On Motzoei Yom Kippur 2020, I started learning a lesson a day of shmiras haloshon and posting it on our family chat. I would record myself reading from Guard Your Tongue by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin. Once we finished the book, I bought Master Your Words, Master Your Life by Chana Nestlebaum and continued with that. In January (2022) I conked out and stopped posting. The truth is, I was waiting for the magic to happen. It’s known to be a big zechus to learn shmiras haloshon every day and I wanted to see some results. I also felt kind of vulnerable, reading lesson after lesson, just plodding along through the book, posting each lesson and…waiting. My aunt encouraged me to continue, telling me she had heard someone speak about just this, about learning shmiras haloshon every day and not giving up when you don’t see results. I did not continue, and for eight and a half months my book sat on the shelf.
This Motzoei Rosh Hashanah I decided to pick up again, just to post for the sake of posting, because maybe learning shmiras haloshon every day will make an impact on me and make me a more sensitive person — and one who is more careful with shmiras haloshon.
So I am here to suggest that this Aseres Yimei Teshuva, one way to connect to the spirit of growth and return is to pick up something where you left off, and to try, try again.
