King David began the book of Tehillim with the words, “Fortunate is the man who has not walked in the counsil of the wicked … nor did he sit in a gathering of scoffers” (1:1). Similarly, our Rabbis have said in Pirkei Avos, “When two people sit together and there are no words of Torah between them, it is a ‘gathering of scoffers’” (3:2). Since, on account of our many sins, this is a very common circumstance a person must pay careful heed to this warning. Whenever he sits with his companions he must be certain that the discussion consists of words of Torah or character development or awe of Heaven. It goes without saying that he must avoid the company of scoffers and idlers who sit together engaging in frivolity. For in the course of their endless chatter they inevitably come to utter words of mockery and derogatory speech, thereby giving rise to harmful forces that inflict damage upon their souls. Therefore whoever fears the word of Hashem will distance himself from such company.
You should know that there is a certain category of malignant spirits called kesilim (“wicked fools”) that have been appointed to appear to a man walking along the road alone at night. Sometimes they appear as a group of men and seduce him into joining their company. Sometimes they appear in the form of an in or a hotel, shining forth a light to entice him to approach. He believes that he is on his way to a nearby hotel or inn but they draw him farther and farther from the way. It is common for them to lead him into marshes and other places of filth or into a forest or among the swamps where his life is imperiled. These same spirits are appointed over those who gather to relate frivolous tales that are of no benefit. They are also the destroying spirits called the “workers of iniquity,” that record all words of mockery and forbidden speech in a book On High called the “Workers of Iniquity.” When the time comes for these people to meet their end groups of these kesilim come out to meet them and strike at their souls. Then they take them out to the desert or a marsh and inflict terrible suffering upon their souls. Therefore one must keep away from these gatherings. It need not be said that if one sees people quarreling one must flee from them, for that is a gathering place for malignant spirits that assemble wherever there is bickering and quarreling.
From all this one can deduce the harm that is done by speaking frivolity in the synagogue, a place of sanctity designed to reverberate with the sound of song and praise and supplication.
See what is written in the Zohar, Parashas Terumah (131b): “Woe to the one who converses in the synagogue! He has no portion in the God of Israel, for he detracts from faith in the King.” (Examine the rest of what is written there because I have greatly abbreviated the matter.) We are His people and His flock. Each of us must erect his own protective fences to prevent him from speaking any mundane words in the synagogue at all. For on account of this seemingly small matter one loses his portion in the God of Israel, Heaven forbid!, as it is written in the Zohar
A person should be especially careful not to utter words of mockery or tale-bearing in the synagogue, for the dwelling place of the Shechinah is in the synagogues and study halls. When people are not careful to refrain from jocularity, lightheadedness, tale-bearing and derogatory speech in the synagogue it causes the Shechinah to depart from Israel. In this connection the Zohar (Tikkun 6, 22b) ascribes to the Shechinah the verse, “And the dove found no resting place” (Bereishis 8:9). As a result of this sin numerous synagogues have been destroyed, to our chagrin, because people allowed the Side of Evil to mix into the camp of the Shechinah, which was to have been entirely holy. It is not good to bring foreign matters into places of holiness. Therefore a person should be careful whenever he engages in holy matters not to cause malignant spirits to mix in, Heaven forbid.
You should be aware of what is written in the Zohar, Parashas Pekudei (263b). There we learn that there is one agent of the Side of Evil that looks out for and awaits anyone who allows a disgraceful utterance to leave his mouth, whether it be deceit, derogatory speech, tale-bearing, mockery or anything similar, and afterwards utters words of holiness. That agent, accompanied by other malignant spirits under its command, then goes and takes that holy utterance and defiles it so that the speaker receives no credit for it. For the malignant spirits take those words of holiness and derive and augment their own power with them. Woe to that person in this world! Woe to him in the next world! And the cause of all this was excessive speech, for in the course of speaking excessively it is impossible to avoid a mixture of good in the bad and bad in the good. Through this the Side of Evil gains power and strength, Heaven forbid.
