Rabbi's Sermons

Shabat Shalom!

          This week we read the two combined Torah readings that conclude the Book of Numbers (Sefer BaMidbar):  Parashat Matot and Parashat Masei.  Parashat Matot opens with the topic of vows:

"אִישׁ כִּי יִדֹּר נֶדֶר לַה', אוֹ-הִשָּׁבַע שְׁבֻעָה לֶאְסֹר אִסָּר עַל נַפְשׁוֹ לֹא יַחֵל, דְּבָרוֹ:  כְּכָל-הַיֹּצֵא מִפִּיו, יַעֲשֶׂה" ^{במדבר ל',ג}

“When a man vows a vow to God or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth”. ^{Numbers 30:3}

          The Hebrew word for breaking one's word is יחל YACHEL - from the same root as the word CHILUL - חילול that means “desecration”, which is the opposite of holiness.  From this, we learn that any promise, vow or oath is very important and meaningful - almost sacred – and that breaking it is quite serious.  Regardless of the results of breaking one's promise, the promise itself has tremendous power and carries with it great obligation.

          According to Halacha (Jewish law), there are a number of mitzvoth that require one to speak in order to perform them.  For example, the mitzvah of reading the Shema prayer, the Amidah prayer, and Birkat Hamazon - Grace after Meals all require one to use one's voice.  It doesn't necessarily have to be a loud voice, but some form of speech is necessary to do the mitzvah properly. The same is true in order for a vow or an oath to have legal standing.  Making promises in your head – only to yourself – has no real value.

          Mankind is blessed with the gift of abstract communication. This is one of the most prominent and remarkable traits that separates humans from the rest of the species on Earth. We are the only species with this ability – the ability to use language to communicate our thoughts to others. Other developed species – like dolphins or chimpanzees – have their special sounds and means of communicating, but this is not a language that allows them to communicate abstract concepts such as feelings or humor.

          In the Book of Genesis, we read:

וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ, בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אֹתו

“And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him” ^{Genesis 1:27}

וַיִּיצֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם, עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה, וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו, נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים; וַיְהִי הָאָדָם, לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה.

“God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”. ^{Genesis 2:7}

          Roman translator Onkelos, in his Aramaic translation of the Torah, explained the meaning of the phrase "living soul" as "the spirit of speech".  Thus, according to the Torah, man's ability to express himself with speech and movement is because he has a soul. Abstract communication is one of the expressions of man's spirituality. If we read the story of the creation carefully, we discover that the entire world was created based on statements; God created the universe using verbal expressions.  The Torah doesn't say "And God created light", but rather: "וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי אוֹר; וַיְהִי אוֹר" - And God said: “Let there be light” And there was light. ^{Genesis 1:3}

"וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם" - And God said: “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters” ^{Genesis 1:6}

"וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם" - And God said: “Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place” ^{Genesis 1:9}

          There are seven more "Vayomer Elohim - And God said" statements for a total of 10 utterances.  As it is written in the Ethics of the Fathers chapter 5: "בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם" - The world was created with ten utterances

          Just as the creation of the world came about only through the power of speech, we learned that in order to experience and express our spirituality, we should use abstract communication (speech, writing).  Thoughts are not enough – they must be expressed somehow.  You might think – how do mute people express their spirituality? Through sign language and movement!  We shouldn't think of utterances in terms of the human voice – we don't want to begin analyzing voices: male or female? baritone or bass? loud or soft? and in what language?

          Let's return to our Torah portion.  When the Torah refers to the vows, it uses a strong and meaningful verb – חילול - to desecrate – to describe breaking one's vows. This tells us that words are sacred as breaking them is considered a desecration.  Such is the tremendous importance of words!  If abstract communication is a result of our spirituality, then we must use it carefully and wisely. There are grave consequences to breaking one's word, to cursing, gossiping and defaming.

          Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin in his book Nefesh Ha-Chaim ("Spirit [of] Life") explains the word "חילול" (desecration) by referring to the root CHALAL - חלל which means “space, emptiness or vacuum”.  Thus when we commit blasphemy, it is as if we are empty, without God in us.  When one desecrates a sacred place  (a grave for example) or a sacred time or treats someone poorly by gossiping or breaking a promise, then we are left with a vacuum –without God's spirit.

          If all mankind would understand and internalize the importance and spirituality of words!  The world would certainly be a different place. People would take responsibility for their words –  by refraining from cursing and gossiping, and by using hurtful language and by keeping their promises and praying meaningfully and purposefully. It is no coincidence that we open our prayers with words from Psalm 51:17 - "ה' שפתי תפתח! ופי יגיד תהילתך..."

O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise

Shabat Shalom!

Rabbi David Laor

August 2^nd  2024

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