“לא יחל דברו, ככל היוצא מפיו יעשה”
There was once an עם הארץ – an ignorant man – who did not know the meaning of the words of the Torah, nor did he know how to daven. Hashem was exceedingly good to him, and blessed him with much wealth and an abundance of children.
He once went into shul, and there was a person who was saying the mishna of “איזהו מקומן” with a beautiful sweet tune, and then beautifully sang the words, “אלו ואלו נשרפין בבית הדשן” – “These and these are burned in the place where the altar ashes are deposited.” The man would stretch out these five words with a melodious tune. The ignorant man did not understand the meaning of any of the words said, but assumed that it must be that these five words are great brachos which he is giving to the tzibbur, and that is why he said it loudly and beautifully, so that all can hear him.
The man would return to the bais hakneses for many days until he memorized those five words, so that he would be able to say them. It was those five words with which he blessed each and every one of his children on every Leil Shabbos.
One leil Shabbos, there was a talmid chochom who was a guest at this person’s home. He watched in horror as the father said to each of his children, “These are these are burned in the place where the altar ashes are deposited.” The talmid chochom was trembling and yelled at the man, “What are you doing with your children that you are cursing them on leil Shabbos – that they should be burned in the place of ashes?”
That night, the talmid chochom had a dream that he should not have stopped the ignorant man from his minhag of blessing his children leil Shabbos the way he had been doing for so long, because man was acting to the best of his ability. Since Hashem loved the man, He took the letters of those five words and rearranged them to make them into great brachos for his children.
It says in Shir Hashirim “ודגלו עלי אהבה” – even though one may, “מדלג” – skip over letters or words, Hashem loves them, and He rearranges them for good. However, Hashem does not do this for everyone. If one is careful with his words, then, מידה כנגד מידה Hashem will fix everything he says so that they turn out for the best. However, if one is not careful with his words, then Hashem leaves his words as they are, even if they are chas v’sholom bad for the person.
“לא יחל דברו” – If one is careful to never desecrate his words, then, “ככל היוצא מפיו” – whatever comes out of his mouth, “יעשה” – Hashem will fix his words so that they all turn out for the best.
RABBI YAKOV YOSEF SCHECHTER