Therefore it is better for a person to accustom his mouth and tongue to uttering words of awe and admonishment and to speaking the Holy Tongue, which is a refined language that benefits the soul. Our rabbis explain that from the nature of a person’s speech one can discern the source of his soul On High. If he is accustomed to speaking imprecations or words of contention it is clear that his soul derives from the Side of Evil, the source of the serpent and the viper. He is not from the holy stock but from the mixed multitude. And even if his father and mother are modest and pious, nevertheless his soul is a reincarnation of a soul from the mixed multitude. The same is true if his mouth utters frivolity or crudity, Heaven forbid. The Ari, z”l, explains that one who speaks crudity impairs the attribute represented by the moon, inverting the letters of the word levanah, “moon,” and changing them to nevalah, “crudity,” Heaven forbid. The different kinds of harmful speech are too numerous to elaborate upon. Even ten chapters would not suffice to mention the magnitude of the punishments they evoke. Therefore I will simply issue this brief admonishment: A person must know that a mouth that is fenced in and guarded against uttering slander and imprecations and that does not engage in forbidden speech or mockery, is called a “holy mouth” and with it the Holy One Blessed is He may be praised. Moreover, if a person is immersed in Torah study, prayer, songs and praises, the Holy One Blessed is He takes his utterances and makes them into a crown for his head, provided that he prays with intention.
A man should select a fixed place in the synagogue to pray, next to a good neighbor, someone who is upright and honest. Conversely, let him distance himself from a bad neighbor so that he will not come to stumble through emulating his ways, Heaven forbid. If it is impossible to distance himself from a bad neighbor because no other seats are available, let him rebuke him daily. Perhaps he will find a favorable moment in which his rebuke will be accepted and perhaps in this way his colleague will benefit through him. But if he sees that the man is evil-natured and lawless and unbending in his wickedness, let him abandon his place and go in peace.
דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ פָּתַח (תְּהִלִּים א, א): "אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָלַךְ בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים וְגוֹ', וּבְמוֹשַׁב לֵצִים לֹא יָשָׁב". וְכֵן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, בְּמַסֶּכֶת אָבוֹת (פֶּרֶק ג, מִשְׁנָה ב): שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִים וְאֵין בֵּינֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, הֲרֵי זֶה מוֹשַׁב לֵצִים. וּבִהְיוֹת מִכְשׁוֹל זֶה מָצוּי בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים מְאֹד, עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לָשׂוּם הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ מְאֹד בְּאַזְהָרָה זוֹ, שֶׁבִּהְיוֹתוֹ יוֹשֵׁב עִם חֲבֵרָיו, שֶׁתְּהֵא יְשִׁיבָתוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה אוֹ דִּבְרֵי מוּסָר וְדִבְרֵי יִרְאָה. וְעַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה לְהִתְרַחֵק מִיּוֹשְׁבֵי כִּתּוֹת הַלֵּיצָנִים וְיוֹשְׁבֵי קְרָנוֹת, הַיּוֹשְׁבִים כִּתּוֹת וְעוֹסְקִים בִּדְבָרִים שֶׁל מַה בְּכָךְ, וּבִדְבָרִים מְרֻבִּים לֹא יֶחְדַּל פֶּשַׁע שֶׁל לֵיצָנוּת אוֹ לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה הֵם מוֹלִידִין עִנְיָנִים פְּגָמִים, הַמְּבִיאִים לִפְגָם בְּנִשְׁמוֹתֵיהֶן. וְהַיָּרֵא דְּבַר ה' יִתְרַחֵק מֵאֲסֵפַת הַחֲבוּרוֹת שֶׁל אֵלּוּ.
King David began the book of Tehillim with the words, “Fortunate is the man who has not walked in the counsil of the wicked … nor did he sit in a gathering of scoffers” (1:1). Similarly, our Rabbis have said in Pirkei Avos, “When two people sit together and there are no words of Torah between them, it is a ‘gathering of scoffers’” (3:2). Since, on account of our many sins, this is a very common circumstance a person must pay careful heed to this warning. Whenever he sits with his companions he must be certain that the discussion consists of words of Torah or character development or awe of Heaven. It goes without saying that he must avoid the company of scoffers and idlers who sit together engaging in frivolity. For in the course of their endless chatter they inevitably come to utter words of mockery and derogatory speech, thereby giving rise to harmful forces that inflict damage upon their souls. Therefore whoever fears the word of Hashem will distance himself from such company.
