This past Friday while I was sitting at my desk in my office at the JCC, I overheard a conversation between two teenagers who were sitting right outside my office. I have to tell you, almost every sentence was laced with a four-letter curse. It disturbed me, and as time went on, I realized that this foul language was so integrated into their speech it was almost natural to them. I wondered what the best way was for me to approach them so that they would be more conscious of what they are saying.
I thought about how my wonderful uncle, Reb Yisroel Lefkowitz o.b.m., would handle this. At first I thought to copy his stately way, and I stand by my door and say, “Gentlemen…. please try to use your gift of speech in a more refined way.” I quickly dismissed this approach since I was dealing with kids who would look at me like I’m crazy.
I then thought of my uncle’s generous and motivational approach, and came up with the following. I went over to the table and sat down and asked them if they were interested in earning some money. Their eyes lit up and they said, yes. I told them I overheard their animated conversation and heard a lot of four-letter curses. I proposed the following deal. “From right now, Friday morning until Sunday morning – each time you refrain from expressing a curse, write a check on the note paper with the pen that I am giving you. Present it to me and I’ll pay you for each time you refrain.” I didn’t tell them how much I would give them and I said their record is based on an honor system.
About a half hour later the teens came back and said they each have already five checks written down.
As of this writing, the teens haven’t yet returned to the JCC with their results.
I was mulling over how much to pay them for each time they reconsidered and altered their way of speech.
I thought about offering 10 cents for each refrain. You might think this is too little. But think about it. How long does it take to refrain from a word – a second or even less? Ten cents a second is 6 dollars a minute, multiply that by sixty minutes and it is $360. $360 an hour is not a bad wage at all. Of course, if they come back with just a few checks I will give them a respectful amount.
One thing I know I accomplished, is that in the future, when they come and sit outside my office, they will be sure to keep their speech clean.
The Chofetz Chaim who was a champion on writing about the laws of Lashon Harah – refraining from speaking ill of others – states that the average amount of words a person speaks a minute is 200. He points out that a person who is cognizant of not speaking Loshon Harah while he converses, infuses his words with sanctity and is rewarded for every word he says.
In this week’s Parsha the Torah speaks about the non-Jewish prophet Bilaam who was hired by Balak, the King of Moav, to curse the Jews. The intent of this curse was not like the four-letter words used by these youth. That is called Nival Peh – disgracing the utterances of one’s mouth.
The curse Bilaam was hired to express had the potential and power to evoke G-d’s wrath against the Jewish nation. Our Sages tell us that there is a moment each day, when G-d has anger and if at that exact moment, a curse is uttered, it could trigger G-d’s wrath. Bilaam knew the exact time of G-d’s anger and wished to dispense a curse at the Jews at that time.
The Talmud tells us that on the days that Bilaam wanted to curse the Jews, G-d refrained from getting upset so that Bilaam could not tap into it and cause destruction.
Still, Bilaam through his disdain towards the spiritually elevated Jewish nation, wished and aspired to curse the Jews. He took Balak’s offer and tried to manipulate G-d by offering 42 animal offerings at three different settings in order to gain access to curse the Jews.
Each time, Bilaam was not only unsuccessful in uttering a curse, he actually expressed blessings and praises towards the Jews. Bilaam was so possessed with his intent, he dismissed each unsuccessful attempt. He even failed to be jolted when his own donkey began to speak to him and complain about his abuse towards it.
The Chasam Sofer o.b.m. points out that the entire portion of Balak, with Bilaam’s intent and experience, happened privately. It involved very few people, and all of it was unknown to Moshe and the Jewish people. The inclusion of this portion in the Torah plays a significant role.
From the beginning of the Torah, from creation until its final verse, there were always witnesses to the events and they were then transmitted from one to another. Adam to Noach, to his son Shem, who taught Yaacov who transferred the information to his 12 children. Levi passed it to his grandson Amram and in turn to his son Moshe. Egypt, its servitude and exodus were experienced by the entirety of the Jewish people. The splitting of the red sea, G-d giving the Jews the Torah, and all the miracles experienced in the desert were witnessed by the entire nation.
The one occurrence that was not witnessed by the Jews or Moshe, is the portion of Balak. This portion and information were transmitted by G-d to Moshe prophetically to inscribe in the Torah.
Its inclusion in the Torah necessitates us to reflect on, appreciate and believe that the entirety of Torah was scribed by Moshe through the direct command from G-d!
