Can you think of a time in your life when someone's words impacted you?
Blessing for the Study of Torah
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה
אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶך–הָעולָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו
וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסק בְּדִבְרֵי-תורָה.
אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶך–הָעולָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו
וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסק בְּדִבְרֵי-תורָה.
(ג) אִישׁ֩ כִּֽי־יִדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר לַֽיהֹוָ֗ה אֽוֹ־הִשָּׁ֤בַע שְׁבֻעָה֙ לֶאְסֹ֤ר אִסָּר֙ עַל־נַפְשׁ֔וֹ לֹ֥א יַחֵ֖ל דְּבָר֑וֹ כְּכׇל־הַיֹּצֵ֥א מִפִּ֖יו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
(3) If a man makes a vow to God or takes an oath imposing an obligation on himself, he shall not break his pledge; he must carry out all that has crossed his lips.
What, in your opinion, is the difference between an oath and a pledge?
The former represents a promise to do, the latter a promise to abstain (Plaut pg. 1100)
Do you think that oaths and pledges are equally powerful?
Are there any types of other powerful statements we often make but that have the potential to be untrue?
The former represents a promise to do, the latter a promise to abstain (Plaut pg. 1100)
Do you think that oaths and pledges are equally powerful?
Are there any types of other powerful statements we often make but that have the potential to be untrue?
Crossed his lips. Silent intent is not sufficient, it must literally "come out of his mouth." But what one says must correspond with what one means: His word remains void until mouth and heart agree." -Mishnah Trumot 26a (Plaut, pg. 1100)
Do you agree that words that cross one's lips are all that matter? What about unspoken thoughts?
לא יחל דברו This is the same as לא יחלל דברו (the root of יחל being חלל which means to make profane or ordinary): He shall not make his own word to bear a secular character (חולין) -Rashi
(כ) מִפְּרִ֣י פִי־אִ֭ישׁ תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע בִּטְנ֑וֹ תְּבוּאַ֖ת שְׂפָתָ֣יו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃ (כא) מָ֣וֶת וְ֭חַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁ֑וֹן וְ֝אֹהֲבֶ֗יהָ יֹאכַ֥ל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃
(20) A man’s belly is filled by the fruit of his mouth; He will be filled by the produce of his lips. (21) Death and life are in the power of the tongue; Those who love it will eat its fruit.
(ג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃
(3) God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
תני תנא קמיה דרב נחמן בר יצחק כל המלבין פני חבירו ברבים כאילו שופך דמים א"ל שפיר קא אמרת דחזינא ליה דאזיל סומקא ואתי חוורא אמר ליה
Anyone who humiliates another in public, it is as though he were spilling blood. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to him: You have spoken well, as we see that after the humiliated person blushes, the red leaves his face and pallor comes in its place, which is tantamount to spilling his blood.
תַּנְיָא רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: בַּעֲוֹן נְדָרִים מֵתָה אִשָּׁה שֶׁל אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִם אֵין לְךָ לְשַׁלֵּם לָמָּה יִקַּח מִשְׁכָּבְךָ מִתַּחְתֶּיךָ״. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: בַּעֲוֹן נְדָרִים בָּנִים מֵתִים כְּשֶׁהֵן קְטַנִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת פִּיךָ לַחֲטִיא אֶת בְּשָׂרֶךָ וְאַל תֹּאמַר לִפְנֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ כִּי שְׁגָגָה הִיא לָמָּה יִקְצוֹף הָאֱלֹהִים עַל קוֹלֶךָ וְחִבֵּל אֶת מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ״. אֵיזֶה הֵן מַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו שֶׁל אָדָם? הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם.
It was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Natan says: Due to the sin of vows unfulfilled a person’s wife dies. The allusion is as it is stated: “If you have not the wherewithal to pay, why should He take away your bed from under you?” (Proverbs 22:27). Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: Due to the sin of vows unfulfilled, children die when they are young, as it is stated: “Better is it that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. Suffer not your mouth to bring your flesh into guilt, neither say you before the messenger that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?” (Ecclesiastes 5:4–5). What is the work of a person’s hands? You must say that it is a person’s sons and daughters.
How can each of us choose to use the power of our words for good?