What the Mouth Can Do

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

This week’s parsha begins with commandments concerning vows, warning us not to take vows lightly. In doing so, however, a surprising term is used. We are warned not to “desecrate” our word. Isn’t the word “desecrate” overstating things? It sounds as though we are taking something holy and rendering it profane, when all we’re really talking about is our common speech. Why not a simple command not to violate our vows?

The Seforno makes the question stronger by connecting the above to a verse in Vayikra (19:12), “You shall not swear falsely by My Name, thereby desecrating the Name of Your G-d…” He concludes that the intent here is that when one violates a vow, he is desecrating not only his word, but Hashem Himself! For example, one makes a vow not to eat fattening foods until the end of the day — if he fails to abide by this, he has committed a chilul Hashem, desecrating Hashem’s Name. Why is this considered a direct affront to the honor of Hashem? Is it some sort of public rebellion against Him? It could be that nobody else even knows about this vow!

In order to answer this question, the Avnei Nezer notes that the only reason vows are so severe is because of the exceptional kedusha inherent in the mouths of Klal Yisrael. When Hashem declares (Yishaya 43:21): “I have created this people so that they relate My praises,” this means that Klal Yisrael’s essence is that they praise Hashem (through tefilla and Torah study), which is done with their mouths. A dishonored vow means a desecration of Klal Yisrael’s kedusha.

A dishonored vow is also a desecration of Hashem, in that speech is the vehicle for the neshama to express itself in this world (Targum Onkelos translates the “living soul” that Adam Harishon received as a “speaking soul”  – Bereishis 2:7). Violating a vow means violating the essence of one’s neshama, which is the part of a human being that Hashem breathed into us. Therefore, desecrating one’s neshama means desecrating Hashem.

Rav Moshe Feinstein raises questions on how the subject of vows is introduced. Nowhere is Moshe Rabbeinu commanded explicitly by Hashem to teach the nation about vows. Rather, he himself begins: “This is the matter about which Hashem has spoken.” First of all: Why didn’t the Torah state openly that Hashem commanded Moshe to teach about vows? Secondly, why are vows introduced with an almost unknown expression in Chumash (it appears only one other time): “This is the matter (about which Hashem has spoken)?”

Rav Moshe Feinstein’s answer serves to highlight the insight of the Avnei Nezer brought above. The holiness of the Jewish mouth is so apparent that even without a commandment, it should be clear how grave a matter it is to violate vows. “This is a matter Hashem actually spoke about,” as if it even needed to be said! The kedusha inherent in everything we say should be so apparent to us that our gut reaction should be: How could we possibly violate our very speech! What greater desecration of Hashem’s Name could there be!

This applies to more than just vows. If we are not careful, we will end up desecrating our speech in all sorts of ways. Lashon hara, verbal abuse, dishonesty in business dealings, and more, are clear demonstrations of desecration of our speech. However, even speaking devarim beteilim (idle

chatter) does this, too (Yoma 19a), because one is taking his awesome power of speech and failing to use it for its prime purposes — tefilla and Torah study. One opinion is that the commandment vedibarta bam is a mitzvas asseh to speak only in divrei Torah and not devarim beteilim. Another opinion is that speaking devarim beteilim is in fact an issur lo taaseh!

Furthermore, in Pesachim 3b we are warned that our speech be clean and refined, free of coarse expressions. Once, two talmidim spoke before Rav Yochanan ben Zakai; one described olives as being either tahor or not tahor; and the other used the terms tahor or tamei. Rav Yochanan ben Zakai said that the one who spoke with a clean language (even though there is no prohibition against saying the word “tamei”) would become a gadol b’Yisrael.

Rav Chaim Vital (Eitz Hada’as Tov) states that if a person is scrupulous about what he says and careful never to desecrate his words, his mouth gets special power. He will be able to give people brachos that are fulfilled. The source for this is the verse (30:3) “all that comes out of his mouth, he shall do.” In lashon kodesh the word “he” can be read as referring to the one making the vow, but it can also refer to the mouth itself. Meaning, whatever comes out of the mouth is “done” by it — such a mouth can actually determine reality.

This was true not only in Rav Chaim Vital’s era but even in our times such stories exist. Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein relates a remarkable case in which a posek used simple words of bracha to override a very frightening medical prognosis. Doctors revealed that a girl had a brain tumor, but were still trying to ascertain if it was benign or malignant. The girl and her family were very concerned, and they spoke about the matter with a posek in Bnei Brak who is known for his exceptionally pure speech.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” the posek told them. Astounded, they thought they had failed to explain the situation properly.

“No, no, I understood, but everything is fine, there’s nothing at all to worry about,” insisted the posek.

When they returned to the hospital to begin a new round of tests, the doctors reported that to their surprise, the tumor had shrunk significantly, and was therefore not malignant.

The family returned to the posek and asked how he had known. The posek replied that all he had known was that the doctors were still unclear about the situation. Therefore, he concluded, a Jew has the power to change the situation through his very choice of words. Even after the doctors conclude that a medical situation is serious, one can still pray and have the decree rescinded. That sort of recovery is considered a miracle, whereas in this case, no such powers were needed, just some words of bracha from a Jew!

May we be zoche to purify our mouths!

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