The Power of Words

The pasuk says "Vanity of vanities, said Koheles, vanity of vanities, everything is vanity" (Koheles 1:2) The Zohar comments that since the word hevel (vanity) also means breath, it can be read "...everything is breath!" In other words, everything depends upon the breath of our mouths, on the way we use the power of speech. Our words of prayer and Torah study have an immense effect on the way God runs the universe. Words of holiness can bring repair and healing to the entire world; words of unholiness can bring ruin and destruction.

Rabbi Elimelech of Lizensk once said that it caused him great anguish to see the thousands of "castles of impurity" that were constructed every day in the spiritual worlds as a result of the sins of the wicked. His only consolation, he said, was that towards the end of each day, his student, the Seer of Lublin, would stand up for the afternoon prayers, and with his words of prayer he would demolish all of the structures of impurity that had been built during the day. Everything depends on our words. With them, we can build castles of impurity, or we could tear them down and build towers of holiness.

Even our share in the World to Come depends on what we do with our words. According to the sefer, Arvei Nachal, if a person wants to know whether or not he has a place in the World to Come, he should examine the way he uses his mouth. If his mouth is always filled with words of holiness, with words of Torah and prayer, with nice words for his fellow man, and if his mouth is always free from unholy words, from gossip, slander, and idle conversation, then he can be sure that he has a place in the World to come. According to the way he uses his speech in this world, so will he be in the World to Come! Rabbi Yackov Meir Shechter A Scent of Eden