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TORAH PORTION
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light refreshments will be served
for more information,
please call the synagogue office at 788-0600
Congregation
•Bilai Moshe
O CCCC
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RABBI MORTON F. YOLKUT
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popular expression
tells us that "words
are cheap." Our tradi-
tion has an entirely different
estimate of their worth.
Judaism teaches us again
and again that words are pre-
cious and holy. Indeed, it is
this God-given power to speak
which separates men from
the animal world. In medieval
Jewish philosophy, man is
called medaber, "the one who
speaks," for it is this faculty
which gives us the ability to
form ideas and the means to
communicate with others.
Words are not cheap, says our
tradition; they are im-
measurably holy.
Indeed, the critical message
of the first part of the sedra of
Matot is the holiness of the
word, the sanctity of speech.
There we read: "And Moses
spoke to the heads of the
tribes of the children of Israel
saying, this is the word which
God • has commanded. If a
man makes a vow to God or
takes an oath imposing an
obligation upon himself, he
shall not break his word; he
must carry out all that
crossed his lips." (Numbers
30:2-3).
The Hebrew phrase used in
this verse is lo yahel devaro,
"he shall not desecrate his
word." One must carry out all
that crosses his lips because
a person's words are holy and
should never be desecrated.
The Torah here is not talk-
ing about lying or even per-
jury. These crimes were pro-
hibited elsewhere. Not
desecrating one's words refers,
rather, to promises made but
unfulfilled; it refers to duplici-
ty, pre-election promises,
diplomatic double-talk and
all other kinds of verbal
misrepresentation.
It is instructive to note that
this legislation was given to
the "heads of the tribes," then
to be transmitted to the rest
of Israel. In most other in-
stances, Moses had conveyed
the teachings of God directly
to the entire people. Why the
procedural change here? Why
davka was this legislation
given first to the leaders?
The rabbis explain that the
rashei hamattot — the heads
of the tribes — are often most
guilty of verbal misrepresen-
tation and they above all
must be warned against such
deceptive behavior. When pol-
Morton Yolkut is rab bi of
Congregation B'nai David.
iticians make promises they
will not keep, they not only
violate a religious precept,
but also exert a demoralizing
effect on all segments of their
society.
This theme is particularly
relevant as we now stand on
the brink of an election cam-
paign. One of the unfortunate
aspects of our cherished
democratic process is that the
electorate is frequently both
the witness to and the victim
of deceit. There is a popular
saying: "When a politici
says 'yes' it means `m,
when he says `mayb
means 'no' ; when he sa
he is no politician. When
didates promise everything to
everybody before the election
and forget the promises once
Shabbat Matot-
Mass'ei: Numbers
30:2-36:13
Jeremiah
2:4-28,3:4.
elected to office, the damage
to the moral fiber of our socie-
ty is incalculable.
And so the heads of the
tribes of Israel were warned
not to act like politicians, but
to honor their words. They
were to serve as role models
for the rest of the people. For
if people in positions of power
and prestige desecrate their
words, what can we expect of
the rest of society?
It is no accident then, that
the Torah, precisely here, in
dealing with the sanctity of
the word and the responsibili-
ty to keep every promise and
oath, says that Moses ad-
dressed the leaders first. They
are the ones who will be mak-
ing the most promises and
they bear the sacred respon-
sibility of fulfilling all they
have promised to their
constituents.
An honest society begins
with honest leadership. A
people who appreciate the
sacredness of words must be
led and inspired only by those
who keep every word, fulfill
every promise and honor
every pledge. ❑
One cannot help but observe
in Jerusalem today the devo-
tion of the Jews to their city.
All the years of change and
war and bloodshed and fire
and persecution have not
been able to destroy the af-
fection which this ancient
people of God have for their
Holy City.
—Bishop John Vincent