וְדַע לְךָ, כִּי יֵשׁ כַּת אֶחָד חִיצוֹנִים הַנִּקְרָאִים "כְּסִילִים", וְהֵם מְמֻנִּים הַמִּתְרָאִים לִבְנֵי אָדָם כְּשֶׁהוֹלֵךְ יְחִידִי בַּלַּיְלָה בַּדֶּרֶךְ, מִתְרָאִין כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, וְלִפְעָמִים אַף בַּחֲבוּרַת בְּנֵי אָדָם (שֶׁקּוֹרִין בִּלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז: פָאר פִיר לִיכְט), וּמַתְעִים אוֹתוֹ לָלֶכֶת עִמָּהֶם בַּחֲבוּרָה, וְלִפְעָמִים מַרְאִים לְהִדַּבֵּק יַחַד לֵילֵךְ לְפֻנְדָּק אֶחָד וְאַכְסַנְיָא, וּמַרְאִין בְּאוֹר הַנֵּר לְהִתְקָרֵב, וְהָאָדָם הוּא מֵבִין שֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ לְמָלוֹן אוֹ לְפֻנְדָּק בְּמָקוֹם קָרוֹב, אֲבָל הֵן מַרְחִיקִין אוֹתוֹ מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ, וְקָרוֹב הַדָּבָר שֶׁמּוֹלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ לִמְקוֹם אֲגַמִּים וּמְקוֹמוֹת מְטֻנָּפוֹת, אוֹ לַיַּעַר, אוֹ בֵּין בִּצְעֵי הַמַּיִם, אֲשֶׁר מִסְתַּכֵּן שָׁם הָאָדָם בְּסַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת. וְהֵן הֵם הַמְמֻנִּים עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם, הַמִּתְאַסְּפִים כִּתּוֹת שֶׁל בְּנֵי אָדָם לְסַפֵּר דְּבָרִים שֶׁל הֶבְלֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁאֵין בָּהֵם תּוֹעֶלֶת. וְאֵלּוּ הַמַּשְׁחִיתִים נִקְרָאִין גַּם כֵּן "פּוֹעֲלֵי אָוֶן", שֶׁכּוֹתְבִים כָּל דִּבְרֵי לֵיצָנוּת וְכָל דִּבְרֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרָע בְּסֵפֶר אֶחָד לְמַעְלָה, הַנִּקְרֵאת "פּוֹעֲלֵי אָוֶן". וּבְיוֹם בִּיאַת פְּקֻדָּתָם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים, יוֹצְאִים כִּתּוֹת הָאֵלּוּ שֶׁל הַ"כְּסִילִים", וּפוֹגְעִים בְּנִשְׁמָתָם, וּמוֹלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ לְמִדְבָּרוֹת אוֹ לְבִצְעֵי הַמַּיִם, וּמְצַעֲרִים אֶת הַנְּשָׁמָה בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד. עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהִתְרַחֵק מֵחֲבוּרוֹת כִּתּוֹת הָאֵלּוּ. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר, כְּשֶׁרוֹאִין בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁמְּרִיבִים בְּדִבְרֵי קְטָטוֹת וּמְרִיבוֹת, בְּרַח מֵהֶן, כִּי שָׁם אֲסֵפַת הַחִיצוֹנִים, שֶׁמִּתְאַסְּפִים שָׁם בַּמְּקוֹמוֹת הָאֵלּוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ רִיב וּקְטָטָה.
You should know that there is a certain category of malignant spirits called kesilim (“wicked fools”) that have been appointed to appear to a man walking along the road alone at night. Sometimes they appear as a group of men and seduce him into joining their company. Sometimes they appear in the form of an in or a hotel, shining forth a light to entice him to approach. He believes that he is on his way to a nearby hotel or inn but they draw him farther and farther from the way. It is common for them to lead him into marshes and other places of filth or into a forest or among the swamps where his life is imperiled. These same spirits are appointed over those who gather to relate frivolous tales that are of no benefit. They are also the destroying spirits called the “workers of iniquity,” that record all words of mockery and forbidden speech in a book On High called the “Workers of Iniquity.” When the time comes for these people to meet their end groups of these kesilim come out to meet them and strike at their souls. Then they take them out to the desert or a marsh and inflict terrible suffering upon their souls. Therefore one must keep away from these gatherings. It need not be said that if one sees people quarreling one must flee from them, for that is a gathering place for malignant spirits that assemble wherever there is bickering and quarreling.
