Speech is the supreme quality of humans over other creatures (see Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 2:7). Speech is so significant, that the character of a person is considerably affected by the way he speaks. The root of the word דיבור – “speech” is דבר – “a being” or “an entity.” The connotation of this is that speech is intrinsically associated with the inner self of man, and has a great influence on forming his personality. Hence, his very essence is interrelated with his speech. When our Sages say that the redemption from Egypt was effected by ×©×œ× ×©×™× ×• ×ת ×œ×©×•× × – “they did not change their speech, our Sages referred both to the Hebrew language itself and to the kind of words they used, because the vocabulary a person uses has a far-reaching effect on his personality and general makeup. [1. B’nei Yisaschar, Nissan 4:10]
