Key #5 -
The Key to Being Torah Observant

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Do you want to be Torah observant?

The spiritual walk to be holy and blameless before the Almighty can be frustrating at times. Yes, with so many books, articles, conferences, interpretations, doctrines, theologies, and creeds flooding the believer, just trying to be observant to the commands of the Scriptures can be a challenge. Many seek to live a righteous live, yet few know were to start.

What about you? Do you want to live in the presence of the Most High, to have a life full of blessings and peace? Do you know where to begin this journey towards a life of holiness?

Well, if you the desire to move forward in your spiritual-walk, yet struggle with what to do next, be encouraged by the words of the brother of the Messiah. “We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Adon and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in Yahweh’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring,” Ya’akov (James) 3:2-11. Controlling the tongue is a great starting place to begin if you truly desire to be Torah observant.

Hand in hand

We can do all types of outward religious things like wearing tzitzit, keeping kosher, honoring the Shabbat, attending Bible studies, and giving money, but our heart devotion is fully expressed in the way that we treat each other with the power of speech. Our true religion is shown through the words that we share. Simply put, the words we say are the truest expression of what we believe. As Rabbi Nachum said, “One who is able to control his speech for good can truly be called torah observant and will most definitely inherit eternal life.” Ya’akov says in chapter 1 verse 26, “If anyone considers himself to be religious and yet does not kept a tight reign on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”

The Purpose

The purpose of the spoken word is to express the emotions of the heart, to build up or tear down. The scriptures say in Mishlei (Proverbs) 18:21, “The power of life and death is in the tongue.” This is illustrated first in the sefer Beresheet (Book of Genesis). Creation(life) and the fall(death) both manifested because of the power of the tongue. Through the spoken word all things came into being. The earth was formed, the ocean was given its’ salty taste, the zebra was painted with stripes, and the crown of creation, man himself, was made by the mouth of Yahweh. The sages say that, “Yahweh breathed upon Adam and Adam became a speaking spirit.” And we know that the adversary spoke through the serpent “did Elohim really say?” From Adam to the tower at Bavel all people spoke the sacred language of Hebrew. Because of the misuse of the mouth, Yahweh then scattered the tower builders and gave the different languages to mankind.

The power of words is seen in the story of Yitz’chak (Isaac) giving his blessing in Beresheet 27:35. Yitz’chak’s blessing was pronounced over the wrong son but the deed was done. Once the blessing was spoken it could not be retracted because words are eternal. Yes, once you say something you can never take it back. The expressions your vocal chords make continue as sound waves forever. “The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the words of Yahweh remains forever,” Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 40:8.

In Hebrew the word for mouth is “peh.” Peh literally means “talk, wish, word, two edged, saying, sentence, and sound.” Lips in Hebrew is “sawfaw” which is defined as “natural boundary of the mouth, speech, beard, upper lip, and language.”

Words were given by Yahweh to reveal who we really are, to express our hearts. Simply put words are thoughts verbalized. Yahshua said in Mattityahu (Matthew) 12:34, “The mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart.” What we think, what we believe will eventually manifest through the mouth. The thoughts we think become the words we say which influence the actions we take. So herein lies the battle of the ages, we must choose to speak either life or death. For in a split second our innermost thoughts can become our outermost expressions. We must choose our words carefully. Washington Irving once said, “The tongue is the only tool that grows sharper with use.” While, the Psalmist prayed, “Set a guard of Yahweh over my mouth, keep watch over the door of my lips,” Tehillim 12:4.

Just think about it, haven’t you said something that you later regretted? Do you remember screaming out a bad word while you were mad? Have you ever slandered your brother or cursed in front of your children? Yes, words slip out easily. And words expose who we really are. What we utter can influence nations from going to war, settle a dispute between a husband and a wife, and destroy the reputation of a good man. Maybe we should pray, “Father make my words as sweet as honey for tomorrow I may have to eat them.”

Wise or Wicked?

Biblically, the expressions of the mouth prove who we are. The words we speak are indications of what the state of our heart is. For example, the Bible divides people into two categories; first there are the wise whose words are full of encouragement, truth, love, and inspiration. Second there are the wicked or foolish, whose words are many and whose expressions are often evil.

The wise person speaks blessings continually. “The tongue of the wise brings healing,” Mishlei 12:18. The scriptures also say in Mishlei 15 that a wise or righteous person speaks the right things at the right times and these words are pure and pleasant.

