We often say that one of the most unique and distinguishing characteristics of the human animal is our power of speech. We can produce sound, which comes through our mouths, just as with many animals, but humans have fashioned sound ie, 'speech', which enables us to communicate.

Our power of speech can be used in so many ways. A mother soothing a child, a conversation between lovers, a problem-solving session with colleagues, or a Rabbi speaking to a crowd is so different from weaponized speech used in political discourse, public shaming or the rumour mill.

The Jewish tradition holds high standards for speech in our lives. The idea that speech is holy likely comes from the first verses of Breisheet (Genesis) where God uses speech to create the Universe and humans. If speech is holy and powerful enough to use to create the Universe, then men and women on Earth should surely pay attention to how they use speech.

Judaism's approach to the use of language is embodied in a collection of rules for language behaviour known as 'la-shon ha-rah', literally 'language of evil'.

The Torah provides foundational examples to illustrate.

Perhaps the earliest example of this is from Numbers 12:1 where we read

בְּמֹשֶׁ֔ה עַל־אֹד֛וֹת הָאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח כִּֽי־אִשָּׁ֥ה כֻשִׁ֖ית לָקָֽח׃

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had taken [into his household as his wife]: “He took a Cushite woman!”

Miriam was punished for 'speaking against' her brother's marriage to a Cushite woman. (Cush is the Biblical name for the area around contemporary Ethiopia.) She was stricken with 'tza-ra-at' which was some sort of skin disease but has mistakenly translated as 'leprosy'.

The Sages derived the connection between 'la-shon ha-ra' and Miriam's punishment from a linguistic similarity between the words 'tza-ra-at' and 'motzi shem ra' (slandering a reputation).

There are several other Biblical sources the Sages connect to la-shon ha'ra.

Psalm 34:14 states

נְצֹ֣ר לְשׁוֹנְךָ֣ מֵרָ֑ע וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ מִדַּבֵּ֥ר מִרְמָֽה׃

Guard your tongue from evil, your lips from deceitful speech.

and Leviticus 16:16 states:

לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ

Do not deal basely (do not tell tales) amongst members of your people. Do not stand still over your neighbour's blood

The Sages take the proximity of these two mitzvot to teach us metaphorically about the power of slander to harm another person seriously.

The great medieval Bible commentator Rashi, comments that Deuteronomy 27:24 adds to the prohibition of 'la-shon ha'rah' significantly, saying that the verse

אָר֕וּר מַכֵּ֥ה רֵעֵ֖הוּ בַּסָּ֑תֶר

Cursed be the one who strikes down a fellow [Israelite] in secret.

In fact, he says, it refers to 'la-shon ha-rah,' prohibiting speaking ill of someone even in private.

The Talmud (Sotah 42A) teaches that 'the class of slanderers will not 'greet the Divine Presence.' In other words, the slanderer loses a place in Heaven!

The Talmud (Arachin 15b) also teaches that speaking ill of someone harms not one but three people: the speaker, the recipient, and the subject. Even the listener is harmed!

Maimonides, the great 12th Century legal codifier, states that slander is forbidden even when the contents of the slander are true because slander brings about the destruction of the world. (Hilchot De'ot 7)

This year, as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot fall during the frantically political last weeks before the US election, we should take good stock of several things. The ways powerful words are used in the marketplace and in social media all contribute to how we see ourselves and how we see others. Words are powerful.

On Yom Kippur afternoon, the Avodah service describes the rituals of ancient Temple worship for Yom Kippur. Imagine fear of the High Priest as he was about to enter the Holy of Holies to utter God's unique, secret, and most powerful name. His life and the life of the Israelite People were in his hands. What came out of his mouth mattered more than anything.

The Sages learn from this how powerful what comes out of mouths can be.