The Bamidbar Rabbah (Numbers Rabbah), a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Numbers, dives into this very idea. It's almost like the Torah is trying to protect us, to elevate us even in the way it speaks.
"This is the statute of the Torah" – and the text reminds us of the verse from Psalms (12:7): "the sayings of the Lord are pure sayings, refined seven times." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi makes a fascinating observation. He points out that God, in His infinite wisdom, sometimes adds extra words to the Torah in order to avoid directly uttering something impure.
Think about Noah's Ark. Instead of saying "impure animals," the Torah says, "From the pure animals, and from the animals that is not pure" (Genesis 7:8). And again, "and of the animals that are not pure" (Genesis 7:2). It's a subtle shift, but a powerful one. The Torah uses "not pure" (lo tehora) rather than "impure" (teme’a). Why?
Rabbi Yudan takes this idea further. When the Torah introduces the signs of impure animals, it begins with the signs of purity. Consider the camel. It's not written, "the camel, because it does not have split hooves," but rather, "[the camel,] because it brings up the cud [but does not have split hooves]" (Leviticus 11:4). Same with the hare and the pig. The Torah leads with a positive attribute before pointing out the deficiency. It's like the Torah is trying to find the good in everything, even in what is considered impure.
This reminds me of a beautiful teaching from Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: in the time of David, children, before they had "tasted sin," could expound the Torah with forty-nine reasons for purity and forty-nine reasons for impurity for any given question! Imagine that level of understanding, that innocent brilliance! David would pray for them, saying, "You, Lord, preserve them..keep their Torah in their heart..Keep them secure, from this generation, forever" (Psalms 12:8).
But here's the heartbreaking part: even with all that potential, all that divine protection, they would go to war and fall. Why? Because, there were slanderers, lashon hara, in their midst.
David lamented, "Amid lions, I lie among the eager, [men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are a honed sword]" (Psalms 57:5). The text identifies these "lions" as scholars like Avner and Amasa, but the "eager" ones are identified with those eager to slander, like Do’eg and Aḥitofel. The Zifites, who betrayed David to Saul, are described as having tongues like "a honed sword" (Psalms 54:2). David then cries out, "Rise above the heavens, God" (Psalms 57:6) – remove Your Divine Presence from their midst!
The text draws a stark contrast: the generation of Ahab were idolaters, but because they had no slanderers, they were victorious in war! Ovadya's actions in hiding the prophets of God from Jezebel (I (Kings 18:1)3) show the importance of protecting those who speak truth. The text even points out the difficulty in getting them water, protecting these individuals was clearly a challenge. And Elijah, despite being seemingly alone (I (Kings 18:2)2), was supported by a people who kept silent rather than betray him.
The text takes an unexpected turn, recounting a conversation with a serpent. Why does it bite and kill? The serpent's answer is chilling: "If the serpent bites without a whisper, there is no advantage to the charmer" (Ecclesiastes 10:11). In other words, is it possible that I would do anything that was not stated to me from on High? It's a powerful statement about the destructive power of lashon hara, slander.
"Why do you bite one limb and all the limbs feel it?" the serpent is asked. And the serpent replies, "You say it to me? Say it to the master of the tongue [baal halashon], who is here and kills in Rome." Wow.
Why is slander called "third" – lishna telita’i, a "triple tongue"? Because, the text explains, it kills three: the speaker, the listener, and the subject. In Saul's time, it killed four: Do’eg, Saul, Aḥimelekh, and Avner.
The text then explores the reasons for Avner's death. Was it because he put his name before David's? Because he treated war like a game? Or because he didn't push for reconciliation between Saul and David? Each explanation highlights the devastating consequences of pride, recklessness, and a failure to promote peace.
Finally, the text analyzes the laws of the red heifer (parah adumah), a complex ritual purification process. Rabbi Ḥanan ben Pazi points out the repetition of "seven" throughout the passage – seven heifers, seven burnings, seven sprinklings, seven immersions, seven impure, seven pure, seven priests. If someone questions the number of times "priest" is mentioned, he explains that Moses and Aaron are included, as it is stated: "The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: This is the statute of the Torah" (Numbers 19:1–2).
So, what's the takeaway from all of this? It's a profound reminder of the power of words. The Torah is incredibly careful with how it speaks, avoiding even the slightest hint of impurity. And we, too, must be mindful of our own speech. Slander, gossip, and negativity can have devastating consequences, destroying individuals and even entire communities. Let us strive to use our words for good, to build bridges, and to promote peace and understanding. Let's cultivate a world where our words are as pure and refined as the Torah itself.
