A new proverb was posted to the Mishlei section on Thursday, August 31.
Many people are fascinated by their power of speech. They always find something to say because of the pleasure it gives them to hear the sound of their own voice. When someone is speaking he assumes that a listener is paying attention to him. In effect, the talker has taken control of the listener’s mind and that is a heady feeling indeed.
However, because people are so strongly motivated to express themselves in talk, they may not ask themselves if what they are saying is worthwhile. Even worse, it may actually be destructive, such as if it hurts someone’s feelings or someone’s good name. On the other hand, talking can do wonderful things, including cheering up another person and teaching him Torah.