Creating Good Influences with One’s Words:
Regarding Moshe Rabenu’s bracha to Klal Yisroel, the pasuk states: “Vayevarech esechem ka’asher diber lachem.” (And he blessed them as he spoke to them.) These words can be translated to mean that “he blessed them as their speech was to them”, meaning that they were blessed in accordance with how much they guarded their speech. This is in line with the statement of tzadikim that the more one guards his words, the more good influences he brings into the world.
It is related that two chasidim from the city of Odessa, Russia, once traveled to see the Rashab of Lubavitch zy”a. When the first one went in for “yechidus”, the Rebbe asked him, “How are things in Odessa? How are the Yidden there doing?”
The chasid answered, “Boruch Hashem, the situation is very good. Everyone helps each other.” The Rebbe was pleased with this answer. He took ten coins out of his wallet and gave it to the chasid as payment for making him happy.
When the chasid left the room, he told his friend what happened. The second chasid knew that his friend was not being completely truthful and he decided that he would tell the Rebbe the truth. When he entered the room, the Rebbe asked him the same question and he answered, “The situation in Odessa is dire. There is much strife between the Jews and most people don’t get along.”
This time, the Rebbe only gave the chasid one coin. The second chasid built up the courage to ask the Rebbe, “My friend lied to you and you gave him ten coins. I said the truth and only got one coin. Why?”
The Rebbe answered, “I know exactly what’s going on in Odessa. I know that there are two Odessas. There is ‘Upper Odessa’, where people learn Torah and do chessed, and there is ‘Lower Odessa’, where people argue and fight with each other. When I asked you two what was happening in Odessa, I really was asking which of the two Odessas you live in. Your friend told me good things, which meant that he lived in Upper Odessa, whereas you told me bad things, which means that you live in Lower Odessa.”
This story is an example of how one’s words reveal who he truly is and how one receives influences in direct relation to his words.
