4 Letter Word
Elul is such a scary time. Every year it creeps up on me. I have no idea how its Elul already. I have no idea where the time went.
During Elul, I start being hyper critical of myself. How could I not be learning? How could I miss davening? its ELUL! but it happens. We are still human during this month. We do not magically transform into super-people on Rosh Chodesh as much as we would like to.
I'm in college again. I'm sitting in a room full of people I would not necessarily pick to be my friends hour after hour, day after day. The influences are not the greatest. But I cannot help it. I cannot force them to use cleaner language. I cannot force them not to make dirty jokes. I cannot change any of those things.
When I was in college at home, it didn't seem to be such a problem. Maybe I didn't spend as much time with the people in my classes. Maybe people in the south are just more polite. I don't know.
All I know is that I have all these 4 letter words running through my head. When I get upset or if something doesn't work the way I would have liked it...the first word that pops into my head is not one that I would ever ever ever say..well maybe during labor...but i sincerely hope that those words never cross my lips.
I was talking to my friend this past shabbat. She was telling me that apparently it has become considered "yeshivish" to say words...that aren't curse words...but not exactly befitting a ben torah. Once things become "yeshivish" then it has the stamp of approval and there is no problems. No one can touch it. Smoking is yeshivish..nivul peh..yeshivish..snobbiness..yeshivish. No one can change it.
I just don't understand how these things are allowed. How do Roshei Yeshiva, parents..mentors, role models...how does this epidemic of nivul peh spread? It used to be a sign of being low class.. The scum talk like that. Not professors in universities..not the Chosen People. We have let all sense of self disappear. We may be more educated or better dressed..but when people talk like this..how much better are we than the bums who cannot put two inoffensive words together.
Our speech is sacred. Its how we pray. Its how we communicate with the Almighty. Its our only defense. The only tool in our arsenal. When we squander it.When we devalue it..how can we expect it to hold the same weight in court. In a few short weeks we will be standing before the true Judge. We will be simultaneously be crowning Him King and begging for a good judgement. Asking to be given another year of life.
But..when choose to destroy our only defense mechanism..what hope do we have?
So I propose..for the duration of this holy month..we watch how we say what it is that we want to say. I propose that we should think twice before letting a few choice expletives come out. Even if we don't use these words..perhaps if we add a sense of refinement to our language...perhaps we will start acting more refined.. People go on and on about the sin of Lashon Hara and no disagreement here about how important it is..but i think in all that we forget that even if the content is fine..perhaps the manner we say it isn't.
So that is my proposal dear readers..what say you?
and just because you stuck it out to the end of the post..here's a video...very powerful..lets not make excuses this Elul.
disclaimer-I am in no means saying that all yeshivish people use nivul peh..just that it has become more accepted and that is what i have heard.
During Elul, I start being hyper critical of myself. How could I not be learning? How could I miss davening? its ELUL! but it happens. We are still human during this month. We do not magically transform into super-people on Rosh Chodesh as much as we would like to.
I'm in college again. I'm sitting in a room full of people I would not necessarily pick to be my friends hour after hour, day after day. The influences are not the greatest. But I cannot help it. I cannot force them to use cleaner language. I cannot force them not to make dirty jokes. I cannot change any of those things.
When I was in college at home, it didn't seem to be such a problem. Maybe I didn't spend as much time with the people in my classes. Maybe people in the south are just more polite. I don't know.
All I know is that I have all these 4 letter words running through my head. When I get upset or if something doesn't work the way I would have liked it...the first word that pops into my head is not one that I would ever ever ever say..well maybe during labor...but i sincerely hope that those words never cross my lips.
I was talking to my friend this past shabbat. She was telling me that apparently it has become considered "yeshivish" to say words...that aren't curse words...but not exactly befitting a ben torah. Once things become "yeshivish" then it has the stamp of approval and there is no problems. No one can touch it. Smoking is yeshivish..nivul peh..yeshivish..snobbiness..yeshivish. No one can change it.
I just don't understand how these things are allowed. How do Roshei Yeshiva, parents..mentors, role models...how does this epidemic of nivul peh spread? It used to be a sign of being low class.. The scum talk like that. Not professors in universities..not the Chosen People. We have let all sense of self disappear. We may be more educated or better dressed..but when people talk like this..how much better are we than the bums who cannot put two inoffensive words together.
Our speech is sacred. Its how we pray. Its how we communicate with the Almighty. Its our only defense. The only tool in our arsenal. When we squander it.When we devalue it..how can we expect it to hold the same weight in court. In a few short weeks we will be standing before the true Judge. We will be simultaneously be crowning Him King and begging for a good judgement. Asking to be given another year of life.
But..when choose to destroy our only defense mechanism..what hope do we have?
So I propose..for the duration of this holy month..we watch how we say what it is that we want to say. I propose that we should think twice before letting a few choice expletives come out. Even if we don't use these words..perhaps if we add a sense of refinement to our language...perhaps we will start acting more refined.. People go on and on about the sin of Lashon Hara and no disagreement here about how important it is..but i think in all that we forget that even if the content is fine..perhaps the manner we say it isn't.
So that is my proposal dear readers..what say you?
and just because you stuck it out to the end of the post..here's a video...very powerful..lets not make excuses this Elul.
Wow...this is really powerful. Thank you.
ReplyDelete