Rabbi Daniel Siegel

Who wants life?

We conclude our High Holidays with the words חתמינו בספר החיים – “May we be sealed in the Book of Life”.

Almost two centuries ago, Rabbi Alexandri called out in the marketplace: “Who desires life”?

A throng gathered around him, eager to hear the secret to a long life. With the hushed crowd waiting to learn more, the Rabbi shared only a verse from Psalms: “Who is the person who desires life?…Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit”.

A central prayer of the Yom Kippur service, Al Chet (For the Transgression), which we say ten times on this day, speaks of one transgression far more than any other-that which we commit by means of our tongue, mouth and lips. “We have transgressed through word of mouth”; We have transgressed through evil speech; We have transgressed through tale bearing, are but three examples.

We close this part of the service (adapted from our daily liturgy) with the words: “Guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceitfully” echoing the verse cited by Rabbi Alexandri.

When we speak maliciously about another, or engage in misleading reports or deceitfully manipulate by word of mouth, we bring death upon ourselves and others. “Evil speech”, says our Jewish tradition, “kills three: The one who speaks it, the one who hears it and the one about whom it is being spoken”.

Like an arrow, once the words are released they cannot be retrieved.

A man went about the community spreading reports about the Rabbi. Later, he realised the wrong he had done, and began to feel remorse. He went to the Rabbi and begged his forgiveness, saying he would do anything he could to make amends. The Rabbi told the man, “Take a feather pillow, cut it open, and scatter the feathers to the winds.” The man thought this was a strange request, but it was a simple enough task, and he did it gladly. When he returned to tell the Rabbi that he had done it, the Rabbi said, “Now, go and gather the feathers”. (Hasidic Tale)

We can no more make amends for the damage our words have done than we can recollect the feathers.

These High Holy days, as we contemplate our New Year, and wish ourselves and others the blessing of life, let us remember the words of Proverbs: “The tongue has the power of life and death”.