Every craftsman has his own tools of the trade: the carpenter, his saw, chisel, and hammer; the painter, his paints and brushes; the tailor, his scissors, tape measure, and needles. Without tools, even the best craftsman cannot produce a thing.

The tool of trade for a person is their speech. Through words, a person can build whole worlds! Through prayer and Torah (Scripture) study, he can create angels and work wonders.

No artist or craftsman would dream of damaging or misusing their tools. Each keeps them in excellent working condition and does not use them for any other purpose. A tailor would not dream of cutting paper with his scissors, and a carpenter would never use his hammer and chisel to cut stone. Sadly, people often willfully damage the tools of their trade, their power of speech.

How does this happen? — through forbidden speech. A person misuses his tongue when he speaks and uses profanity, gossip, or insults a person. The sages of old taught that “a man accustomed to disgraceful speech will never learn wisdom.” (ben Sira 23:15). In effect, he is ruining his own work tool, his power of speech.

How can a person safeguard this precious tool?

First, one should “put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.” (Proverbs 4:24) The next step is to work to “accustom yourself to always speak all of your words calmly, to every man and at every time.” (Iggeres haRamban.1168 ce) Consider the words of the sage “Before I speak I am master of the word, after I speak, the word is master of me”. (Mibhar haPeninim #338 c.1050 ce)

Remember that by using speech only for things of holiness — Torah (Scripture), prayer, and deeds of kindness that involve speech — one can change the world. Holy speech brings divine life force into the world. When a person speaks good words, the speech, which is the life force of a person and the life force from the Holy One, blessed be He, rises up and arouses the supernal words.

On the verse: “Then the L-rd, G-d formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7), the Targum Onkelos translates: “and man became a ‘speaking spirit.'” A person’s speech is an expression of the very soul that G-d breathes into him.

In a certain city, a carpenter who was well-known for his fine craftsmanship lived. Merchants, noblemen, and other wealthy people visited him regularly, asking him to build fine furniture for them. The carpenter never disappointed anyone. Time and time again, he consistently created beautiful cabinets and graceful bookcases that were amazing to look at. His fame as a craftsman spread throughout the land until word of his skills reached the king.

The king summoned the carpenter and told him that he would be employed in the king’s palace from then on. He would be personally responsible for building furniture for the royal family. The king invited him to live in special quarters and assured the carpenter that he would provide for both him and his fam­ily. In addition, he would pay the carpenter handsomely, guaranteeing him a generous monthly salary.

Excited, the carpenter packed up his tools, family, and belongings and moved into his new home, palace grounds.

Some time afterwards, the carpenter became sick and lost his eyesight, leaving him unable to work. He went to many doctors, and they gave him all kinds of medicines. The treatments slowly took effect, but after spending so much money on the doctors, he was in time left penniless.

The carpenter needed more medication but was unable to pay for it. His wife suggested that he sell his tools to buy the medicines that he needed.

“Absolutely not!” shouted the carpenter. “I may not presently be able to work, but the king, nonetheless, acts kindly towards me and displays understanding for my situation as he realizes that I will soon be able to work again. However, if I sell my tools, it is a sign that I am no longer a carpenter.., What will I do then?”

The same thing applies to the tools a person has – their speech. Through words, a person can build whole worlds!

While we may no longer serve the Holy One, blessed be he in the ways of earlier generations, we nevertheless trust in Him with all our hearts – for the divine essence is within each person.

The opportunity to clean our tools and re-calibrate them is always possible. The world can be changed by speech. It can be used so that the words of the prophet, “At that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the L-rd and serve him with one accord” (Zephaniah 3:9) will be realized.

May we see this in our lifetime.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)

Rachmiel Tobesman is a motivational speaker and Maggid (spiritual Storyteller). He is available for speaking engagements or storytelling, Click here to contact us

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