Words are like Angels or like Salt
For November 8, 2022
Vayeira - Genesis 19:1
וַ֠יָּבֹ֠אוּ שְׁנֵ֨י הַמַּלְאָכִ֤ים סְדֹ֙מָה֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב וְל֖וֹט יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּשַֽׁעַר־סְדֹ֑ם וַיַּרְא־לוֹט֙ וַיָּ֣קׇם לִקְרָאתָ֔ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה׃
"And the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom, and Lot saw and arose toward them, and he prostrated himself on his face to the ground."
Rashi: "In the evening: Now did the angels tarry so long from Hebron to Sodom? But they were angels of mercy, and they were waiting, perhaps Abraham would succeed in his defense for them [ the cities]."
There will always be events or people in our lives who make mistakes towards us and whom we would initially prefer to tell right away what we think about them.
Let us learn from Abraham that even though man [now briefly compared to Sodom] would deserve punishment we should plead and look for the good things that people also do [the righteous people in Sodom]. When we think about that, our attitude will change. Just as the angels wait to carry out their mission, thinking about the good qualities of the other person will make our words wait.
Perhaps it may remain necessary for our words to bring the command of punishment, but they will be milder and better thought out. Your words can be like Angels guiding people to a better place, or like salt you sprinkle in others' wounds. Your words can be healing or destructive.
Brought By Angelique Sijbolts
Angelique Sijbolts is one of the main writers for the Noahide Academy. She has been an observant Noahide for many years. She studies Torah with Rabbi Perets every week. Angelique invests much of her time in editing video-lectures for the Rabbis of the Academy and contributes in administrating the Academy's website in English and Dutch. She lives in the north of the Netherlands. Married and mother of two sons. She works as a teacher in a school with students with special needs. And is a Hebrew Teacher for the levels beginners and intermediate. She likes to walk, to read and play the piano.
Sources
Chabadapp: chumash with Rashi
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