Selihot (part of the liturgical leadup to the High Holy Days) makes use of words—prayers, poems, please—to ask for Divine compassion as we contemplate our wrongdoing over the past year. The liturgy of the High Holy Days places tremendous emphasis on how we use our words, affirming the Biblical proverb: “The tongue (speech) has power over death and life.” What would happen if we took this proverb literally? Metaphorically? Seriously?