Every D'var Torah is an element of the Divine, reflecting the Heavenly word in its descent towards this finite world. While common methods of communication explicate nothing but the surface exterior, the speech of creation echoes the G-dly spark of man's soul, incorporating depth and breadth of varied dimensions. The power of speech is more than discourse, more than an effective way to enhance one's relationships. It is the mark of a Tzelem Elokim, and should be utilized to express the wisdom that distinguishishes man from animal. We can now understand why sins of the tongue are judged with such severity.
Slanderous talk is akin to murder, for it destroys the human face of the talebearer.
His punishment of Tzora'as is a form of death, for he has discarded all trace of the image in which he was created. 2 Speech is the sign of life, while in the grave there is silence for eternity. The dead cannot praise G-d, nor all who descend into silence. The dead have nothing to say, much as all those who never appreciate the strength of their own words. In a sense, life is an ever-flowing spring, a 'Ma'ayan Mayim Chaim', blessing the world with an infinite bounty.