Dear Friends,
Some of us may think that speaking is a critical art, or that speaking one’s mind is a demonstration of one’s authority or position.
However, given the message in this week’s Torah portion, we should strongly disagree.
Note the opening of our portion for this week, near the very end of Deuteronomy and the Torah: “Give ear O heavens, let me speak; let the earth hear the words I utter!” (Deuteronomy 32:1)
Although the text commences with “let me speak,” and continues with “that I utter,” it appears that the central directive is not that one should speak, but more importantly, that one should listen. Thus, beyond speaking our words or giving a person a piece of one’s mind, we learn that listening supersedes speaking in the mind of the Torah.
It is akin to the command regarding the shofar: one is commanded to hear the sound of the shofar – not to blow and make the sound of the shofar.
Why might hearing and listening be more critical and vital than speaking? Jewish Tradition recognizes that many words may be issued into the ether, but unless they are received, there is no communication. Receiving, and stopping one’s busyness to hear, listen and receive, connotes valuing the other, whereas not listening is dismissive.
The Talmud, our Fifth century compendium of Jewish law, records a statement by the great sage, Shimon ben Lakish: “When two students listen patiently to one another in legal discussion, the Holy One listens to them too; and if they do not, the cause the Holy One to depart from Israel.” (Bat Mitzvah Shabbat 63a)
So it is with us. When we respectfully and considerately hear and take note and listen to each other, we cause enmity to dissipate and healthy relations to flourish. We bring the Holy One into our lives. This was very much the message I offered on Rosh Hashanah morning, in the context of the Binding of Isaac narrative: we must put down the sharp knives of our tongues and engage with those with whom we disagree and with whom we agree, and make discourse fall like the dew from the heavens.
I pray that in this New Year, we make listening our art, and hearing one another our undertaking, that we may bring the Holy One into our homes.
With Shalom, and that we all may merit inscription in the Book of Life!
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
Some of us may think that speaking is a critical art, or that speaking one’s mind is a demonstration of one’s authority or position.
However, given the message in this week’s Torah portion, we should strongly disagree.
Note the opening of our portion for this week, near the very end of Deuteronomy and the Torah: “Give ear O heavens, let me speak; let the earth hear the words I utter!” (Deuteronomy 32:1)
Although the text commences with “let me speak,” and continues with “that I utter,” it appears that the central directive is not that one should speak, but more importantly, that one should listen. Thus, beyond speaking our words or giving a person a piece of one’s mind, we learn that listening supersedes speaking in the mind of the Torah.
It is akin to the command regarding the shofar: one is commanded to hear the sound of the shofar – not to blow and make the sound of the shofar.
Why might hearing and listening be more critical and vital than speaking? Jewish Tradition recognizes that many words may be issued into the ether, but unless they are received, there is no communication. Receiving, and stopping one’s busyness to hear, listen and receive, connotes valuing the other, whereas not listening is dismissive.
The Talmud, our Fifth century compendium of Jewish law, records a statement by the great sage, Shimon ben Lakish: “When two students listen patiently to one another in legal discussion, the Holy One listens to them too; and if they do not, the cause the Holy One to depart from Israel.” (Bat Mitzvah Shabbat 63a)
So it is with us. When we respectfully and considerately hear and take note and listen to each other, we cause enmity to dissipate and healthy relations to flourish. We bring the Holy One into our lives. This was very much the message I offered on Rosh Hashanah morning, in the context of the Binding of Isaac narrative: we must put down the sharp knives of our tongues and engage with those with whom we disagree and with whom we agree, and make discourse fall like the dew from the heavens.
I pray that in this New Year, we make listening our art, and hearing one another our undertaking, that we may bring the Holy One into our homes.
With Shalom, and that we all may merit inscription in the Book of Life!
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
