Guarding One's Mouth As A Means To Having One's Prayers Answered

לרפואת פרץ ישראל בן בתיה קיילא
ובנימין בן רחל בתוך שח"י
The gemara [Brachos perek 5] says that one may not daven after speaking idle chatter [דברים בטלים]. Why not? I know PLENTY of people who daven after having spoken lots of idle chatter. As a matter of fact, the vast majority of chatter that goes on in this world is idle-nonsensical-empty-shallow-meaningless-blabber-blabber-blabber??

A Jew has a TREMENDOUS כח הדיבור - power of speech. We can build and destroy spiritual words with our mouths. מוות וחיים ביד הלשון - Life and death are in the hands of the tongue. About the greatest aveira is done with the mouth [lashon hara - see the Chofetz Chaim's Shmiras Halashon for great mussar on that], for nivvul peh [most of what passes for popular entertainment today] young people die [Shabbos perek sheni] etc. etc. The greatest mitzva is done with the mouth [Talmud Torah]. Your mouth can make something forbidden for benefit according to the Torah [see all of maseches nedarim], your mouth can make Shabbos happen even before it is actually Shabbos. If you curse or bless you can create a new reality etc. etc.

We MUST appreciate the power of speech.

If one davens after speaking idle chatter, then he clearly doesn't value his speech properly. If that is the case then how will the words of prayer that he says have the desired effect? To make the tfilla happen is to realize how potent your words are.

Guard your mouth not only from forbidden speech but from empty speech as well.

Have your tfillos answered.

Bi-ahava,
Me:-)

[A snippet from a shiur in Ayn Ayah - see Oros Hakodesh Part 3 for UNREAL deep mystical secrets about the power of speech]