Rav Yishaya, a disciple of the famous Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, fasted for 85 days because he could not understand a certain paradoxical tradition. He asked, how could it be that if dogs are called “brazen creatures” in Tanach [Isaiah 56:11], that yet it is taught that in the World-to-Come, dogs will lead in singing the praises of the Almighty. They will say to other creatures “Come! Let us prostrate ourselves and bow, let us kneel before G-d, our Maker” [Tehillim 95:6]?

We are all familiar with the idea that a person who is careful not to speak loshon hara will save himself from many perils. Chazal tell us, based on the verse in Mishlei 21:23, that refraining from speaking loshon hara, also benefits a person in this world. The basic understanding of this is that if you do no harm to yourself, you will stay healthy. An analogy would be that if you don’t smoke, you should not have to worry about getting lung cancer. But we do not assume that by not speaking loshon hara we actually make ourselves healthier. We would have thought that it just takes away the negative without giving a positive.

Rav Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi Shlita asks about the quote above from the Yalkut Shemoni: Chazal tell us that the dog is the most audacious animal. And yet we find that because the dog was quiet during the 10 Plagues it was chosen to say this particular praise from Psalm 95:6. How did it merit this? Even more astounding is that this particular verse accentuates the fact that we are subservient to Hashem – the exact opposite of the audacity of the dog. Rav Ezrachi explains that a person or an animal who refrains from speaking actually makes his mouth holier. Thus, by refraining from barking and overcoming its desire, the dog turned itself into the oracle of praises to Hashem.

While we learn this week’s parsha and we focus on loshon hara, we should understand that if we refrain from speaking loshon hara, our praises that we say to Hashem on the Seder Night will have more power. This week we are truly preparing for Leil Haseder by being careful with our speech.

Someone once told Reb Yehoshua Leib Diskin that Reb Hersch Michel has Ruach Hakodesh. Reb Yehoshua asked, “How do you know?” and the person responded, “He was able to say what is happening in a house down the block!” Reb Yehoshua Leib smiled and responded, “That is no proof that he has Ruach Hakodesh. Do you think physical walls can be a barrier for the spiritual eyes of Reb Hersch Michel?!”

To explain this, I would like to use the analogy of a ghost. We have been “taught” that ghosts can pass through walls. Given this “fact”, it would be preposterous to build thicker walls to keep out ghosts, as something spiritual cannot be blocked by something physical. (Note that sound waves are physical and can be blocked by walls, even though they cannot be seen – we are not discussing this here.)

Reb Yehoshua Leib was teaching us that a person who uses his eyes for the right things and does not use them for bad things, his physical eyes will get stronger, and he will be able to see things which others just cannot see.

I would like to suggest that while there are many times that the halacha permits a person to fulfil his requirement to make a Bracha by listening to someone else say it (known as “shomea k’oneh”), this person will not reap the spiritual effects of the one uttering the words. This is similar to an entire congregation singing Hallel with a “full heart” on Yom Tov or Rosh Chodesh. While a person who listens may feel as if he is being uplifted spiritually, those who actually sing the praises reach a much higher level.

This season that we have the PEH-SACH – that we have our mouths singing the praises of Hashem: If we don’t misuse our mouths by saying things that are inappropriate and instead use our mouths for Torah and Mitzvohs, we definitely will soar to even greater heights.