Our series on Guarding the Tongue has been so popular that rather than move on to a new topic I am going to continue this one for just a little longer.

As important as it is for us to learn how to guard our tongues, it is especially important to train children to guard their tongues. Proper speech and good character are acquired through practice — lots of practice. If a child is trained to avoid speaking negatively of others, then he will carry this training into adulthood. He will have the necessary control to choose his words carefully and will not be faced, as most of us have been, with the monumental task of breaking bad habits we have acquired.

A 17th century Rabbi remarked once that the reason why loshon hora was so widespread in his generation, was that people had been accustomed from their youth to speaking whatever they pleased, without anyone ever telling them that there exists a concept called ‘guarding the tongue’ or shmiras haloshon. Thus, people did not even consider the possibility that their words involved any sort of transgression.

The situation would be different if children were trained from their early youth to watch their words. If children were taught to consider the impact of their words before they speak, they would have the “basic training” they needed to avoid loshon hora, ona’as devarim (hurtful words), and other forbidden speech.

Our efforts to help our children observe shmiras haloshon will make it easy for them to safeguard themselves with regard to this sacred quality. This training will pay great dividends in the lives of our children in the future. In addition, as we commit ourselves to train them, we will find ourselves changing the way we speak as well.

Shalom
Barbara