander, it does not say "great" (in the masculine singular, as in Gen. 4:13), or "great" (in the feminine singular, as in Gen. 39:9 and Exod. 32:31), but "great" (in the feminine plural). Thus it is written (in Ps. 12:4), “The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, [every] tongue speaking great things (in the feminine plural).” It is therefore stated (in Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” [Another interpretation (of Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”: Do not say, “Since I have license to speak, I am therefore speaking whatever I want.” See, the Torah has already warned you (in Ps. 34:14), “Keep your tongue from evil [and your lips from speaking deceit].” Perhaps you will say that you are suffering a loss. Are you not profiting instead? So the holy spirit proclaims (in Prov. 21:23), “The one who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from trouble (tsarot).” Do not read this as “from trouble.” Instead [read it as], "from leprosy (tsar'at).” Another interpretation (of Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”: Slander is so harmful that one does not produce it from his mouth without denying the Holy One, blessed be He.12M. Ps. 52:2. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 12:5), “Those who say, ‘By our tongues we shall prevail; our lips are with us, who is to be our Lord?’” The Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, cried out against those who speak slander (in Ps. 94:16), “Who will stand for Me against evildoers…?” Who can stand against them? And who will stand against them? Geihinnom? But Geihinnom also cries out, “I am unable to stand against them.” [Then] the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I [will come at them] from above and you (Geihinnom), from below. I will hurl darts from above; and you will turn on them with burning coals from below.” Thus it is stated (in Ps. 120:4), “Sharp darts of the warrior along with burning coals of broom wood.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Do you want to be delivered from Geihinnom? Keep yourselves far away from the deceitful tongue. Then you will be acquitted in this world and in the world to come.” Thus it is stated (in Ps. 34:13), “Who is the one who desires life….” And it is [then] written (in vs. 14), “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit […].” Thus it is stated (in Lev. 14:2), “This shall be the law of the leper,” to teach you that one who speaks slander will have blemishes come to him, as it is stated, “This shall be the law of the leper (metsora'),” [i.e.] the one who proclaims evil (motsi' ra')13Above, 5:1; ySot. 2:1 (17d); ‘Arakh. 15b; Cf. Lev. R. 16:1. will find evil, in that he will have leprosy come upon him. See what is written about Miriam (in Numb. 12:1), “Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses.” Therefore (in vs. 10), “then Aaron turned unto Miriam, and there was [Miriam] with leprosy like the snow.” What is written elsewhere (in Deut. 24:9)? “Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam […].” And is it not all the more so? For if Miriam had this happen, when she only spoke against her beloved brother when he was absent14I.e., she spoke privately to Aaron with no desire to be hostile to Moses. Cf. Sifre, Numb. 12:1 (99:2). and was only intending to return him to his wife, how much the more so in the case of one who utters slander against his colleague? What is written above on the matter (in Deut. 24:8)? “Take care with the plague of leprosy [to watch diligently and do according to all that the priests and Levites shall teach…].” So the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, also afflicted with it Aaron, who was high priest. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 12:9), “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, [i.e.] against Aaron and against Miriam.” Aaron, however, was healed immediately; but Miriam, after seven days, as stated (in Numb. 12:15), “So Miriam was shut up [outside of the camp] for seven days.” Ergo (in Lev. 14:2), “This shall be the law of the leper (metsora').” The one who proclaims evil (motsi' ra') is the one who finds evil (motse' ra'). And thus you find with the primeval serpent, because he spoke slander [to Eve] against his Creator, for that reason he became leprous.15Cf. Gen. R. 19:4. What did he say? R. Joshua ben Levi said (citing Gen. 3:5), “’For God knows that on the day that you eat from it, your eyes shall be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ He said to her, ‘Every artisan hates his fellow [artisan].16The saying is proverbial. See Gen. R. 32:2; M. Pss. 11:6. Now when [the Holy One, blessed be He,] wanted to create His world, He ate from this tree. So he created His world. You [two] also eat from it. Then you will be able to create like Him.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to [the serpent], ‘You have spoken slander. Your end is to be stricken with leprosy.’” It is so stated (in Gen. 3:14), “So the Lord God said unto the serpent, “Because you have done this, more cursed shall you be than all the beasts of the field.” With what did he curse ('araroh) him? With leprosy. Now a curse can only be leprosy, since it is stated (in Lev. 13:52), “for it is a malignant (mam'eret) leprosy.”17The argument assumes that ‘arirah and mam’eret share the same root. So also Exod. R. 3:13. R. Huna said in the name of R. Joshua ben Levi, “The scales which are on the snake are his leprosy.”18Gen. R. 20:4. And not only that, but when all the deformed are cured in the world to come, the snake shall not be cured.19Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 11:9; Tanh., Gen. 11:8; Gen. R. 95:1. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 3:14), “more cursed shall you be than all the beasts.” From here [we learn] that they all shall be healed, but [the serpent] shall not be healed. People shall be healed, as stated (in Is. 35:5), “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened….” It is also [written about] the wild beasts and the cattle (in Is. 65:25), “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion like the ox shall eat straw, but the serpent's food shall be dust”; as he will never be healed, because he [was the one who] brought all mortals down to the dust. And what caused him to have [this punishment]? [It happened] because he had spoken slander.