Often when we think about the power of words we think of the
negative wounds hurtful words can leave. For instance, when our political
leaders stoop to new lows of rhetoric, fringe religious leaders purporting to
speak God’s Word, spew words of hatred, or more personally the arguments that
tear families apart. History, both personal, and communal are littered with
examples of hurtful speech and the abuse of words. Our Rabbis devoted many
teaching’s, and whole books to the “abuse/evil use of the tongue” - lashon harah, as they knew full well that words written and spoken can be “mightier
than the sword.” With such a focus on hurtful words, it is easy to forget the
power positive words can have on us, and our world. Our Torah however from its
very first words reminds us of the creative power of words, and that within these
words there is no less than life itself. In the Jewish understanding of
Creation, God has an idea, speaks, and through words literally creates the
universe. God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. (Gen. 1:3) Our
Rabbis note that this light is not the light from the sun, moon or stars which
comes at Creation day four but instead represents a holy light of the words of
Torah, a light which is stored for the righteous.
In the end God speaks ten
times in the Creation story until the world is complete. In the early
kabbalistic work, Sefer Yetzirah (3rd
or 4th century CE), the idea of the power of words, particularly the role the
letters themselves had in Creation is further developed. God “crowns” each
letter and empowers it to “govern” a special aspect of the universe, with each
letter influencing the universal, temporal, and anthropological flow of life.
For example, the three primary letters aleph,
mem, and shin, which govern the three elements of air, water and fire
(respectively), the three ancient seasons of the year, and three aspects of the
human form.
Today much of this mystical cosmological use of letters and words
has gone by the wayside. Yet some of these ideas still remain entrenched, such
as the wearing of the Hebrew word, Chai
(Chet, Yud) or the use of the letter Shin
on the outside of mezuzah cases and the tefillin.
More enduring however, is the idea that words carry the tremendous capacity to
heal, proclaim love, and creative new art and ideas. Words can take an idea in
the mind and bring it into the world of reality. Think about how we express to
someone that we love them. It may be through saying simply the words, “I love
you” or through a poem or a touching card. Words can capture the spirit of past
deeds of loving-kindness or fill us with hope toward the future.
Words have
power to bring people together, inspire us, and remind us of the best of
ourselves. Finally words can live long after we are gone. They can be a lasting
testament to our values and our dreams. To that end, I am asking each of you to fill in the letters
of our brand new Torah. Not only
helping our community to create this beautiful scroll which will be used on
Shabbat and holidays but, also to ensure a vibrant life for our Jewish
community. Too many words are used to destroy life, let us instead create
something that leads to life. Let’s inscribe this new Torah with our hands and
seal it with our love; that we may be blessed by it, as it says, “Its ways are
ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace.” (Proverbs 3:18)
