The sefarim teach that when the Torah states the prohibition of murder, it includes not hurting your fellow man with words, for that is also a form of murder. Chazal say, חוורא ואתי סומקא דאזיל, that when a person gets embarrassed, and his rosy complexion leaves him, and he turns white, the color of the dead, it is like murder. Chazal also say (Eiruchin 15:) that speaking lashon hara kills three people... Therefore, ַחִרְצת לֹא is written with a פתח, implying that one shouldn't kill his fellow man פיו בפתיחת, by opening his mouth to speak against him.
Sometimes, one can “kill” his fellow man by not speaking. Many people need a kind word, counsel, and the like, and holding it back from them is likened to murdering them. About this, תרצח לא is read with a קמץ. The קמץ can mean to be closed, representing that when one closes his mouth, it might also be a form of murder, rachmana litzlan. (A similar lesson is written in Kol Eliyahu [Yisro #64] in the name of the Vilna Gaon zt'l.)
Praising Hashem
The Ramban in this week's parashah (20:13) explains the mitzvah of ַחִרְצת לֹא. He writes, בראתי אשר האדם דם ותשפוך ידי מעשה תחבל פן השמר לי ולהודות לכבודי, "Be cautious that you don't harm the work of my hands to spill the blood of a human, whom I created to honor me and to praise Me." It's a wonderful lesson, worth thinking about. The reason one is forbidden to kill is because it will cause the loss of a Jewish soul who would otherwise praise Hashem. Keviyachol, the murderer caused Hakadosh Baruch Hu to lose the pleasure of man praising Him.
Similarly, the Ramban writes at the end of parashas Bo, ואין הראשנה ביצירה אחר טעם לנו שאין לאלוקיו ויודה האדם שידע מלבד בתחתונים חפץ עליון ל"לא שבראם ל"לא ויודו, "We don't know of any other reason for the creation of the world, and Hashem has no other interest in the world below, other than that man should praise His G-d and praise Hashem who create them..."
Dovid HaMelech davens for life, and he explains the reason Hashem should answer his tefillos (Tehillim 30:10) ַתָחׁש ֶלא ִּיבְּרִדְת ִיָמבְּד ַעבֶּצ ַהמ ֶָּךִתֲמא ֲיַגִּידה ָרָפע ֲָיוֹדְךה, "What gain is there in my blood, in my descent to the grave? Will dust thank You; will it recite Your truth?" Notice that he didn't say that if he turns to earth, he won't be able to perform the mitzvos, or if he turns to earth, he won't be able to daven before Hashem. He said that if he turns to earth, he won't be able to praise Hashem. This tells us how precious our praises are before Hashem.
Teβillah
It states (20:3) ָּנָיפ ַלע ֵרִיםֲחא ִיםֱלֹהא ָלְך ְיֶהיִה לֹא, "You shall not have the gods of others in My presence." One translation of ֵרִיםֲחא is “of strangers”. Rashi explains that the gods of the goyim are ֵרִיםֲחא, "Strangers to those who serve them. The people shout out to them, and they don't answer them. They are like אחר, a stranger who never knew them."
The Imrei Emes zt'l said that we learn a contrast, that Hashem isn't a stranger to us. We call out to Hashem, and Hashem answers us. As it states (Devarim 4:7) לוֹ ֶרֲׁשא גָּדוֹל גוֹי ִימ כִּיֵינוֱּלֹקא 'כַּה ָיוֵלא ְרֹבִיםק ִיםֱלֹהא, "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as Hashem our G-d is at all times that we call upon Him?"
The Birkas Avraham (Shvi'i shel Pesach) teaches that when the Yidden suffered slavery in Mitzrayim, it appeared to them that their tefillos weren't going up to heaven. But it wasn't so. Hakadosh Baruch Hu took them out of Mitzrayim before the destined time because of their tefillos. Furthermore, when they stood at Har Sinai to receive the Torah, the nation saw the voices, as stated in this week's parashah (20:15) ֶתא ִיםרֹא ָםָעה ָלוְכּוֹלֹתַקה, "All the nation saw the voices." This means that they saw the tefillos that they had davened earlier. They understood that they were now receiving the Torah in the merit of those tefillos.
