שפה יהיה לפיו סביב (תצוה כח:לב)

Chazal teaches us that Hashem commanded to bedeck the Kohen with בגדי כהונה -special clothes for each item of clothing served as repentance for another sin.  The “אפוד” served as a repentance for sins committed through the mouth. The word “אפד” = 84 and the word “פה” also equals 83.  The pasuk says, “ועשית את מעיל האפוד” (כח:לא) – א – You shall make a robe over the shirt.  This teaches us that one shall make an overlay on his mouth to protect from sinning with the mouth.

The holy Arizal zt’l told his talmid Reb Yitzchak Ashkenazi zt’ll to visit the Kever of the Taana Reb Yehuda Bar Aluyi zt’’l, and he should daven there with great kavana (fervency) as the Arizal taught him. The Arizal told him that Reb Yehuda Bar Aluyi would reveal the Zohar on Parshas Haazini when he was done davening. The Arizal also warned him not to speak to any person he encounters on the way.

Reb Yitzchak went to the Kever and davened fervently, but he didn’t hear anything from Reb Yehuda Bar Aluyi. Reb Yitzchak returned to his holy Rebbe, and with tears in his eyes, he said, “My Rebbe! I was the kever of Reb Yehuda Bar Aluyi, and I did everything Rebbe told me to, but didn’t get an answer from the holy Taana.”

The holy Arizal replied. “I saw that you spoke to an Arab. And it’s not like he greeted you first, but you greeted him first! Didn’t I tell you not to talk to people?”

Reb Yitzchak admitted that his Rebbe was right.

One can see how the words of a person can have an effect.