Mouth For Hire

By Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

Bilaam was a powerful man. Blessed with a heightened spiritual awareness, Bilaam had trained himself in negative spirituality. No one could curse effectively the way Bilaam could. For the right price Bilaam was willing to provide his services. And because so many people have enemies Bilaam’s talents were in great demand.

What happened in this week’s parsha, however, is quite interesting. When Bilaam was hired to curse the Jews, it didn’t work. Although Bilaam came full of malicious intent, Hashem decided that he did not want Bilaam to curse His beloved people. So instead, each time Bilaam tried to open his mouth with curses, Hashem miraculously controlled his lips and the words that came out were those of blessing.

I find this event so enormously noteworthy. The idea that a person can intend to speak negatively, and have it changed to blessing, is such an exhilarating concept. I wondered if there is a way that we can emulate it in our own daily lives.

I believe there is.

Picture the scene of a person attending the chasunah of a close friend. The person came to the wedding expecting to have a wonderfully enjoyable evening. But as it turned out the air conditioning in the wedding hall was woefully inadequate. Throughout the evening this person was sweating profusely from the heat.

At the end of the chasunah, he approaches the host to say “Goodbye” and “Mazal Tov.” The host- smiling blissfully, and oblivious to the heat- asks him, “So how did you like everything?”

What goes through this person’s mind is, “Well it was a little bit… hot.” But what actually comes out of his mouth is something totally different. Knowing how much the host has paid trying to make a beautiful chasunah, and knowing how much this day means to him personally, the person replies, “Oh, everything was just wonderful!”

The Talmud teaches us that we must use our mouths for a higher purpose. Usually we must speak the absolute truth. For example, if someone asks us advice, or to testify, we must do so with integrity. But if we see that someone has already decided, or an event has already taken place with no recourse, then our job is to praise, to be pleasant.

Despite the thoughts that pass through our minds, we make the extra effort that what emanates from our mouths are words of pleasantness and blessing. That too is a most noteworthy miracle.

© 2015 by TEACH613™