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“May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaketh proud things!” (Ps. 12:4). He who relates evil gossip is regarded as if he had denied God,1Arakhin 15a. for it is written after that, they “who have said: ‛Our tongue will we make mighty: Our lips are with us: who is our lord over us?’” (Ps. 12:5). Gossip, which knows no limit, see how powerful it is, and let us take a lesson from the “spies.”2They were sent by Moses to search out the Holy Land. (See Numbers 13 and Deuteronomy 1:22.) Even when one slanders wood and stones, which do not hear and see, there is concern for their shame, so much more when one slanders his neighbor who is created in the (divine) image and likeness, “What shall be given thee, and what shall be done more unto thee, Thou deceitful tongue” (Ps. 1:23). The Holy One, blessed be He has said to the tongue, “What shall I do to you? All of man’s limbs are from without, you are within. Moreover, I have made for you two walls, one of bone and one of flesh; of bone, the teeth; and of flesh, the lips.” “In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression” (Prov. 10:19). A man should always increase (his) silence 3Maimonides, Hilkhoth Deoth, 2:4. and not speak at all, except (to indulge) in the words of the wise or in matters necessary for the needs of his body. It has been said of Rav, the student of Rabenu (Judah) the Pious, that in all his days he never indulged in idle talk.4Yoma 19b. All who indulge in ordinary talk transgress a positive commandment as it has been said, “And shalt talk of them (Deut. 6:7) and not in other matters.”5Ibid. And (we know) that a prohibition which has been derived by implication from a positive command is a positive command.6Yebamoth 56b. Others say, he violates both a prohibition and a positive command, as it is said, “all things toil to weariness; man cannot utter it …” (Eccl. 1:8). And even involving bodily needs, let his words not be excessive, but sparing, and concern only those matters which are deemed necessities.7Hagigah 5b. And so with words of Torah let a man’s talk be brief and the content great. For so have the scholars said, “let a man always teach his students by way of the short method.” 8Pesahim 3b. But if his words are many and the content meagre, it is then foolishness, as it is written, “And a fool’s voice through a multitude of words” (Eccl. 5:2). A safeguard to wisdom is silence.9Aboth 3:17. Therefore let a man not be hasty in answering10Derekh Eretz Zuta, Chapter II. nor speak excessively. Also let him teach his student with composure and quietness, without shouting or lengthiness, for “the words of the wise (are) spoken in quiet” (Eccl. 9:17).