BackWe Are What We Say
By: Rabbi Dr. Abraham Unger
One of the key features of being a human is the ability to speak. Language defines us as a species. Due to its role as a foundational characteristic of humanity, speech is considered sacred.
There are scores of laws governing speech in Halakhah, Jewish law. Indeed, perhaps the most revered Jewish sage of the last century, known as the Chofetz Chaim, made Shmirat Halashon, watching one’s use of language, a central tenet of his body of work.
This week’s Torah portion, which focuses heavily on a skin ailment akin to leprosy, is interpreted by the Rabbinic sages as really referencing lashon harah: using our power of speech to disparage others.
Words matter. They let the world know who we are on the inside. If we are disgruntled and mean-spirited, it will show on the outside. The Rabbis take the word “metzora”, leper, and with a play on words, call that individual a “motzi shem ra”, someone who speaks ill of others. As we emerge from Passover thinking about how to use our hard won freedom more beneficially, we start with speech.