IDF soldiers launched a “Shut Your Mouth!” campaign in Hebrew through which they aimed to leverage social influence in order to communicate the message to their fellow Israelis that if unity is lacking in their speech, then it is better to shut their mouths.
This campaign comes at a time when the soldiers seek as much support and strength as possible, and divisive discourse that had been thriving in Israel leading up to the tragic events of October 7, 2023, has proven itself to both weaken Israeli society, and boost the confidence of the terrorists who wish to attack Israel.
It is indeed commendable to create an atmosphere of disrespect for divisive discourse and appreciation of a unified one. Therefore, if this social pressure gains traction, it can help make anyone—including politicians and media figures—think twice before propagating divisive words, and help promote a more unifying discourse.
Through the campaign, the IDF’s soldiers served to raise the awareness that reckless tongues from their fellow Israelis and Jews harms them, that they feel how divisive attitudes among the nation negatively influences their solidarity even on the frontlines.
The wisdom of Kabbalah supports such sentiment. Verbal malice knows no bounds. Once spoken, cutting words roam freely, causing a breakdown of relations that destructively influences society.
The book Orchot Tzadikim underscores the power of speech, stating that speech can cause more harm than a sword.
“A man can do more harm with his tongue than he can with a sword. For a man can stand here and yet betray his companion, who is a long distance from him, and cause his death (by his word), while the sword can only slay someone who is near it. Therefore, man was created with two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and one mouth to say to him that he ought to speak less. Silence is fitting for the wise, and thus all the more so for fools.” – Orchot Tzadikim, 21:7.
Also, the Talmud recounts a time during the First Temple when division between the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah led leaders to “eat and drink with each other, and stab each other with verbal barbs” (Yoma, 9b). Enemies took advantage of this weakness, which resulted in the Temple’s ruin on both physical and spiritual scales.
Emphasizing the need for the people of Israel to summon the strength to come together in the face of myriad divisive drives, Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) wrote in his paper, “The Nation”: “The enormous effort that the rugged road ahead requires of us mandates unity that is as solid and as hard as steel, from all parts of the nation, without exception.” I strongly recommend that the future campaigns we organize will take on this unifying direction.