"When Moshiach arrives, and the Beis Hamikdosh is
brought down from Shomayim, every stone will have an
inscription," the speaker thundered, as a rapt audience of
thousands of cheder yingelach, their wide eyes
sparkling, hung on to his every word. "`This stone was
donated by Shmulik!' Yes, the Melech HaMoshiach himself will
stand up, point at Shmulik and say, `You brought me --
because you learned Torah, you were a masmid, and you
didn't speak loshon hora!' "
On a sunny day on Chol Hamoed Succos, a major step was made
in introducing the concept of shemiras haloshon into
the hearts of the younger generation, as a first step in
bringing it to their parents, and from there to all of Klal
Yisroel. On that day, the Notzrei HaLoshon Association
organized a spectacular assembly in Yerushalayim, the second
in a series of planned assemblies, with the goal of
encouraging and strengthening the idea of shemiras
haloshon among the youth.
The assembly was directed by a group of dedicated
avreichim, al taharas hakodesh, and became the talk of
the town. Some two thousand boys of all ages, from several
different institutions of the yishuv hayoshon in
Yerushalayim participated in the impressive assembly that
took place in the huge courtyard of the Zupnick Complex in
Geula. The gathering was promoted as a "party" and it was
clear that the children enjoyed every minute, in addition to
absorbing the primary message of the event.
The captivating program was tastefully arranged by Rabbi
Yitzchok Markowitz and included a variety of events, rich in
educational value. The assembly was enhanced by a melodious
children's choir, singing songs specially composed for the
gathering, such as the rousing song, "The mouth is kodesh
kedoshim."
The emcee, Rabbi Ben-Tzion Gutfarb, fired the children's
enthusiasm with heartfelt words, as he greeted the
participants and enjoined them to strengthen their
shemiras haloshon. It was he who so vividly regaled
them with the description of the power of each boy's
shemiras haloshon to add a stone to the Bais Hamikdosh
and bring the Moshiach, bringing the idea down to a tangible
level that the children could understand.
The assemblage was honored by the presence of HaRav Menachem
Mendel Fuchs, rav of the Shomrei HaChomos neighborhood in
Ramot and a posek for the Eida HaChareidis. Rav Fuchs
is also renowned as one of the outstanding decisors in
sheilos of shemiras haloshon. It is told that
his grandfather, a great chossid of the Vishnitzer
Rebbe zt"l, trained himself so strongly to resist
loshon hora that whenever someone within his range of
hearing would begin to speak loshon hora, he instantly
fell asleep!
Rav Fuchs impressed upon the children the unique power of the
Torah and tefillah of cheder boys. But if the
mouth is tainted by loshon hora, then when those
potent words arrive at the gates of Shomayim, a black
mal'ach hurls them away.
Rabbi Rafael Rabinowitz, a rebbe in the Shomrei HaChomos
cheder added his words of chizuk to those of Rav Fuchs. The
assemblage was then filled with a special excitement as HaRav
Moshe Halberstam arrived to give his blessing. He assured the
participants that "In the zchus of the gathering of so many
children for this holy purpose of shemiras haloshon,
Hashem will surely seal the mouths of our enemies and
undo many harsh decrees!"
The next segment of the program featured a dramatic
presentation of a true incident that happened to the father-
in-law of one of the organizers of the event. Rabbi Simcha
Anshin presented the story of this chossid who was so
careful to avoid machlokes that when the people in his
town became embroiled in dissension, he left town to move to
Arad in Rumania. Shortly afterwards his hometown was wiped
out by the Germans while Arad was untouched. The chossid
was zocheh to come to Eretz Yisroel and raise a
wonderful family.
As the assembly drew to a close, Rabbi Simcha Breier, a rebbe
in the Toldos Aharon cheder, led the tzibbur in song
and rousing dance.
But the children did not leave the assembly with just a
general good feeling. They were given a framework in which to
apply the ideas they had heard. Rabbi Trobitz, head of the
Notzrei Loshon network, distributed to each child a card on
which his parent could check off daily that the child is
trying to improve his shemiras haloshon. At the end of
the month, the cards can be entered in a raffle for valuable
prizes. At that point, a new card will be issued for the
following month, making shemiras haloshon a part of
the child's life -- and as a result, a part of his parents'
and siblings' life.
As the children left the area, their faces gleaming with
purity of soul, they each received a beautiful key chain
engraved with the words, "I belong to the association of
shomrim!" One could almost read the thoughts that
passed through their minds as they proudly displayed their
gift: "I can do it too! I can bring down a stone for the Beis
Hamikdosh! After all, I am one of the shomrim!"
This assembly was only the beginning of the shemiras
haloshon revolution. The Notzrei Loshon Association would
like to reach all the boys who could not come to the Chol
Hamoed assembly, and to organize similar functions involving
the dozens of other cheders that have not yet been
contacted. But, unfortunately, their ambitious plans far
exceed their budget. If you would like to obtain for your
child one of the cards mentioned above, or are interested in
helping to bring the message of Shemiras Haloshon to
more children, call one of the organizers at 538-5589 or the
Notzrei HaLoshon offices at 537-9160 today!