וּמִזֶּה תּוּכַל לְצַיֵּר הַפְּגָם, הַמְדַבְּרִים דְּבָרִים בְּטֵלִים בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, מְקוֹם קְדֻשָּׁה, הַמְיֻחָד לִהְיוֹת מָלֵא בְּהֶבֶל שֶׁל שִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת וְתַחֲנוּנִים.
From all this one can deduce the harm that is done by speaking frivolity in the synagogue, a place of sanctity designed to reverberate with the sound of song and praise and supplication.
וְאַתָּה רְאֵה מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר, פָּרָשַׁת תְּרוּמָה (דַּף קלא, ב) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: מָאן דְּאִשְׁתָּעֵי בְּבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא — וַי לֵיהּ וְכוּ', וְאֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק בֵּאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּגָרַע מְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּמַלְכָּא. עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ. (עַיֵּן שָׁם, כִּי קִצַּרְתִּי מְאֹד, בַּאֲשֶׁר שֶׁהָעֹנֶשׁ יוֹדֵעַ כָּל אִישׁ, בְּסִפְרֵי מוּסָר שֶׁקָּדְמוּ לִי). וַאֲנַחְנוּ עַמּוֹ וְצֹאן מַרְעִיתוֹ, יוּכַל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לִגְדֹר עַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לְדַבֵּר שׁוּם דִּבּוּר חֹל בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, כִּי בְּעָווֹן קַל כָּזֶה לֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, חֵלֶק בֵּאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב הַזֹּהַר.
See what is written in the Zohar, Parashas Terumah (131b): “Woe to the one who converses in the synagogue! He has no portion in the God of Israel, for he detracts from faith in the King.” (Examine the rest of what is written there because I have greatly abbreviated the matter.) We are His people and His flock. Each of us must erect his own protective fences to prevent him from speaking any mundane words in the synagogue at all. For on account of this seemingly small matter one loses his portion in the God of Israel, Heaven forbid!, as it is written in the Zohar
וְעַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁלֹּא לְדַבֵּר דִּבְרֵי לֵיצָנוּת אוֹ רְכִילוּת בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, אֲשֶׁר דִּירַת הַשְּׁכִינָה שָׁם הוּא, בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּבְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת. וְאִם בְּנֵי אָדָם אֵינָם נִזְהָרִים מִלְּדַבֵּר דִּבְרֵי שְׂחוֹק וְקַלּוּת רֹאשׁ וּרְכִילוּת וְלָשׁוֹן הָרָע בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת — הוּא גּוֹרֵם שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וְעַל זֶה כָּתַב הַזֹּהַר (תִּקּוּנִים תִּקּוּן ו, דַּף כב, ב): "וְלֹא מָצְאָה הַיּוֹנָה מָנוֹחַ" (בְּרֵאשִׁית ח, ט). וְעַל יְדֵי עָווֹן זֶה בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים נֶחְרְבוּ כַּמָּה בָּתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת, כִּי הַבְּנֵי אָדָם מַכְנִיסִין עִרְבּוּב הַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא בְּמַחֲנֵה הַשְּׁכִינָה שֶׁהִיא כֻּלָּהּ קְדֻשָּׁה, כִּי עִרְבּוּב זָרִים בַּמְּקוֹמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים לֹא טוֹב, וּבְכָל עֵסֶק קְדֻשָּׁה יְהֵא אָדָם מִזַּהֵר מְאֹד, שֶׁלֹּא יִגְרֹם בּוֹ עִרְבּוּב חִיצוֹנִים, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
A person should be especially careful not to utter words of mockery or tale-bearing in the synagogue, for the dwelling place of the Shechinah is in the synagogues and study halls. When people are not careful to refrain from jocularity, lightheadedness, tale-bearing and derogatory speech in the synagogue it causes the Shechinah to depart from Israel. In this connection the Zohar (Tikkun 6, 22b) ascribes to the Shechinah the verse, “And the dove found no resting place” (Bereishis 8:9). As a result of this sin numerous synagogues have been destroyed, to our chagrin, because people allowed the Side of Evil to mix into the camp of the Shechinah, which was to have been entirely holy. It is not good to bring foreign matters into places of holiness. Therefore a person should be careful whenever he engages in holy matters not to cause malignant spirits to mix in, Heaven forbid.
