If you have something to say, say it

Written by Rabbi Elliott Karstadt — 2 August 2025

‘These are the words that Moses spoke to all the people of Israel across the Jordan’ (Deuteronomy 1:1)

The Israelite people are about to pass over into the Promised Land, and Moses calls them all together to speak to them.

The medieval commentator Rashi tells us that these words are words of rebuke, and that the names of the places that are mentioned later in the verse allude to the sins that Israel had committed in their journey up to this point.

We are at the beginning of the Book of Deuteronomy – which is essentially three big speeches that Moses gives to the Israelites – because he knows that he will not be allowed to enter into the land with the people, he needs to remind them about where they have been, where they are headed.

We have a repetition of some of the key things they have learned along the way – significantly the Ten Commandments. People need to be reminded.

 

Rashi goes on to explain why it tells us that Moses spoke el-kol-Yisrael – to all Israel – to Rashi, it is important that Moses spoke to all the Israelites. It wasn’t an excuse to be busy in this moment of Moses speaking. Because if Moses had only spoken these words to those who were available, those who had the time, then it would not have been as effective. It would also have left a question over how much the people really knew about what Moses said.

If Moses had only spoken to some of the Israelites, those who were absent might have said: ‘You just listened to Moses rebuking us and you said nothing? If we had been there to hear him, we would have given him what for!’ So, by bringing them all together in one place, Moses was able to say ‘All right, everyone is here. If you have anything to say, say it now!’

If you have anything to say, say it now.

If you have anything to say, say it now.

Now is not a time to be silent.

Famously, the writer Elie Wiesel wrote:

I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must – at that moment – become the centre of the universe.

The book we began reading this morning is Devarim – literally words – speech. And I often refer to this as a message of using words rather than resorting to violence. After all, the reason that Moses will not be allowed to enter the Promised Land is the fact that he is punished for hitting the rock rather than speaking to it in order to receive water.

And later on in the book of Devarim, Moses emphasises again that he is speaking to all those who are assembled, standing around him – the old and the young, the men and women, the rich and the poor.

Nitzavim – all those who are standing, this is taken even further – referring to both those who are standing here and those who are not standing – Israel of the future.

The message of revelation is not just for those who originally stood at Sinai. The message is to us as well.

And I am not saying that we all should be standing up to deliver the same message, the same objection. There will be so many things that we are called upon to speak about. This week it might be about starvation in Gaza and the plight of the hostages. But there so many other things that afflict our world that we need to speak out about. Things that we as a community are value-bound to speak up about. Climate Change. Violence against women. Racism. The way in which we treat refugees. Disability rights. These are all things that demand for us to speak about and not remain silent.

But the imperative is on us to give voice to what we feel needs to be said at this moment. Not to be silent. To be respectful and considerate of each other – but not to be silent.

To find the courage and the conviction to be able to say what is needed in a way in which it will be received and heard by others.

Rabbi Larry Hoffman, who many here may have heard speaking at Alyth, writes and speaks about Judaism being a sacred conversation – a conversation we are all called upon to join in with. To add our voices to the ongoing discussion and debate about what Judaism is, what it stands for.

This evening we will be marking Tisha b’Av, and our service will end with the first tekiah gedolah of the season. The first time we will have heard the blast of the Shofar since last Yom Kippur. Let it be a wake up call to us. A wake up call to speak up and be part of that conversation.

Whatever it is we have to say, let us not be silent.

Shabbat Shalom