Untarnished Blessing

20 Adar I 5782

“They came, everyone whose heart stirred them … brought the offering to G‑d” (Shemos 35:21)

“It is written, ‘That which emerges from your lips you shall observe and do’ (Deuteronomy 23:24). From this we know only that if he uttered it with his lips; if he decided in his mind, how do we know that he must keep his promise? Because it says, ‘Everyone whose heart stirred them … brought the offering to G‑d.’” (Talmud, Shevuot 26b)

We learn here how great an importance our sages attributed to carrying out that which you verbally or mentally committed yourself too. Everything that leaves a Jew’s mouth, and even a conscious decision he makes, already has a tremendous effect on the world. This is the entire principle behind broches: When a holy person, who has sanctified his mouth through holy speech and his mind through holy thoughts, utters or resolves something, Hashem binds himself in a certain way to carry out that utterance or decision in the world.

“For example, he may find that he does not summon up the strength to stop in the middle of a pleasant gossip or in the middle of relating a tale discrediting his fellow, as he ought to do even if it is a very slight slur, and even if it be true, and even though his purpose in relating it is to exonerate himself” (Lessons in Tanya, Likutei Amarim, middle of Chapter 30)

Not only the tzaddik, but every Jew must strive to sanctify his speech through careful observance of the laws of Shmiras HaLoshon. In doing so, his mouth and mind will become vessels for holiness and tools with which he can elicit Divine blessing and favor.

“Rejoice in the L‑rd, you righteous, and extol His holy Name.” (Tehillim 97:12)

Only the righteous can truly “extol His holy Name.” Only a mouth across whose lips never passes a single word of gossip, slander, foolishness or lies, can really step before the L‑rd, King of kings, and offer meaningful praise. Of course, every prayer is heard, especially those uttered by someone temporarily on the level of a tzaddik during moments of prayer, but the more a Jew guards his speech, the greater the chance he will find himself in such a transcendent moment of prayer, in which he can truly pull down untarnished Divine blessing into the world.