Wednesday, July 27, 2022

The words we speak#devartorah#Matot-Masai#parashathashavuah

The story is told about a man who was invited to give what was supposed to be a brief talk at a Yale University alumni gathering.  Basing his comments on the four letters that spell YALE, he began by saying that the letter Y stands for Youth-the young people who come to the university with such promise.  The A, he continued stands for Achievement-the success of the school’s graduates.  After lengthy remarks on the Y and the A, he came to the L, pointing out that it stands for Loyalty-the devotion of Yale alumni to their alma mater.  Finally he came to the E, saying that it stands for Enthusiasm-the feeling Yale graduates have about their school.  An hour and a half later the speaker sat down.  During the pause that followed, a bored guest whispered to his neighbor, “I’m sure glad he didn’t graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology!”

This week’s portion Mattot-Massai begins with the importance of choosing our words wisely, especially when it comes to making vows.  According to the Midrash Tanchuma “God said to Israel, ‘Be careful what you vow, and do not become addicted to making vows, for whoever is so addicted will, in the end, sin by breaking his oath…”  The rabbis taught that it is better to not vow than to vow and not fulfill the oath.

Somebody once said, “The missing ingredient in most of our talking is a little shortening.”  Let’s be careful about both the quality and the quantity of our words.  And if we make a pledge, vow, or promise, let us strive to keep it.


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