Be careful, you’re carrying a gun!

“I’m nervous,” the patient tells the doctor. “It’s my first surgery!”

“Don’t worry,” the doctor replies. “It’s also my first surgery!”

***

In Mezhibuzh, the hometown of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (founder of Chassidism, 1698-1760), two local residents were involved in a bitter dispute. One day, they were angrily shouting at each other in the local synagogue when one of them cried out, “I’ll rip you up like a fish with my bare hands!”

The Baal Shem Tov, who was in the synagogue at the time, told his disciples to form a circle, each taking the hand of his neighbor, and to close their eyes. Rabbi Israel himself closed the circle by placing his hands upon the shoulders of the two disciples who stood to his right and his left. Suddenly, the disciples cried out in fright: behind their closed eyelids they saw the angry man actually tearing his fellow apart, just as he had threatened!

*

Words have extreme power. They can build or destroy; they may sow love or hate. King Solomon even writes that “life and death are in the hands of the tongue.”

How many friendships could have been salvaged and how many wars avoided if thought would have come before speech and action?

In a moment of anger you might scream, “I’ll kill you!” Not for a moment do you plan on doing it for real. But as the story above powerfully demonstrates, the words take on immediate effect, and in some way, by uttering those words you become a murderer.

Words get thrown around too easily: “You’re such a…”, “I hate you”, “I wish I never met you”, and “Leave me alone” are thoughtless yet awfully common remarks. Not always are they meant literally, yet the damage is done. Once words leave the mouth, they cannot be retracted.

You may never have meant to speak negative about your friend; it just happened in the course of casual conversation. But then he found out and will not forgive. Because of loose speech, the relationship is over.

But enough with the negative; let us focus on the positive! Telling someone a compliment or affirming how much he means to you can make a world of a difference in his life and in yours.

Use the power of words to inspire, to teach and to grow. Remember: each word creates life or causes death. Make sure it’s a good one.

So let’s all cry out Moshiach now – it will become a reality!