Sephardic Educational Center Jerusalem

Parashat Matot
July 26, 2008 - Tamuz 23, 5768

Ask the Rabbi

“Just Do It”: The Power of Words

A wise man once said, “Ones tongue can be compared to an arrow”. When asked why specifically an arrow and not another weapon he gave the following response, “Because if a man removes his sword to kill another man and the man pleads for his life arousing the compassion of the swordsman then he can return the sword to its case. Not so an arrow, once shot, it cannot be returned. So it is with our words like an arrow once said they are difficult to return”. A well known story is told about a man who went around his town slandering the Rabbi. With time he became remorseful and asked the Rabbi for his forgiveness. The Rabbi agreed but told him he had to do one thing before he could be forgiven. The Rabbi asked him to take a pillow filled with feathers and scatter the feathers in the wind. After doing as the Rabbi asked the man returned to ask the Rabbis forgiveness. The Rabbi told him the following, “go back to the place where you scattered the feathers and gather them all back”. The man exclaimed to the Rabbi that it would be impossible since the wind had already scattered them in every direction. “So too” answered the Rabbi, “It is difficult for me to forgive you for your words, for the damage they have done has spread and it is impossible to reverse the damage your words have inflicted”.

The importance of proper speech occupies a great place in the Torah. In this week’s Torah portion we read about the laws pertaining to an individual who makes a vow. When relating these laws the Torah states the following, “If a man takes a vow to G-d, or if he takes an oath to bind his soul, he shall not break his word, he shall do everything as has been uttered by his mouth” (Bamidbar 30:3). In lay mans terms the Torah is saying that a person must “put their money where their mouth is”. If a person takes a vow to do something then they are expected to keep their word and “do it”.

This dictum would seem to be superfluous. The Torah in so many places continuously commands us to speak the truth (see Shemot 18:21), to stay away from all falsehood (see Shemot 23:7), and to act in accordance with justice (see Devarim 16:20). Based on those commands, it would seem obvious that if a person makes a vow then they should be committed to carry it out. What is the Torah adding in the aforementioned verse?

I believe that the answer has to do with a careful reading of one word. The word used for “breaking his word” is in Hebrew “Yahel”. The commentaries were at odds regarding the interpretation of that word. One of the great commentaries “Onkelus” (a proselyte of Roman origins who lived one generation after the destruction of the second Temple, in the second century C.E) explains that it means “not to annul their vow”. In other words once a person says they will do something then “they should not annul (lo yahel) doing it”.

However “Rashi” in his commentary gives a different explanation. The word “Yahel”, he explains, comes from the same root as “Hol” which means to make profane or to lack holiness. He explains that when a person speaks then their words become holy. Our commitments articulated through our words become sanctified; by not doing what we say we will do our words become profane.

The explanation of “Rashi” is powerful because it puts our speech in a completely new dimension. Through our speech we can become holy or profane. Since speaking is such an integral part of our lives, after all most people cannot go more than a few minutes without speaking (this writer not included for me its more like a few seconds), what that means is that every few minutes we have the capacity to introduce holiness into our lives. Through our speech we can elevate ourselves and those around us or do the exact opposite.

Many of us see holiness as acts connected to religious ceremony. When we come to the synagogue and pray then we engage in holy acts. We see holiness in Torah scrolls, prayer books, and other objects. When we do that we limit the scope of what is holy. What we must remember is that people can also be holy. Through our actions and more specifically our words we have the capacity to become holy, and not just when we enter the synagogue but at every moment of the day.

In a letter written by “Nahmanides” (12th century Spanish Rabbi) to his son he begins by saying, “Listen my son to the rebuke of your father and to the teachings of your mother. Remember to always speak gently to every person in every place and under all circumstances” (see Igeret Haramban).

King David in Psalm 24 said the following, “Who will rise up the mountain of G-d and who will establish themselves in his place of holiness. Only those whose palms are clean (of theft) and whose hearts are pure. Those who have not used G-d’s name in vain or spoken deceitfully” (Psalms 24:3-4). Indeed, explains King David, our ability to climb G-d’s mountain and to stay there is very much dependent on keeping our word. Only those who speak the truth and remove deceit from mouths are worthy to stand before G-d.

As you can see Judaism places a tremendous amount of importance on speech. This message is always relevant, but especially now. We find ourselves in the period of the “Three Weeks” which commemorate the destruction of both of our Temples. Our Rabbis mention a number of sins that led to the destruction of both Temples. One of those sins is mentioned in the Talmud in the tractate of Shabbat. There we are told the following, “Said Raba, Jerusalem was destroyed because there ceased to live in it people of trust (anshe amanah)” (Talmud Shabbat 119).

Commenting on this statement the Talmud explains that “people of trust” refers to people whose words were trustworthy. Once the city of Jerusalem was barren of people who spoke the truth, then it had no basis to exist and was thus destroyed. It is for this reason that one of the explanations of the name Jerusalem is truth.

It stands to reason that if Jerusalem was destroyed because of the way we misused our speech, then its complete rebuilding will take place when we learn to use our speech properly. May we all merit seeing that day speedily in our time.

Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Yosef Benarroch

SEC Jerusalem

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