Slander?

Moshe suggested the Jews would doubt his prophecy. This is reckoned as slander of the Jewish people, as hinted in the signs He gave Moshe; his stick turning a serpent  – the symbol of malicious slander – and Moshe’s hand becoming leprous, which is the Biblical punishment for slander.

We asked the kinderlach that the law is that when a Navi, prophet, presents himself as such we are not to accept him immediately, rather he needs to prove himself a prophet. So it seems entirely proper that the Jews should doubt Moshe, such is indeed the law. Why then should it be considered slanderous to suggest the Jews will doubt Moshe?

One of the kinderlach said that the words Moshe will utter; “Pakod Pakaditi”, was a secret phrase Yaakov and Yosef taught the Jews that the true redeemer will say. This was to be the password that would inform them who the real McCoy was. This was a real sign, and ought to suffice. Once the Jews had this proof, any additional doubting was inappropriate. Suggesting that they will continue to doubt even after hearing this was therefor considered slander.