They were told that Moshe was beyond comparison. What is applicable to Miriam and Aaron is incongruous in relation to Moshe. Rambam says that Moshe’s prophecy was unique from all other prophets in several ways. Moshe received his prophecy while fully awake; other prophets were restricted to prophecy in a dream-like state. Moshe received prophecy face to face; other prophets through the medium of an angel. Moshe realized the prophetic message without allegory or parable as other prophets did. Other prophets became weak after their prophetic encounter; Moshe was full of vigor. Moshe attained prophecy whenever he wanted as opposed to other prophets who had to prepare themselves for prophecy. Moshe’s uniqueness as a prophet and as a human being was expressed in the words Lo kein avdi Moshe. Moshe’s experience is different. Hashem answered that they should not compare their revelation to that of Moshe. In short, their sin was overlooking or ignoring Moshe’s uniqueness. This uniqueness is expressed in the 13 fundamental faith principles formulated by Rambam, that we believe Moshe’s prophecy is true and that he was the greatest of prophets that came before or after him. Remembering the sin of Miriam requires us to recognize that through their slander, they negated Moshes uniqueness.
Moshe was the greatest yet loneliest person. He had no peer that he could communicate with, share his thoughts. This selection and loneliness expresses the concept of bechirah. It applies to the Jewish people as well; we are the chosen people. We are alone, without a peer in a world that cannot and will not understand us. Denying bechirah is tantamount to denying Judaism. Jacob loved all his children; however his love for Joseph and subsequently Benjamin precipitated metaphysical or ontological oneness. Jacob united with them in a single state, an I-awareness that included these two sons while excluding the rest. The rest of the brothers recognized this unique bond between Jacob and the children of Rachel. Judah proclaims that Jacob’s life force is bound up with that of Joseph and Benjamin, not with the any of the other brothers. The same uniqueness applied to Moshe. Miriam and Aaron overlooked it. That is why the Torah warns us not to compare Moshe with other prophets.
Why did the Torah add baderch btzayschem M’mitzrayim to the command to remember the Miriam incident? After all, we knew where this happened. Had Moshe not been unique, inimitable and the strangest of all men, the Exodus would not have taken place. No other prophet could bring about those miracles. Moshe had the aspect of segulah. A unique appointment was necessary to be the emissary and messenger of Hashem; only Moshe could attain it, not Aaron or Miriam. The Jews were taken out of Egypt because they too had a uniqueness, a segulah element. The segulah element in Moshe facilitated representing Hashem as His messenger, to redeem the people. They were baderech, on their departure from Egypt. Miriam failed to recognize that the reason they were on that very journey at all, and not still mired in slavery in Egypt, was Moshe’s uniqueness. That is why there is a separate Ani Maamin regarding Moshe’s prophecy.