Words to Avoid - 40

* It was only a joke.

Imagine someone shooting someone & then saying that line.

* You look nice today.

What about other days. ?

Leave out the word - today.

Words are powerful , we must watch every one of them.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Word switch - 39

The word Shefa means an abundance of blessings , the word pesha means sins.
If the mouth is left without control it leads to sin , thus if the Peh / mouth comes first we have pesha.
If we place shtika first , with a shin for silence & mouth control - we have Shefa.
That is why Mishlei 10:18 says
With excessive speech one cannot refrain from pesha.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Positive Words - 38

Every word we say can be in a positive way or negative.
Good or not bad !
Half full or half empty. !
Kosher , not kosher or treifa.
Its not true , its a lie.
The Talmud teaches that the one who always used the positive became a great Torah sage.
Why ?
Words are decisions.
To tell someone something is not kosher is better than saying it is treif. It is more caring & less hurtful.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Words make the Difference - 37

What is the difference between one who says I feel like a tired goat or like a tired p-i - g ?
The Ge mara teaches that it is a good idea to stay away from the second type of person.

Why ?

Words are like name labels , they also influence the person. Even the clothing we wear influences a person , the words we speak surely change us , word by word. As we use kind & gentle words , we become more like that.
A person was created in Hashems image. He also has certain animilistic tendencies in order to challenge him to grow.
Now it is true that Hashem created all , even non kosher animals & there are many lessons we learn from them , such as - be strong as a lion to fulfill the will of your Heavenly Father. But Kosher animals were permitted for food in order to provide us with energy in order to study Torah.
We need to also develop our positive Torah self - esteem by saying Hashem created this world for my benefit ! Sanhedrin 37a.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Geuss who ? Words - 36

Who taught , the fence of Wisdom is Silence ?

Rebbe Akiva !

One illustration of how it transformed his life was when he met the famous Rochel who became his wife. She said to him , you have the potential to become one of the greatest Sages of the generation if you devote yourself to Torah study !

He could have said , do you realize that I have a degree in shepherding , I have a great career etc , instead he listened & changed the world.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Word Benefits -35

The fence for Wisdom is
Silence. Avos 3:13.

There are many reasons for this & thus many benefits that are derived from it.
1- Words are so precious , they should never be wasted. They reveal who we are & form who we become. One who uses 4 words to say something that can be said in 2 is diluting ones thinking ability & weakening ones focus. Silence protects & insures our thinking.
2-The primary reason for speech control is - one who is wise , or one who desires to gain wisdom , does not speak in the presence of one who is greater. Avos 5:7.
Thus the practice of silence , even for a moment , can help us in training ourselves to be aware of Hashem which is the greatest form of WISDOM.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Three Word Rules - 34

The Talmud teaches 3 Rules -

* Always avoid indecent Words.
* Always speak in a refined manner &
* Teach in a brief way.

By all 3 rules we say - do it always & be a person - adam.
This corresponds to the teaching in Chulin 89 a - What's is a persons primary skill in this world ?
To control ones speech.

An example in the Talmud - Eiruvin 53b. One should not say -
Which road do I take to ...
When you can say - which way to ?
2 hebrew words , instead of 4.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Words of Light - 33

At the beginning of Mesectas Pesochim which deals with the topic of Redemption , we start with the word - the Light of.
But it really refers to the night of , so why do we say the opposite ?
The Talmud explains that it teaches us how important every word is.

Words influence our minds. Saying positive , cheerful words help boost a persons spirit to be more joyful & in a happier mood.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Word Power - 32

* By the word of Hashem He created the world - Tehilim 33:6

* It is how He maintains the existence of the world - Tehilim 119:89

Our choice of words can make all the difference in our lives. Our prayers can save our lives. Effective meaningful words can help someone secure a good position of employment.

You may have heard the story of the fellow who had on his resume - maintains the morale of the entire office !
When he was asked as to what that really meant ?
He said , he would put up the coffee for them.
The Aleph Beis are the letters with which Hashem created the Heavens & the earth , Brochos 55 a.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Word illusions - 31

Our words can be based on wisdom & truth or on illusions which leads to loshon hora.
The Talmud teaches us that in the Aleph Beis , the letter Ayin comes before the Peh to remind us to always See the truth first , before speaking the wrong way.
One example is how the evil inclination tries to persuade us that we are phonies & frauds , while the truth is we do have challenges , but we should be sincere & try to do our best to strive to serve Hashem & improve ourselves slowly but surely.
The Torah truth is that the voice that calls you a fraud is the real fraud - a form of Loshon Hora.
Every word we say needs to be Kosher , each step is part of our growth process.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Thinking & Speaking Words -30