The Bible often speaks of the wicked in reference to the terms of their speech. The wicked are full of violent words, which are of little value. The wicked pour forth curses like a sewer and “the advice of the wicked is deceitful,” Mishlei 12:5. To the wicked Yahshua said, “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks,” Mattityahu 12:34. While the righteous pray that Yahweh will use their tongue for good, the wicked say “our lips are our own, who is lord over us,” Tehillim 12:4.

The story is told of Rabbi Gamliel who once told his servant that he was going to have some friends over for dinner and the servant should prepare the absolute best meal. The servant was to go to the local market and purchase the best food for the guests of honor. Dinnertime came and Rabbi Gamliel and his guest found their table full of tongue. Surprisingly, tongue was the main course served to the distinguished guests. The Rabbi wasn’t happy about this and inquired to the servant why tongue was purchased and served. The servant replied, “I got the best for your dinner party, Rabbi. Isn’t the tongue the organ of scalability, the organ of eloquence, kindness, and worship?” The Rabbi then responded, “Well if this is the best food to offer then tomorrow we will have another meal and I want you to go to the market and get the worst food possible.” The next day the servant went to market, prepared the dinner, and served beautiful dishes for the Rabbi and his guests. Again all of the food served contained tongue in some manner or another. By now the Rabbi had lost his patience and said, “Didn’t I tell you to get the worst food at the market?” The servant said, “Sir I did get the worst food possible. Isn’t the tongue the organ of folly, the organ of blasphemy, of defamation, lying, and cursing.”

Lashon Hara

“Lashon hara” is the Hebrew term the sages of our faith have named wicked words. Lashon hara literally translates “evil tongue” or “evil speech” or even “negative communication.” It includes defamation, slander, slur, lying, harmful information, and perverse speech. We all know people who claim to be super-spiritual believers yet their witness is destroyed by a tongue full of gossip. Well, the Talmud says that lashon hara hurts three people: “he who relates it, he who accepts it, and of whom it is said.”

The basis against speaking lashon hara is found in sefer Vayikra (Leviticus) 19:16 & 17, “Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do no do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life.” Sefer Shemot says, “do not spread false reports,” and in sefer Titus 3:2 the word tells us to “speak evil of no man.” Truly, these verses are speaking against more than just lying. Lashon hara is negative or perverse speech – even if it is true. A biblical example of lashon hara is the twelve spies who were sent to inspect the Promised Land. The ten fearful spies who brought a negative report were spreading lashon hara while the two spies whose report was made in faith spoke words that glorified Yahweh. Either our words are full of faith or fear, life or death, blessing or cures.

Some example of lashon hara would be similar to the following statements:

§ “Jim and I both shop lifted when we were 12”

§ “No one in our group studies the Torah correctly”

§ “Did you hear the latest about…”

§ “I can’t believe George said…”

§ “That was really stupid of you, you idiot”

§ “I’m going to kill you for doing that…”

Lashon hara also includes curses, either against another person or self-imposed. These statements can incorporate wishes of evil, negative confessions, and “you never” or “you always” statements. These declarations must be dealt with or they will bring negative penalties. Just as the ten spies who spoke lashon hara caused Isra’el to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, the lashon hara we speak will also bring harmful consequences. Yes, life and death is in the tongue and we, as believers must make a choice to either yield our tongue to the Spirit or suffer the effects of the sin of lashon hara.

Sefer Ya’akov makes it very plain in 3:10, “Blessing and cursing come from the same mouth, and this should not be. The Messiah himself said in Mattityahu 12:36, “You will have to give an account for every idle word you have spoken.”

The Talmud teaches that murder, adultery, and idol worship all are equal to lashon hara and “those who speak lashon hara can not receive the presence of the shekinah.” A similar statement is made by the Messiah, “One of evil talk shall not inherit the kingdom of Heaven,” Mattiyahu 15:24.

If you are a believer who desires to walk in holiness and righteousness you must make a decision to either chilul HaShem or kedushah HaShem. To speak lashon hara is to chilul HaShem or “defame or curse the Name.” To use your tongue wisely is to kedushah HaShem or “sanctify the Name.” What is your desire? Perhaps we should take note of the 1 Kefa (Peter) 2:1, “So then rid yourselves of all evil lying, hypocrisy, jealousy, and evil speech.”

The Best Advice

It has been said that the best advice is to “say nothing often!” Seriously, our words are to be a living and lasting example of who we are and whose we are. The words we speak should kedushah HaShem. If you sincerely want to be torah observant the battle over the tongue must be won.

