TEVET
9
Slander
“Who may live on Your holy mountain? … The
one who … does not slander with his tongue.” (Ps 15:1-3 TLV)
Râgal
(Strong’s H7270) is the Hebrew word that has been translated in our opening
passage as ‘slander’, and it paints quite a vivid picture. The image that we get is one who is walking
about, spying on everything around him/her, then running rough-shod over – or
trampling – another underfoot. When we
stop to think about this, it is certainly an accurate picture of one who
engages in this type of activity.
Noah Webster defines
‘slander’ as “To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report respecting
one; to tarnish or impair the reputation of one by false tales, maliciously
told or propagated.”[1] We see so much of this going on in today’s
headlines, where political opponents – and even those of Hollywood notoriety –
continuously defame, slander, and sling as much mud as possible at those they
believe to be in the wrong. Elohim is
not pleased with such behavior, and I prayerfully hope that there are no Torah
observant believers participating in such conduct. We are certainly all entitled to our opinions;
however, it is possible to voice our opinions in such a way that we do not
belittle and defame any who are in opposition to us.
I read a
statement many years ago – no, I do not remember the author – that declared
‘slander was, in essence, murder with the tongue’. Slander itself finds its root in pride, for
just who do we think we are to injure and destroy one who is made in the image
of our Creator? Who set us on the throne
of judge, jury and executioner? Does
slander truthfully fit in to the composition of “loving our neighbor as
ourselves”? (Lev 19:18)
It is the
person who refuses to use his/her words as instruments of mass destruction that
will ultimately be a part of the Kingdom of Elohim; such a person is letting
the light of Torah shine brightly through him/her. May we all – myself include – take note of
this vital requirement in our application for citizenship with our Messiah
King.
“He who watches over his mouth guards his
being, But he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” (Pro 13:3)
“If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to
bridle the entire body … And the tongue is a fire, the world of unrighteousness. Among our
members the tongue is set, the one defiling the entire body, and setting on
fire the wheel of life, and it is set on fire by Gehenna.” (James 3:2, 6)
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