Shemirat HaLashon שמירת הלשון

We learned in Chullin 89a: "R. Yitzchak said: (Psalms 58:2): 'Haumnam eilem, righteousness shall you speak; with justness shall you judge the sons of men': What is [the proper] craft [umanuth (similar to hauman)] of a man in this world"? Let him make himself as an ileim [mute]. Scripture's purpose in referring to this as a "craft" is to teach us several different things: It is well known that if one who is not a craftsman would want to fashion a vessel, even if he can easily visualize its fashioning in all its details, still, its actual making will be difficult for him, for his hands are not yet used to this. As opposed to a craftsman, who is habituated to this from youth. The same is true with the trait of silence. Even though anyone who has sense can perceive that this trait is very desirable, for one is protected thereby from all of the issurim that come through speech and without it he is prey to various pitfalls, as we shall explain below, still, if one resolves to exercise this trait only when he is compelled to do so because of mitzvoth of the Torah, such as [to keep himself] from lashon hara, rechiluth, levity, and other [forms of] forbidden speech, and otherwise he will [permit himself to] say whatever he likes, even what is not essential, then certainly this will not avail, for he will not have habituated his tongue to silence. To the contrary, from his [earliest] youth he will have taught it to say whatever entered his mind. As opposed to one who "trained" his mouth to the trait of silence as a craftsman [trains himself] to his craft, to the point where silence becomes natural to him and speech, unnatural — as with a mute. Then he will be absolutely confident that his tongue will be guarded from evil and that he will not revert to his former folly.

Scripture might also intend thereby to bring one to a great awakening through the ways of fear [of the L-rd]. That is, to have him imagine, G-d forbid, that he were suddenly muted, and none of the doctors of his city could find a cure for him, and a great physician came and cured him of his frightful illness, gratis. Would it not follow that he would thenceforward be his true lover, and that the signs of his love would be manifest on all of his limbs? That is, that he would run to fulfill his slightest command, and that, in any event, he would not dare to offend this faithful doctor through his faculty of speech, which he restored to him! The same is true in our case. The Blessed Creator exalted man above all other creatures by investing him with a speaking soul wherewith he could merit eternal life through Torah and mitzvoth. So that if a man transgresses with his tongue several hundreds of times through forbidden speech, it should follow that it [this faculty] be taken from him and that the speaking soul not be returned to him in the morning. But the Holy One Blessed be He in His abundant mercies withholds His wrath from him in the hope that he will repent of his sin. Is this his repayment to the L-rd? That he speak even more against His will through lashon hara, levity, and other [forms of] forbidden speech? This is the intent of Chazal in: "What is the craft of a man in this world? Let him make himself mute." Let him constantly remind himself: "For the great abuse of my tongue until now, I should have been rendered mute, if not for the greatness of His lovingkindness to me. How, then, should I sin thereby again?"

[The Gemara (Chullin 89a) continues: "I might think even in respect to Torah study; it is, therefore, written (Psalms, Ibid.): 'righteousness [i.e., Torah] shall you speak.' I might think that [he could do so] even to the point of haughtiness; it is, therefore, written: 'with justness shall you judge the sons of men.'" On the face of it, this is to be wondered at: Why would it occur to us to say that he should be mute to words of Torah? Why was speech created in a man if not to speak in the Torah of the L-rd and of His exalted majesty? And also, the end of the apothegm — "I might think even to the point of haughtiness" — is to be wondered at. For what does this have to do with "muteness"? [The resolution would seem to be as follows:] It is known that one can study Torah in two ways: a) by himself; b) with others. Each way has an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage of learning by oneself is being protected against forbidden speech — for there is no one to speak to. But there is a disadvantage, that the learning lacks the clarification [that comes from an interplay of minds.] And if he learns with others there is the disadvantage that their company sometimes leads to idle talk, lashon hara and levity. But, countering that, there is the great advantage of greater clarification. And this is the intent of the Gemara: "I might think even in respect to Torah study." That is, not that he not speak at all in Torah, but that he utilize the trait of "muteness," (which affords greater protection), even for words of Torah, that he not speak even Torah with other men at all, out of fear that he will be drawn by this in the end to forbidden speech, so that he should study only by himself. And, similarly, with other mitzvoth which involve speech, such as prayer and the like. [I might think that] he should not associate with any man, so as not to come to forbidden speech. And the Gemara answers: "It is, therefore, written: 'Righteousness [Torah] shall you [(plural) speak,' and not 'righteousness shall he speak,'" in the singular, as per the introduction ["eilem"] — to teach us that he should speak in Torah in company [chavurah]. As Chazal have said (Berachoth 63b): "A sword upon the 'loners'" — a sword upon 'the foes of Torah scholars' [a euphemism for 'Torah scholars'] who study Torah by themselves. And, what is more, they stupefy themselves." And the same is true of congregational prayer, viz. (Mishlei 14:28): "The multitude of people glorify the King." According to this, the "complete man" is on that exalted level where he must conduct himself as two opposites. That is, in the affairs of the world he must be like a mute and not speak even what is permitted, but only what is essential. And in the area of Torah and mitzvoth he must "expand" speech as far as he can, to study with many and to converse with them in matters of holiness. But, in any event, he must be on guard not to speak with them on any forbidden matter — wherefore the Gemara concludes: "I might think that [he could do so] even to the point of haughtiness." That is, when he sees others who are completely irresponsible in their speech and who sully their mouths with lashon hara, levity, and other [forms of] forbidden speech, [I might think that] he should hold them to be absolutely wicked, and himself, to he absolutely righteous," it is, therefore, written (Psalms, Ibid.): 'with justness shall you judge the sons of men.'" That is he must judge them equably and in [the scales of] merit, assuming that they do not [really] know what lashon hara is (and the like, with other [forms of] forbidden speech), and also that they do not know the severity of the sin of forbidden speech.]