Our words are powerful. More powerful than we sometimes realize. This week’s Parshiyot are Tazria and Metzora, which reminds us that every word we say matters. At first glance, they may seem confusing, filled with laws about purity and skin disease. But, underneath all of that lies a simple and powerful message. As it says in Proverbs, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." 

Both Tazria and Metzora center around a skin condition that would appear when someone spoke badly about others. It was not just an illness. It was a reflection. It was a sign that something needed to change. When this happened, the person would be sent out of their community. Not to be punished but to sit with the consequences of their words and understand how it had affected others. 

We do not get those physical signs today. Our skin does not change when we gossip or speak hurtfully. Despite that, the damage is still there. Every time we speak negatively about someone else, we are not just hurting them but ourselves too. Words stick. They spread. And they leave marks whether we see them or not. 

BBYO is a community. A family. Every single word we say either builds it up or tears it down. 

Choose to be the person who builds. 

Choose to be the person who speaks with intention. 

Choose to be the person who leads with kindness. 

Because the way we treat others shapes who we become. 

So next time you speak, remember that your words matter. Speak with purpose. Speak with heart. That is how we build a community we can be proud of. 

Shabbat Shalom BBYO, 
Rafaela Rimoch