The Secret of the Voice of Melody: The Power of the Tzaddikim to Purify Speech
Lesson No. 193 | Monday, Parashas Bamidbar, the Eve of 25 Iyar 5759 - Gathering at the "Armonot Lev" Halls, Eilat
According to the teachings of Rabbi Nasan of Breslov, without the guidance of the Tzaddikim, a person cannot clarify and separate good from evil. This leads to a deep blemish in speech and to Lashon Hara (evil speech). The tikkun (rectification) for this is restoring the "voice of melody" to the soul—speaking with pleasantness, joy, and gratitude, which heals a person's inner being and brings the Geulah (Redemption) closer.
The Mishkan (Tabernacle) was hidden away by King Solomon in the tunnels beneath the Temple Mount, and a new Mishkan was never built. But how can we know today how to live our lives? The Torah repeats matters of trust and emunah (faith) countless times, yet the most essential details for daily life—such as which birds are kosher to eat—are not explicitly detailed.
This is where the role of the Tzaddikim and the Sages comes in. Rabbi Nasan of Breslov states a tremendous foundational principle: If a person eats a bird without the daas (wisdom) of the Sages and without a tradition from the true Tzaddikim, it is as if he ate an impure bird that will defile him. "Without the Tzaddikim, no matter how much you fight day and night on your own—the evil remains as it is, and the good slowly diminishes and shrinks." Only when we listen to the voice of the Tzaddikim can we clarify the evil from the good and empower the good over the evil.
The Danger of Independent Decisions and Aging
Rabbi Nasan explains that as a person matures and grows older, if he does not nullify himself to the Tzaddikim, the evil within him is liable to overpower him, even if he was a tzaddik at the beginning. We saw this with Yerovam ben Nevat, who specifically as he grew older became the infamous Yerovam ben Nevat known for his wickedness.
Everything must be according to the Tzaddikim—every movement, every action, and every thought. "Whatever you decide on your own will lead you to terrible mistakes, even if you happen to be right once." Only the Tzaddikim can truly clarify the good from the evil for us.
The Inner Blemish and the Purity of Speech
The need for the tradition of the Tzaddikim to clarify good and evil is also closely connected to the purity of speech. The Torah commands the metzora (one afflicted with spiritual leprosy) to bring two free-roaming birds, because speech is compared to a bird (tzippor). A person who spoke Lashon Hara and erred in his speech must bring birds in order to restore his proper speech.
The Slonimer Rebbe explains the verse stated regarding the metzora:
"The Kohen shall look, and behold, the tzaraas affliction has been healed from the metzora... in whom the affliction was."
The affliction is not merely on the outside, but rather "within you"—inside the soul. An evil eye and Lashon Hara stem from a deep inner blemish. When a person fails to clarify good from evil, he is liable to take the five clauses where the Chofetz Chaim permits speaking (for a constructive purpose and a mitzvah) and squeeze into them all the thousand clauses that are forbidden to speak.
Shalom Bayis (Marital Harmony) and Gratitude
The Kohanim, who are the disciples and emissaries of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest), have the task of restoring our proper speech. When a person shouts, scolds, or gets angry at his wife, it indicates a deep blemish in the soul and a lack of proper proportions in life.
Such a person does not understand that his wife is the one who builds him and sets him on his feet. "If not for his wife, he would just be thrown out in the streets today... she is the foundation of the home." Anger toward one's wife stems from a lack of gratitude and a distorted view of reality, which requires a purification of the soul.
Restoring the Voice of Melody
When a person speaks Lashon Hara about his friend, the blemish is much deeper than the speech itself—it is a rot within the soul that requires healing. The healing is to restore the "voice of melody" to the person, as it is said of King David that he "knew how to play music."
Every utterance must be a melody: speaking with one's wife, speaking with a friend, and even the very act of asking a question. The moment a person speaks about another Jew, it shows that he lacks the voice of melody; he has no patience, pleasantness, tranquility, or joy. "If you had joy, if you had tranquility, if you had pleasantness—you would not speak about any Jew."
We must remember that every Jew is more of a tzaddik than we are. Even someone who appears to be wicked might do teshuvah (repentance) tomorrow and become a great person. If someone actually harms your parnassah (livelihood), there is a Din Torah (Rabbinical court) and rabbis to handle it, but the evil speech in and of itself merely exposes the inner blemish.
Songs and Praises
Therefore, Reb Noson explains, the metzora (leper) brings two birds. Birds sing and chirp all day long. By bringing them, the power of song and melody is restored to the person, so that his voice will be as sweet as a nightingale.
The goal is for all of our speech to be transformed into songs and praises to Hashem, blessed be He, and into words of praise for everyone around us—our wives, our families, and our friends. We should constantly tell them, "How wonderful you are, how good you are." When we transform all of our words into the sound of song and melody, just like those two birds, we will merit to restore the voice of song to the entire House of Israel. Through this, we will bring the complete Geulah (Redemption) speedily in our days.
Part 2 of 2 — Lesson No. 193
All parts: Part 1 | Part 2 (Current)