Rabbi Shaul, also known as the apostle Paul said, “You must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator,” Colossians 3:8-9. Here the teacher compared evil speech with anger, rage, and malice. He also says that evidence of life yielded to the Almighty is a tongue void of lashon hara.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Ruach HaKodesh, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption,” Ephesians 4:29 & 30. This verse undoubtedly shows that unwholesome speech is so evil that it grieves the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for “unwholesome” is “sapros” it literally is defined as “rotten.” Lashon hara is like nasty, stinking rotten meat. And just how exactly do you keep meat from going bad? You season it with salt. “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone,” Colossians 4:6. Salt is also used in scripture as a word picture for the Torah. According to this verse our conversations should be full of everlasting mercy and seasoned with the Torah!

If you desire to tame your tongue and win this constant battle over the habit of speaking lashon hara there are basically two steps that need to be taken.

1) Meditate on Torah and speak Torah

2) Speak less and listen more

This may seem elementary but this two-step action plan will equip you with the tools necessary to say as the Psalmist, “My tongue shall speak righteousness.”

Step Number One: Meditate on Torah and speak Torah

We’ve already shown that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” The old cliché is true, “garbage in, garbage out.” But, what if you fill your mind with good things? “Good in, good out” works just the same! Just ask the Messiah, who said, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him,” Mattityahu 12:35. Like a super computer that just needs to be programmed correctly, your tongue’s output will equal your mind’s input. This could be why we are told in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” From thinking on things that are of good report we ourselves will become of good report. Clearly, what you think is what you say. So when you meditate on or think on the written instructions found in the Torah your mouth will utter words of the Messiah. Yahshua, the living Torah’s words were “spirit and life.” Torah words allowed Yahshua to minister healing truth to those who came to Him and even rebuke the adversary without fear.

The book of Ephesians says, “Let the word of Messiah dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to Elohim. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Adon Yahshua, giving thanks to Yahweh the Father through him.” His word should dwell in us, in our heart and then will overflow out of us into our speech. What is the word of Messiah? The scriptures are clear about this, “The word (Torah) became flesh.” The Torah is the word of Messiah and the Torah is to dwell in us richly. The Torah is the written instruction of the Almighty found in the first five books of the Bible. “Do not let the Book of the Torah depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful,” sefer Y’hoshua 1:8.

The greatest commandment in the scriptures tells us to talk about the Torah “when we sit at home, when we are traveling on the road, when we lie down, and we get up,” Devarim 6:7. And the Messiah said, “If my words remain in you and you remain in me, ask anything and it will be given to you.”

Mishlei 15:4, says the “tongue that brings healing is a tree of life.” This phrase “tree of life” may be unfamiliar to you but this saying is an idiom or codeword for the Torah. This verse is literally saying that the “tongue that brings healing is the Torah” or “when your mouth speaks the Torah healing comes!”

Remember the verse from sefer Y’hoshua, “Do not let the Book of the Torah depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” The key to being successful is meditating on and acting upon the teachings of the Torah. When you meditate on the Torah, the Spirit will bring the words of the Torah to your remembrance, Yochannan (John) 14:26. Of course if you’ve never read or memorized the Torah or put the Torah in your mind then the Spirit has nothing to draw from. But if you make the study of Torah a priority and put the word inside you, then when the need arises the Spirit will bring it to your memory. Then you can say with confidence the words of Psalm 119:172: “My tongue shall speak of your Torah for all your commands are righteous.”

Torah Talk

Speaking Torah not only means that you can relate principles of scripture, it also means that your words are noble and wholesome. “Through Yahshua, therefore, let us continually offer to Elohim a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name,” Sefer Ivrim (Hebrews) 13:15. Yes, when a person makes a constant and consistent effort to speak Torah negative words are exchanged for positive ones and blessings are exchanged for curses. Instead of speaking perversely your words are encouraging. “From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him,” Mishlei 12:4.

It is by a tongue filled with Torah that a person makes an impact on this world; that a person “overcomes by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony,” Revelation 12:11. Just think about the difference that would be made in your work, or worship center if your words were those of the Torah. Can you imagine the shalom that would surround your home if you and your spouse spoke the right words at the right times, if your communication was more clear, and if bitter quarrels were replaced with soft scriptural answers? (see Mishlei 15:1) The principle of speaking the instructions of scripture is made crystal clear in 1 Kefa (Peter) 4:11, “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of Yahweh.”

Think about that last verse one more time, “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of Yahweh.” To get a better understanding of this verse place yourself in this verse and read it out loud: “If I speak, I should do it as I am speaking the very words of Yahweh.” To tame the tongue you must choose your words carefully and choose words of the Torah.

