Lashon Hara and 1949 Years Since the Hurban

Following the Jewish historians, the second Beit Hamikdash was destroyed in Tish'a Be'av of the year 3828, which is 68CE.  That means that it was destroyed 1949 years ago.

We all know that the reason for the destruction of the second Beit Hamikdash was due to Sin'at Hinam - baseless hatred of one another - but Sin'at Hinam didn't and doesn't occur in a vaccuum.  A major cause of Sin'at Hinam - and a major result of Sin'at Hinam - is Lashon Hara - slandering one another.  Besides this, there are sources that Lashon Hara itself was a cause for its destruction.

Devarim Rabba 6:6:

אמר הקב"ה בעולם הזה על ידי שהיו ביניכם בעלי לשון הרע סלקתי את שכינתי מביניכם שנאמר רומה על השמים א-לקים  אבל לעתיד לבא שאני עוקר יצר הרע מביניכם שנאמר והסירותי את לב האבן מבשרכם אני מחזיר שכינתי ביניכם

HKB"H said: In this world, since among you are masters of Lashon Hara, I removed My Shechina from among you, as it says "Hashem is lifted over the heavens."  However, in the future to come, when I uproot the evil inclination from among you, as it says, "And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh," I will return My Shechina among you.

In addition, the very first Tish'a Be'av was caused by the spies speaking Lashon Hara against the Land of Israel. The Jewish people's cry for naught at that time caused a cry for generations - every Tish'a Be'av in history was due to and stems from that one sin.

It is very interesting to note that the only 2 verses in the Torah with the gematria of 1949 (based on a SodTorah search) are the following:

1) Bereishit 3:5

ה  כִּי, יֹדֵעַ אֱלֹהִים, כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְכֶם מִמֶּנּוּ, וְנִפְקְחוּ עֵינֵיכֶם; וִהְיִיתֶם, כֵּאלֹהִים, יֹדְעֵי, טוֹב וָרָע.

5 for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.'

2) Vayikra 19:16

טז  לֹא-תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּיךָ, לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל-דַּם רֵעֶךָ:  אֲנִי, יְהוָה.

16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people; neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.

The first of these 2 verses is explicitly noted for its Lashon Hara by the snake against Hashem in Midrash Tanhuma Tazria 9:

כך שנו רבותינו, על ג' דברים הזכיר הקב"ה שמו עליהם, ואף על פי שהן לרעה, על המסית, זה הנחש שהסית את האשה, ואמר לה כי יודע אלקים כי ביום אכלכם ממנו ונפקחו עיניכם והייתם כאלקים יודעי טוב ורע, תהיו כמותו, מה הוא בורא עולמות, אף אתם תבראו עולמות, שכל אומן שונא את אומן כמותו, ולפי שהסית אותה וספר לשון הרע, לפיכך הזכיר שמו עליו...

So have our rabbis taught: over 3 things did HKB"H mention His name upon them even though they are negative: 1) Upon an inciter - that is the snake who incited the woman and told her: "for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil." [In other words, he told her:] "You will be like Him. Just as He creates worlds, you will also create worlds - since every craftsman hates his fellow craftsman." And because he incited her and told over Lashon Hara, therefore, He mentioned His name upon him.

And the second of these 2 verses is the main verse in the Torah for the prohibition of speaking Lashon Hara.

Perhaps, that is the message for us today: that the main problem we need to correct in the year 5777 - which is 1949 years from the Hurban - is speaking and listening to Lashon Hara against each other.  Organizations such as CCHF are helpful in this endeavor.

May we as a people correct this sin and other sins so we will no longer need to fast on Tish'a Be'av, and the 9th of Av will turn into a Mo'ed speedily in our days, Amen.