Speech is the expression of the soul
The letter pei in its full form is pei hei — peh, a mouth. Speech, which we do with our mouths, is the expression of the soul. The Torah (Bereishis 2:7) tells us that when Hashem implanted Adam with a neshamah, this made him into a living being, which Targum Onkelos explains as “one who speaks.” So many aspects of Judaism are founded on speech: vows are only binding if spoken, Shabbos must be made holy with words, teshuvah must be verbalized. In other relationships the same holds true: we can’t assume people are mind readers; it becomes our responsibility to communicate what’s in our heart.
The pasuk states, “V’shinantam levanecha v’dibarta bam — teach words of Torah to your children and speak them” (Devarim 6:7). The oft-quoted principle of “actions speak louder than words” isn’t exclusionary. When you’re cooking up a storm for another family, say to your family members, “I’m making this food for someone because they had a baby and need help now.”
Pei’s gematria is 80, the age when Moshe Rabbeinu gave over the Torah to Bnei Yisrael; his mouth was the conduit for bringing Hashem into this world. Pirkei Avos (5:21) explains that age 80 is the age of gevurah, strength. Not physical prowess, but rather the point when one’s spiritual might outweigh his physical. On Har Sinai, Moshe overcame his limitations by abstaining from food and drink, so Hashem rewarded him by healing his mouth from its childhood wounds (Yalkut Shimoni). We can tap into this koach of 80 to overcome the urge for using our mouths in natural, albeit damaging ways, and elevate them towards a G-dly purpose.
Previously Moshe had said to Hashem, “Kvad peh u’kvad lashon anochi. I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (Shemos 4:10) Moshe’s speech impediment made him sound almost childish, and so he begged not to be His representative. But Hashem replied “Mi sam peh l’adam? Who gives humans speech?” (ibid 4:11) The same Hashem who had caused this was of course capable of making him heard. When we feel stuck, like we don’t have the words to fill the hole in someone else or to rectify the situation, that is where we must reach out to Hashem for help. “Hashem sefasai tiftach….”
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