Is Silence Golden?

Is there an art to knowing when to speak up and when to stay silent?

We should always start with listening before we speak. what has been missing is truly hearing what the other person is saying.

Can we be silent when the ground is shaking?

Use your voice strategically.

A time to remain silent is when you do not have all the facts, when you are not truly informed. When you are angry. When silence may be the answer.

”A time to keep silent, and a time to speak out”   – Kohelet

Sometimes choosing not to speak or respond can convey a stronger message more effectively. A time to be silent is when all are on the attack but you choose to remain just. It is sometimes better to hold silence than to be harmful, destructive, and regretful with words.

When is silence ok and when is it not ok?

Preparing this post was an interesting journey. I came across  some interesting pieces of information, some quotes, and several parallels to the topic in this past weeks Parasha- Torah portion. It was explained in a wonderful dvar-sermon by our local Rabbi , and there were inspirational lectures  as well  from a visiting Rabbi from Germany.

What if speaking up means you are a traitor?

I came across something called : “  The Blue Law of Silence “

Police officers have an understanding pact not to report any errors of their fellow officers. They say this came about after all the increase in police brutality accusations.

” If you don’t speak up, you become a part of the problem.” – Martin Luther King

Speaking up is important because to create change we need to bring awareness. We cannot allow atrocities and cruelties to be silenced. People will live their lives silently, and will not take action to wrongdoings, unless it is brought to the forefront, and if one does not speak up then it is easy for people to lose perspective of the moral ramifications of their actions.

To speak up is to be brave – it can stir the conscience and then affect change in all.

” Be the change you want to see “ – Ghandi

All it takes is one voice, and it takes all of our voices.

When to speak up:

-when you witness or experience unacceptable behavior

-to move the world towards fairness

-to prevent the perpetuation of injustice.

Use your voice for good. When you identify the behavior respond without labeling. Labels are destructive and interfering. It is important to do what is right.

” there comes a time when silence is a betrayal “  – I think we saw this immediately after October 7-23

Our mother tzl , lovingly known as “ Morah Yaffa” spoke up after the cruel annihilation and atrocities of the Shoah. She was a Holocaust survivor who did not remain silent, she spoke up. She did this via education and she instilled hope and faith and a deep appreciation for humanity in all.

She honored the Emmett , the truth.

In the past Parasha, Abraham spoke up and asked G-d over and over again about saving righteous individuals before the destruction of  Sdom.

G-d listened . Abrahams voice mattered .

I am still thinking about the impactful words of a very special
Rabbi from Germany who was a guest visitor/speaker this past Shabbat, the anniversary of Kristallnacht. He started about saying how everyone remained silent after Kristallnacht, nobody said a word.  He spoke about the currents of antisemitism , and how Neo nazi groups are now hiding in a different format with a different covert, something to be acutely aware of in all countries.

He spoke about not being afraid to go out with a Kippah,  a Jewish Star necklace, and how that can actually lead to positive encounters as well.

He shared so many stories, funny , sad, uplifting, and a long story about a several years long encounter trying to help someone who in the end had fabricated the entire story and faked being a Jew.

I then attended a program a few days later and afterwards a few of us remained and were hanging out. Two of the attendees were reminiscing about their childhood upbringing in a major  Midwest City and how antisemitism existed  there even back in the 1960’s but then they could respond and did so proudly. One of them said that now she is afraid to wear a Jewish star necklace. I myself may have had a brief hesitation right after October 7th, but moved past that quickly and hearing this German Rabbi reinforced this desire to be bold and proud.

I said to the lady: “ you should not be afraid , wear your Magen David necklace, don’t let them silence us “

Something stood out so painfully for me in the recent ( and sadly ongoing ) pogrom in Amsterdam; When a young Israeli was being attacked he kept saying ; “ I’m not Jewish” with the hope that they would leave him be. He cannot be faulted for saying this , many Jews hid during the Holocaust and it often saved their lives. A Druze Arab Israeli spoke in Arabic to the attackers in hopes of protecting the Israelis .. he did not remain silent.

We must carry on our parents and ancestors legacies.

Know when to speak and when to remain silent. Because … no matter what we hear and see we have a voice

because…

” Everything matters in the end”  – Kohelet