Word Power

“Hashem said to Moshe and Aharon: Since you did not have faith in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of Bnei Yisrael …” (Bamidbar 20:12)

Rashi comments that instead of speaking to the rock, as instructed by Hashem, Moshe Rabbeinu struck it. Speaking to the rock and causing water to come forth would have been a much more astounding phenomenon and would have evoked a much more effective sanctification of the name of Heaven.

The Ramban notes that any situation that defies nature has such a capability – whether the water would have come forth because the rock was struck or spoken to. The Ramban explains that, in fact, Moshe and Aharon (who stood by silently) were punished because Moshe spoke improperly, saying (20:10),“Can we draw water for you from this rock?” implying that they had the power to extract water from the rock, and they did not mention the name of Hashem at all.

Since Moshe and Aharon were on a very high spiritual level, this omission was held against them.

The sefer Vayedaber says that we learn that all situations in life require Divine assistance, and therefore one should always invoke the Name of Hashem. For example, reciting every beracha out loud with the Name of Hashem sanctifies His name. By the same token, one should accustom himself to be careful to say baruch Hashem (thank G-d), b’ezras Hashem (with Hashem’s assistance), and im yirtzeh Hashem (if Hashem so desires) to eliminate any implication that one will do something by himself. A person who has faith knows and believes that his livelihood, too, is from Hashem, and not from his employer. Hashem is the key to all blessing. When an individual ascribes his success to Hashem then it increases the honor of Heaven.

Eliyahu HaNavi, in the guise of an elderly man, once encountered a man carrying a purse of money through town.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

The man said, “I am going to buy oxen.”

Eliyahu told him, “Say b’ezras Hashem.”

The man thought to himself: “I am holding the money. I am heading to the market. I don’t need any help from anyone.”

Later along the way, he sat down for a rest along the road, and the money was stolen as he dozed off.

When the man next met Eliyahu, he told him, “I am going to buy oxen b’ezras Hashem.”

Not only was he successful that day, but he even recovered the money that had been stolen from him the first time.

The Slonimer Rebbe asks: Moshe Rabbeinu heeded every single command of Hashem and was unwavering in his loyalty to Hashem. Why, when he was given the explicit command to speak to the rock, did he hit the rock?

The Slonimer answers that Moshe Rabbeinu thought that the Jewish people had already transgressed major aveiros. There are two levels of miracles. The higher level is achieved through communication, i.e. Moshe would speak to the rock to bring forth water. The lower level involved the physical act of hitting the rock to bring forth water. Moshe Rabbeinu believed that the Jewish people would not merit the loftier miracle, so he struck the rock instead.

His error in judgment was that we can never underestimate the power of the Jewish people, even when they have sinned.

Every week there would be a pop-up supermarket in Beit Shemesh where families in need could buy groceries sold at a discount. It was a dignified way for many people to be able to afford their weekly groceries, for which they were very grateful.

Reuven, an individual who came from Yerushalayim every week noticed a Yid who would fill his shopping cart, and when he would come to the register to pay, he would always quip in a humorous way, “How much are the damages?”

Reuven was bothered by this expression, but he refrained from saying anything. He didn’t have the courage to intercede. He couldn’t understand why the Yid felt there were “damages,” or that he was tolerating some sort of loss. He was, in fact, “gaining” because he now had food. It was a blessing.

However, one week, Reuven was on line right behind this individual, and he could no longer suppress his frustration. Initially, the Yid seemed taken aback by Reuven’s reprimand but then he accepted the gentle mussar and agreed to express himself differently. He asked the cashier, “How much is the bill?” and went on his way.

The next week when Reuven came into the supermarket, he saw the man waiting for him. “I must tell you something incredible,” he said. “Every week when I would come home from shopping something would happen with my groceries. The bag would break and stuff would fall out all over the sidewalk, the fruits would be bruised, the milk container would burst. Last week, after you corrected me, was the first week that absolutely nothing went amiss. None of my groceries were damaged. All I did was eliminate the word ‘damage’ and everything came home whole and intact.”

Reuven was shocked. He had seen with his own eyes the inestimable power of one’s words, as it says (Moed Katan 18a),“A covenant is made with the lips.” Words don’t just leave our mouth and evaporate into thin air. They create a reality. They are keys that open the doors of blessing or can, G-d forbid, close them. A good word brings good.