Step Number Two: Speak Less and Listen More

When you meditate on Torah and then begin to speak Torah, you will naturally move into this second phase of controlling the tongue. Not only will your words be more powerful, but they will also be less frequent. As the time you spend in the Word increases, verses like the following will become more evident and more convincing. Ya’akov 1:9, “Take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak.” The Bible is full of verses exhorting believers to tame the tongue and open the ears. Perhaps this is why we were created with one tongue and two ears, so we can listen twice as much as we speak.

The Talmud teaches that “silence heals all wounds” and the Pirkei Avos says that we should “say little, do much, and greet all people with a joyful countenance.” Wise people know when to speak and know to think before speaking. “The heart of the righteous weighs its answers but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil,” Mishlei (Proverbs) 15:28. The result of a person speaking less will yield more time to listen. The idea is to really to hear what the person says and not just listen to the words. Profitable listening does not happen by accident, it is intentional. Try looking eye to eye with someone as they speak and truly listen to what they are intending to communicate. Focused listening means that you not only lend your ear, but also pay close attention to what the person is saying, the tone they are using, and the body language they are moving with. A recent scientific study showed that the average person speaks for only 17 seconds before he is interrupted by the individual he is having a conversation with. Think about how long you allow someone to talk before you burst in with your comments. Do you allow more than 17 seconds? If you’re like most people then the answer is “no.” That’s why many agree that it is better to be silent and thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Listening allows others to speak and gives you time to meditate on an answer found in the Torah. Active listening leads to great gain.

Our Example

The next time you doubt the power of silence just remember the example set for us by our Rabbi Yahshua. Recall that when He needed to address His accusers that He did so with authority, and when He needed to be silent He was hushed. When Yahshua spoke he verbalized the will of the Father, “For the one whom Yahweh has sent speaks the words of Elohim, for Yahweh gives the Spirit without limit,” Yochanan (John) 3:34. Yahshua’s words were powerful because, as Rabbi Ed Nydle teaches, “our words are seeds.”

In the parable of the seed and the sower, the scriptures declare that the “seed is the word of Elohim,” Luke 8:11. Like seed our word goes forth on different types of soil. This seed begins to grow and produce fruit. Now the fruit is either good or evil, dependent upon the type of seed. Either we are planting a rumor weed or our tongue brings healing like a tree of life, Mishlei 15:4. The harvest we reap in life is a direct result of the seeds or words we have sown.

One way to have the most impact with your words and your silence is to really think before you speak a single word. Ask yourself, “Is what I am about to say…selfish…hurting…critical…or helpful?” or “How would Yahshua respond in this conversation?” Though it makes common since to think before speaking, this seems to be a problem for most people. “When words are many sin is not absent but he who holds his tongue is wise,” Mishlei 10:19. The Rabbis have written in the Talmud that it is “better to be considered a fool in the eyes of man for a lifetime because of silence than as a wicked person in the eyes of Yahweh for a single moment because of a loose tongue.”

From Inspiration to Application

When you begin to meditate on Torah you will automatically start to speak Torah. This will also coincide with your words becoming fewer and your time of listening becoming greater. This two-step Biblical action plan can greatly affect your tongue, your attitude, your life, and the life of those people who cross your path. But, just doing the right actions will not ultimately give you the lasting change needed to tame the tongue. If you really desire to be Torah observant and you really desire to control your language please understand that the journey truly begins with “teshuvah” or repentance. Teshuvah is the Hebrew term for repentance that literally conveys a “180 degree turning from and a returning to.” Yes, the key that turns the lock from inspiration to application is true repentance.

Take Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) for example, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw Yahweh seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Yahweh Almighty;

the whole earth is full of his glory.”

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh Almighty.” Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for,” Yesha’yahu 6:1-7.

Before Yesha’yahu could go forward as a prophet for Yahweh and before he could declare “here I am, send me,” he had to repent because of his unclean lips. As he turned from his sin and returned to Yahweh, his mouth was touched with fire and his guilt was taken away. Another such an example is set before us in the Siddur. As part of the Amidah prayers, this short petition will give you the words necessary to daily seek to the Almighty for the power to control your speech. Pray this now and pray it every morning. You will find this prayer plus the two-step plan shown here will equal just what you need to tame your tongue and be on your way to being sincerely Torah Observant.

“My Elohim, guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceitfully. To those who curse me, let my soul be silent; and let my soul be like dust to everyone. Open my heart to your Torah, and then my soul will pursue your commandments. As for all those who design evil against me, speedily nullify their counsel and disrupt their design. Act for Your Name’s sake, act for Your right hand’s sake; act for Your sanctity’s sake; act for your Torah’s sake. That Your beloved ones may be given rest; let Your right hand save and respond to me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You, Yahweh my Rock and my Redeemer. And He Who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace upon us, and upon all Isra’el. Amen”

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