וְהִנֵּה דַּע מַה שֶּׁכָּתַב הַזֹּהַר, פָּרָשַׁת פְּקוּדֵי (דַּף רסג, ב), שֶׁיֵּשׁ מְמֻנֶּה חַד מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא, הַמְצַפֶּה וּמַמְתִּין עַל כָּל מִי שֶׁמּוֹצִיא מִפִּיו דָּבָר מְגֻנֶּה, כְּגוֹן כְּזָבִים, לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, רְכִילוּת, לֵיצָנוּת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן, וּלְבָתַר מַפִּיק מִלִּין קַדִּישִׁין — אָזִיל הַהוּא מְמֻנֶּה עִם שְׁאָר חִיצוֹנִים שֶׁתַּחַת שִׁלְטוֹנוֹ, וְנוֹטְלִין הַהִיא מִלָּה קַדִּישָׁא וּמְסָאֲבֵי לֵיהּ, וְלָא זָכֵי בָּהּ הַהוּא בַּר־נָשׁ בַּהֲדֵין מִלָּה קַדִּישָׁא. כִּי אָז הַחִיצוֹנִים הֵם הַנּוֹטְלִים הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁל קְדֻשָּׁה אֶצְלָם, וּמִתּוֹסְפִים כֹּחַ לָהֶם עַל יְדֵי מִלָּה קַדִּישָׁא וְכוּ'. אוֹי לֵיהּ לְהַאי בַּר־נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא! וַי לֵיהּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי! וְהַגְּרָם לָזֶה הוּא רֹב דְּבָרִים, כִּי בִּדְבָרִים הַרְבֵּה אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא יְעָרֵב טוֹב בְּרָע, וְרַע בְּטוֹב, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, נִתּוֹסֵף כֹּחַ וּגְבוּרָה לְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא.
You should be aware of what is written in the Zohar, Parashas Pekudei (263b). There we learn that there is one agent of the Side of Evil that looks out for and awaits anyone who allows a disgraceful utterance to leave his mouth, whether it be deceit, derogatory speech, tale-bearing, mockery or anything similar, and afterwards utters words of holiness. That agent, accompanied by other malignant spirits under its command, then goes and takes that holy utterance and defiles it so that the speaker receives no credit for it. For the malignant spirits take those words of holiness and derive and augment their own power with them. Woe to that person in this world! Woe to him in the next world! And the cause of all this was excessive speech, for in the course of speaking excessively it is impossible to avoid a mixture of good in the bad and bad in the good. Through this the Side of Evil gains power and strength, Heaven forbid.
עַל כֵּן טוֹב יוֹתֵר לָאָדָם לְהַרְגִּיל פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי יִרְאָה וּמוּסָר, וְלִהְיוֹת שָׁגוּר בְּפִיו לְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁהוּא לָשׁוֹן צַח וּמוֹעִיל לַנְּשָׁמָה. וְהִנֵּה זֶה מְבֹאָר בְּדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁמִּדִּבּוּרָיו שֶׁל אָדָם נִכָּר שֹׁרֶשׁ נִשְׁמָתוֹ לְמַעְלָה: אִם הוּא רָגִיל בִּקְלָלוֹת אוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי רִיבוֹת, אֲזַי תֵּדַע שֶׁנִּשְׁמָתוֹ הִיא מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא, מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ נָחָשׁ וָצֶפַע, וְאֵינוֹ מִגֶּזַע קָדוֹשׁ, כִּי אִם מֵעֶרֶב רַב. וְאַף שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אָב וָאֵם צְנוּעִים וַחֲסִידִים, מִכָּל מָקוֹם גִּלְגּוּל נִשְׁמָתוֹ מֵעֶרֶב רַב. וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ, מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ פֶּה מְדַבֵּר דְּבָרִים בְּטֵלִים וְדִבְרֵי נְבָלָה, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. מְבֹאָר גַּם כֵּן בְּדִבְרֵי הָאֲרִ"י, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה: הַמְנַבֵּל פִּיו פּוֹגֵם בַּלְּבָנָה, וְעוֹשֶׂה מֵאוֹתִיּוֹת לְבָנָה — נְבָלָה, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וּבַאֲשֶׁר כִּי דִּבְרֵי הַפּוֹגְמִים הֵם מְרֻבִּים לְבָאֲרָם, וְלֹא יַסְפִּיק לָהֶם אַף עֲשָׂרָה פְּרָקִים לִזְכֹּר גֹּדֶל הָעֹנֶשׁ שֶׁלָּהֶם, עַל כֵּן אֲנִי מַזְהִיר בִּקְצָרָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ אָדָם לָדַעַת, כִּי פֶּה שֶׁהוּא גָּדוּר וּמְסֻיָּג מִלְּהוֹצִיא דִּבָּה וּקְלָלוֹת, וְאֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, וְאֵין עוֹסֵק בְּדִבְרֵי לֵיצָנוּת — הַאי פּוּמָא אִקְרֵי "פּוּמָא קַדִּישָׁא", דְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ בְּגַוֵּיהּ. וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן מִי שֶׁהוּא עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה וּבִתְפִלָּה, בְּשִׁירִין וְתֻשְׁבְּחִין — הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נָטִיל הַאי דִּבּוּרָא, וְאִתְעֲבִיד כֶּתֶר עַל רֵישָׁא, בְּאֹפֶן אִם מִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכַוָּנָה.
