The Holiness of Man Rests in the Power of Speech

In Parshas Matos we are given the mitzvah of nedarim, vows. The Midrash says:

If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth (Bamidbar 30:3). This pasuk means to say: v'adam biy'kar bal yalin nimshal ka'behemos nidmu. Nevertheless [if a] man does not abide in honor [i.e. does not keep his word or is not careful with his speech]; he is like the beasts that perish (Tehillim 49:13).

This Midrash is very difficult to understand. What does honor have to do with changing your mind? Why is the Torah so strict concerning breaking your word or not following what you said? What is so terrible? What if you just changed your mind? Why is it any different than acting one way today and changing your behavior tomorrow? Does something get broken in the process of change when you change your mind with with words, that does not break when you act differently? What is the big deal if you are not careful with what you say?

I believe the Rambam’s explanation of the Gemara, hirhurei averah kashu me’averah is relevant to understanding this Midrash. The Rambam says:

There is a well-known saying of the Rabbis, “The thoughts about the sin are more dangerous than the sin itself (Yoma 29a).” When a person is disobedient, this is due to certain accidents connected to the corporeal element in his constitution; for man sins only by his animal nature, whereas thinking is a faculty of man connected with his form, -- a person who thinks sinfully sins therefore by means of the nobler portion of his self; and he who wrongly causes a foolish slave to work does not sin as much as he who wrongly causes a noble and free man to do the work of a slave. For this specifically human element, with all its properties and powers, should only be employed in suitable work, in attempts to join higher beings, and not in attempts to go down and reach the lower creatures…This gift of speech, therefore, which God gave us in order to enable us to perfect ourselves, to learn and to teach, must not be employed in doing that which is for us most degrading and perfectly disgraceful; we must not imitate the songs and tales of ignorant and lascivious people. It may be suitable for them but not for a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Those who employ the faculty of thinking and speaking in the service of that sense which is no honor to us, who think more than necessary of drink and love, or even to sing of these things; they employ and use the divine gift in acts of rebellion against the Giver, and in the transgression of His commandments.
--Moreh III, 8

The Midrash means to say: Why is the Torah so strict concerning breaking your word or not following what you said? Man is on a higher level because he has the power to think and speak. When man lowers himself, acts disgracefully, abuses the power of speech for lewdness and obscenity or is careless about the vows he makes with his mouth, then he is indeed lower like a behemah. When man does not act honorably, he is like a beast.

The holiness of man should be elevated, not degraded. This concept is something that was part of the Slabodka derekh in mussar. The concept of romemus ha’adam, that the elevated status of man should be a constant reminder to refrain from vulgar speech and low behavior. Rather, man should strive to reach the highest levels of kedushas haguf and kedushas hapeh, holiness in behavior and speech. It behooves man to act according to his higher status.