Hashem created us with two distinct modes or steps for us to communicate with others. We think with ideas that may flow through our minds in a creative fashion.
But then before we speak , we are obligated to edit & sift through the material. We need to sort out what to say & what to discard without mention. We must learn to pay attention to many Torah guidelines to fine tune & polish our words so that they are sin free. The delete button has to be used again & again to comply with all of technical details that are essential.
The results will be deeply rewarding as we learn the healthy balance to produce word masterpieces.
The mouth is one of the greatest instruments that Hashem created for us & we must learn how to play it right. Our true potential is incredible & the Chofetz Chaims Sefer teaches us how to play as a true master.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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The Desire for Life - 29

People may wonder , how can I discover my passion in life ?

The first step is
Guard your tongue
The way we speak - brings one greater life or depletes ones energy.

Every word we say is important because it develops who we become.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Loving our Days -28

The verse in Tehilim has 3 parts - * who desires life
* loves days
* to see good. ?

We have a goal to enjoy our days. To be excited. To focus on our purpose so that we have the right attitude. We should be inspired to want to get up in the morning for a day of service to Hashem.
This carries over to everything we do - Love your Work - Avos 1:10.
Would you not be delighted in the work you do , if you knew that Hashem is asking you to do it ?
If necessary you may need to reinvent what you do to enjoy it more.
All that you can be done for the right reasons - for the sake of Heaven.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Seeing Good - 27

We need to practice appreciating all that we enjoy & to thank Hashem for them.
- Do you live somewhere ?
- You get food to eat ?
- Etc.
Gratitude will help you feel good & great
Loshon Hora & complaining are linked to focusing on the wrong things & forgetting all the benefits.
Be grateful & thankful for all of the good Hashem provides , and Hashem will increase His benefits. When a person is happy & joyous with all that you have & also is hungry & eager to grow, that is a healthy balance.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Instead of ... Words - 26

When things may not seem to be working out the way we expected & we may be tempted to complain or say something negative , that is when we should say
This is some blessing from Hashem , it is for my benefit. It may be for my protection , a lesson , some form of gift or a message.
It does not pay to rant & rave or try to force a fix , rather consider , what would Hashem want me to do now ?
Say Boruch Hashem for this favor. How can this guide me in the right direction ?
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Word Evaluations - 25

The Chofetz Chaim begins his first 3 chapters of Halacha with a similar theme -

1- one may not say negative , even if its true information ,

2- Even to only one person , it is forbidden. If there are more listeners it is worse.

3- Even if the subject is also present it is forbidden.

***
We learn how to evaluate our words - will they possibly hurt someones feelings ?
Will people feel more energized , happy , wholesome ?
The reason proper speech serves as an insurance policy for longevity is because it helps others live with energy & vitality.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Words of Prosperity - 24

Hashem is my provider I shall not lack. You probably know the source of that saying , Tehilim 23 , but how often do you say it & mean it. ?

We need to focus on the abundance Hashem supplies all over , His power , & generosity. His willingness to help provide for all of our needs & desires.

At each stage of our lives Hashem provides us with goodness for that time. We need to focus on realizing that Hashem is setting things up for us , He is making connections for us. As we focus properly , we will notice valuable gems coming our way that will enable us to grow.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Quiet Words - 23

In a quiet way we can all touch many lives the Torah way. We need to live with acts of kindness , generosity , compassion in a bashful manner.
That is how we uplift the world in our own quiet way.
Hashem provides us with many opportunities to discover our missions in life , we feel a demand for us to step in , a feeling of enthusiasm & a burning desire to get to work , as the Mishna says - Love your Work.

As an example , if you need to put together a team effort for a project , try asking each participant - What part of this project would you like to do most ?
Let people choose their preferences with eagerness & joy , you will make their day & they will make your week.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Watch Your Words - 22

If you think or say , I would like to get rich quick , you may be limiting your opportunity to be rich already now.
The Mishna teaches us the direct path to wealth - to rejoice with your portion. Contemplate , visualize & feel the riches you already possess by recognizing that you are already wealthy.

To think I need to become rich may be counterproductive.

***
This is an example of Loshon Hora when a person rejects the great wealth Hashem keeps showering upon him & makes it seem as if he has nothing.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Words of Prayer - 21

We pray that Hashem should please open our lips & enable our mouths to relate Your praise.
We need to refrain from using words in negative ways & instead only use them for the positive.
Hashem is close to all those who call out to Him sincerely , truthfully , as we say in Ashrei. The truth includes knowing who we are - Hashems beloved children.
We need to not only look up , but also look within ourselves to connect to Hashem.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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