“This is the statute of the Torah” – “the sayings of the Lord are pure sayings […refined seven times]” (Psalms 12:7). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: We find that the Holy One blessed be He added two or three words in the Torah so as not to express a matter of impurity from His mouth: “From the pure animals, and from the animals that is not pure” (Genesis 7:8); “and of the animals that are not pure” (Genesis 7:2).5Rather than employ the term impure [teme’a] the Torah employs the term “not pure [lo tehora].” Rabbi Yudan said: When it [the Torah] came to introduce the signs of the impure animal, it also opened with the signs of purity. It is not written here, “the camel, because it does not have split hooves,” but rather, “[the camel,] because it brings up the cud [but does not have split hooves]” (Leviticus 11:4). It is not written here, “and the hare, because it does not have split hooves,” but rather, “[and the hare,] because it brings up the cud [but does not have split hooves]” (Leviticus 11:6). It is not written here, “and the pig, because it does not bring up the cud,” but rather, “[and the pig,] because it has split hooves […but does not bring up the cud]” (Leviticus 11:7). Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Children who were in the era of David, before they experienced the taste of sin they were able to expound the Torah forty-nine aspects impure and forty-nine aspects pure.6This expression means that they could analyze a question and give forty-nine reasons to explain why something should be considered pure and forty-nine reasons to explain why it should be considered impure. David would pray for them and say: “You, Lord, preserve them” (Psalms 12:8) – keep their Torah in their heart. “Keep them secure, from this generation, forever” (Psalms 12:8). After all this praise, they would go out to war and fall, because there were slanderers in their midst. That is what David said: “Amid lions, I lie among the eager, [men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are a honed sword]” (Psalms 57:5). “Amid lions” – this is Avner and Amasa, who were lions in Torah. “I lie among the eager” – these are Do’eg and Aḥitofel, who were eager for slander. “Whose tongues are a honed sword” – these are the Zifites, as it is stated: “When the Zifites came and said to Saul [is not David hiding in our midst?]” (Psalms 54:2). At that moment David said: “Rise above the heavens, God” (Psalms 57:6) – remove Your Divine Presence from their midst. But the generation of Ahab were all idolaters, but because there were no slanderers in their midst they would go out to war and prevail. This is what Ovadya said to Elijah: “Was it not told to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord? I concealed [the Lord’s prophets…and I provided them with bread and water” (I Kings 18:13) – if bread, why water? Rather, it teaches that it was more difficult to bring the water than the bread.7This is a parenthetical clause. – But Elijah proclaims on Mount Carmel: “I alone remain a prophet of the Lord” (I Kings 18:22), and the entire people knows but do not reveal it to the king. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: They said to the serpent: ‘Why are you found between fences.’ It said: ‘I breached the fence of the world.’ ‘And why do you proceed with your tongue slobbering?’ It said: ‘It is what caused it to me.’ ‘Why is it that every beast bites and does not kill, but you bite and kill?’ It said to them: “If the serpent bites without a whisper,8From Heaven. there is no advantage to the charmer [baal halashon]” (Ecclesiastes 10:11) – ‘is it possible that I would do anything that was not stated to me from on High?’ ‘Why do you bite one limb and all the limbs feel it?’ It said to them: ‘You say it to me? Say it to the master of the tongue [baal halashon],9The slanderer. who is here and kills in Rome.’ Why is it10Slander called third?11Slander is referred to as lishna telita’i, a triple tongue. See, for example, Targum Yonatan, Leviticus 19:16. It is because it kills three: The one who speaks it, the one who receives it, and the one about whom it is spoken. During the era of Saul, four: It killed Do’eg, who spoke it; Saul, who received it; Aḥimelekh, about whom it was spoken; and Avner son of Ner.12The last explanation of why Avner was killed connects him to the punishment for slander. Why was he killed? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It is because he gave precedence to his name over that of David. That is what is written: “Avner sent messengers to David from his place, saying: Whose is the land?” (II Samuel 3:12). He [Avner] wrote: From Avner to David. Reish Lakish said: It is because he made a game of the blood of the lads, as it is stated: “Avner said to Yoav: Let the lads rise now and play before us” (II Samuel 2:14). The Rabbis say: It is because he did not wait for Saul to reconcile with David, as it is stated: “My father, see, indeed, see the corner of your robe [in my hand, for as I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you…]” (I Samuel 24:11). Avner said to him [Saul]: What do you seek to prove from the [corner of] your garment?13Do you seek to prove that David does not want to kill you? It was severed with a thorn.14By saying so, Avner prevented reconciliation between Saul and David. When they came to the circle,15The circle of soldiers sleeping around the king, who was in the middle of the circle (I Samuel 26:7). he said to him: “Will you not answer, Avner?” (I Samuel 26:14). Regarding the corner, you said it was severed by a thorn. Were the spear and the jug also severed by a thorn? Some say: It is because he should have protested regarding Nov but he did not protest. Rabbi Ḥanan ben Pazi interpreted the verse regarding the portion of the heifer, in which there are seven of everything: Seven heifers,16Heifer is mentioned seven times. seven burnings,17Seven items must be burned. seven sprinklings,18Numbers 19:4. seven immersions,19Seven individuals involved in the process must immerse themselves. seven impure,20Seven people who require sprinkling of the purification water. seven pure,21Seven are thereby purified. seven priests.22Priest is mentioned seven times. If a person will say to you: They are five,23The word priest is written only five times. say to him: Moses and Aaron are included, as it is stated: “The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: This is the statute of the Torah” (Numbers 19:1–2).
