Aspaqlaria

Keeping the heart and mind in focus.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

The power of speech

I had an epiphany during leining this past Shabbos (parashas Bereishis). Such things are notoriously difficult to convey, but I'll try anyway.

Usually, shmuessin on the subject of shemiras halashon revolve around showing how much power is in speech, how speach is a real "thing", and has a challos (impact) the world.

I realized something, though: It's the exact reverse! It's not merely that speech is a real thing, the point is that every real thing is in truth "just" speech! All of creation is "And E-lokim was saying...." Our words have power because words are the more primary ontology, they are more real than, and the source of, objects.