Therefore it is better for a person to accustom his mouth and tongue to uttering words of awe and admonishment and to speaking the Holy Tongue, which is a refined language that benefits the soul. Our rabbis explain that from the nature of a person’s speech one can discern the source of his soul On High. If he is accustomed to speaking imprecations or words of contention it is clear that his soul derives from the Side of Evil, the source of the serpent and the viper. He is not from the holy stock but from the mixed multitude. And even if his father and mother are modest and pious, nevertheless his soul is a reincarnation of a soul from the mixed multitude. The same is true if his mouth utters frivolity or crudity, Heaven forbid. The Ari, z”l, explains that one who speaks crudity impairs the attribute represented by the moon, inverting the letters of the word levanah, “moon,” and changing them to nevalah, “crudity,” Heaven forbid. The different kinds of harmful speech are too numerous to elaborate upon. Even ten chapters would not suffice to mention the magnitude of the punishments they evoke. Therefore I will simply issue this brief admonishment: A person must know that a mouth that is fenced in and guarded against uttering slander and imprecations and that does not engage in forbidden speech or mockery, is called a “holy mouth” and with it the Holy One Blessed is He may be praised. Moreover, if a person is immersed in Torah study, prayer, songs and praises, the Holy One Blessed is He takes his utterances and makes them into a crown for his head, provided that he prays with intention.
וְיִרְאֶה לִבְחֹר לוֹ מָקוֹם מְיֻחָד לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת אֵצֶל שָׁכֵן טוֹב, כָּשֵׁר וְיָשָׁר, וְיִתְרַחֵק מִשָּׁכֵן רָע, שֶׁלֹּא יַכְשִׁיל אוֹתוֹ לֵילֵךְ בִּדְרָכָיו, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וְאִם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהִתְרַחֵק מִשָּׁכֵן רָע כִּי אֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם אַחֵר, יִרְאֶה לְהוֹכִיחוֹ בִּדְבָרִים יוֹם יוֹם, אוּלַי יִמְצָא עֵת רָצוֹן שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל הַתּוֹכָחָה, וְאוּלַי יִזְכֶּה חֲבֵרוֹ עַל יָדוֹ. וְאִם יִרְאֶה הָאָדָם שֶׁהוּא אִישׁ רַע וּבְלִיַּעַל, שֶׁעוֹמֵד בְּרִשְׁעוֹ, יַנִּיחַ אֶת מְקוֹמוֹ וְיֵלֵךְ לוֹ לְשָׁלוֹם.
A man should select a fixed place in the synagogue to pray, next to a good neighbor, someone who is upright and honest. Conversely, let him distance himself from a bad neighbor so that he will not come to stumble through emulating his ways, Heaven forbid. If it is impossible to distance himself from a bad neighbor because no other seats are available, let him rebuke him daily. Perhaps he will find a favorable moment in which his rebuke will be accepted and perhaps in this way his colleague will benefit through him. But if he sees that the man is evil-natured and lawless and unbending in his wickedness, let him abandon his place and go in peace.