On Silence

"If a word be worth one shekel, silence is worth two."

- Ben Azai (as cited in Tryon Edwards'

A Dictionary of Thoughts, written in 1908.

"Is silence a virtue in Judaism? The Torah says it is and if we want to serve G-d with joy and depth of spirit, we would be well informed to follow its advice." That is the closing line in an article entitled The Virtue of Silence In Judaism, by Mendel Weinberger. The opening of the piece is, "Is silence a virtue in Judaism? At first glance at the Jewish world, it would seem the answer is no... Everywhere you go at all times, Jews are schmoozing, expressing their opinions on everything... So where is there a place for silence?" He offers a compelling argument rooted in primary Torah sources that there is a crucial role that silence plays in true Avodat Hashem.

Weinberger closes with this, "What is the practical way to practice silence? Before beginning to pray, try sitting quietly with your eyes closed for twenty minutes. Slow down your breathing and watch your thoughts as they stream through your mind. When your thoughts start to quiet down, mentally repeat a verse from the Torah that is meaningful to you. This is the advice of Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, the Piaseczner Rebbe."

(I've been thinking about Into Great Silence, and the comment I received about "opting out" and my response.)