Tazria: Words that Hurt/Words that Heal

Leave a comment

One of the most unique traits of humankind is that we are created with the gift of speech and communication. How we use this gift can directly impact perception of ourselves, others and our world. 

The skin disease known as tzara’at, described in parshat Tazria, is associated with lashon ha’ra (evil speech) in Torah: When Miriam speaks badly about her brother Moshe, she gets tzara’at. When Moshe’s hand becomes leprous, Rashi explains that this is because he spoke badly about Bnei Yisrael. Just as the disease spreads across the body, critical and hurtful language spreads negativity and discord, and it can have disastrous consequences.

Speech is also a key element in the Pesach story. When the people were in Egypt, the midrash teaches that they had forgotten their language and that “speech was in exile.” The redemption, the Exodus, is characterized through Israel rediscovering their voice, through speech and song. Hence, Hasidic writings emphasize that Pesach can be read as “peh-sach,” “the mouth speaks.” And, the key mitzvah of the holiday is speaking – telling the story of redemption. This may also relate to Elijah’s connection with Pesach. He is harshly critical of Israel when he proclaims to God, “the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant…” In the Talmud, Elijah returns transformed and corrects false negative perceptions of the people. Rav Kook writes that he “perceives every spark of holiness in this world and redeems it.”  

This imperative of the parsha and Pesach feels particularly resonant for our world today. People have been moving further apart in their beliefs, making it harder to be able to disagree and debate ideas civilly. Also, we have seen how negative speech about the State of Israel quickly reverberates around the world. As it says in Mishlei: “There is blunt talk like sword-thrusts, but the speech of the wise is healing.” Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson

Parshat Devarim: Positive Words

Leave a comment

Parshat Devarim, literally “words,” teaches that the language we choose to use can influence people’s motivation levels and feelings of optimism.

Devarim opens with naming several places where the nation traveled in the desert. However, these places were never mentioned in the Torah before. Rashi teaches that this was how Moshe rebuked the generation whose parents sinned in the desert. Moshe alludes to these events indirectly, out of respect for Israel. Instead of using words which were shaming and demotivating, Moshe models how to speak words of criticism in a way which is respectful and can have positive outcomes.

Our choice of words can also have a positive affect on our mindset and well-being. In masechet Pesachim Rabbi Yehoshua b. Levi advises not to use negative language. He bases this on the fact that the Torah teaches the value of speaking positively by the addition of extra letters in the Noah narrative. Rather than calling the animals “impure,” the Torah states, “those that are not pure.” Similarly, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin writes in his book “Rebbe,” that the Lubavitcher Rebbe believed that carefully chosen words could positively influence the emotional state of ourselves and others. For instance, the Rebbe refused to call a hospital a “beit cholim” (house of the sick) but rather called it “beit refuah” (house of healing).

As Tisha B’Av approaches, we learn that the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed because of sinat chinam (baseless hatred). Moreover, the enmity between Qamtza and Bar Qamtza and the silence of the rabbis who were with them led to the destruction of Jerusalem. Parshat Devarim and Tisha B’Av are reminders that speaking respectfully and positively spreads ahavat chinam and optimism in our world. Shabbat Shalom🌷 -Karen Miller Jackson