King David writes in Psalms, “Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit” — and right after, he says “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
In blessed America, we have freedom of speech. That freedom is a gift. First and foremost, a person can use his mouth to thank the Almighty, to thank Hashem, Creator of the world, and no one should ever bother him for that. A person can compliment others, give a good word, lift people up. A person can even be humorous. The mouth can do great things.
On the other hand, a person has to watch very carefully. Yes, my mouth is free, but never to hurt anybody. Never to curse anyone. Never to speak badly about people. And of course, never to say things that should not be said. King David teaches us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. The mouth is a powerful tool. It can bring death upon a person, and it can bring life upon a person.
I’m referring here to Jimmy Kimmel, who used his mouth, used his freedom, used his humor in a very bad way. In a very insulting way. In a humiliating way. Not smart, and not being a role model for someone who supposedly has so many followers.
But I ask Jimmy: do the second part of what King David says. Turn away from evil. Apologize. Stand up as a man. Stand up as a leader. Stand up as a talk show host and say, “I am sorry. I did the wrong thing. No one should ever do what I did.”
Give a compliment to the President and his wife. Give them a blessing that both should live long. Stand up to the plate and fix what you broke. Maybe people will forgive you. And maybe people will learn and think twice before they speak.
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