My wife suggested that Miriam speaking out against Moshe separating from Tziporah is consistent with Chazal's portrayal of Miriam being the one who told her father Amram that his separating from Yocheved in Mitzrayim is worse than Phraoah's gezeirah. (Later found the same idea in Shvilei Pinchas.)
Miriam reached out specifically to Aharon as he was the oheiv shalom v'rodef shalom who was known for restoring shalom bayis.
Even the best intentions, however, did not immunize Miriam from the danger of lashon ha'ra.
I read a piece by Harav Moshe Lichtenstein this past week which also suggests your wife's idea that when Miriam speaks out against Moshe separating from Tziporah, we are reminded of her protest years earlier against her father Amram separating from Yocheved.
ReplyDeleteThe piece is "Leadership that is Attentive to the People" and has other powerful ideas too.
For example, R. Lichtenstein cites a view in Midrash Rabbah that after Moshe's first approach to Pharaoh failed and he cried out to God "lama hare'ota la'am hazeh", Moshe actually ran back to Midian for 6 months. Miriam's critique in our parsha "ki isha kushit lakach" -- which Chazal take as a reference to his Midianite wife, Tzippora -- alludes to this earlier crisis of faith/leadership in her brother's career. Mirian sees Moshe once again lose patience in the incident of kivrot ha-taavah and question why God appointed him to lead, just as he did years earlier when he ran back to his family in Midian. Miriam, in contrast, represents unwavering optimism, just as she showed years earlier when she persuaded her father to reunite with Yocheved.
For some reason the link seems to be broken, but it was here:
https://www.etzion.org.il/en/leadership-attentive-people-0