The ancient rabbis certainly thought words held immense power, for good and for ill. Let's dive into a fascinating interpretation of a verse in Exodus, as explored in Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic commentary on the Book of Exodus.

The verse in question is Exodus 6:13: “The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and commanded them concerning the children of Israel and concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt, to take the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.”

Now, the rabbis, in their characteristic way, don't just take the verse at face value. They ask: why is Aaron included in this command? What's the deeper meaning here? They turn to Proverbs 14:23 for guidance: “In all toil there is profit, but the talk of the lips brings only lack.” The midrash, the interpretive tradition, sees a connection between these two verses – a connection that speaks to the power, and potential pitfall, of our words.

The midrash explains that when a person puts effort into Torah study, they are always rewarded. But what about idle talk? That, the verse in Proverbs tells us, brings only lack. To illustrate this point, Shemot Rabbah brings up the story of Joseph. Remember Joseph, with his dreams and his jealous brothers?

Joseph, according to this interpretation, was originally destined to spend only ten years in prison for speaking negatively about his brothers. But then, he asked the butler to remember him to Pharaoh (Genesis 40:14). Because Joseph placed his hope in a human being rather than solely in God, two more years were added to his sentence! We find this in Genesis 41:1: “It was at the end of two years."

And what about Moses? Initially, the midrash suggests, Moses was worthy of receiving divine communication directly, and exclusively. But because he expressed reluctance, saying "Please…send by means of whom You will send" (Exodus 4:13), God told him: “Is there not Aaron your brother the Levite?” (Exodus 4:14). Because of Moses's hesitation and lack of confidence, Aaron was brought into the picture.

Similarly, when Moses said, "Behold, the children of Israel did not heed me…" (Exodus 6:12), even though he was worthy of performing all the miracles himself, the divine speech then came to both him and Aaron. As it is stated: “The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron.”

So, what’s the takeaway here? It's not just about avoiding gossip or empty chatter. It's about recognizing the immense power our words hold and directing them with intention. It’s about trusting in something greater than ourselves. This passage in Shemot Rabbah serves as a potent reminder that even our seemingly small utterances can have significant consequences, shaping not only our own destinies, but also the course of history. Are we using our words wisely?