GEN359 Whoever increases words brings on sin. Pirkei Avot I:17. A classic illustration of this can be found in the Biblical account of the Serpent’s subtle inducement of Eve to eat of the forbidden Tree of Knowledge.  When he asked her about the prohibition, Eve asserted that the Almighty had commanded: “And you shall not touch it.” [this verse]. Actually, Eve had “increased words,” because the Divine command had never really prohibited touching the tree.  Once she uttered this exaggeration, it was easy for the Serpent to make her touch the tree and show her that no ill effects resulted.  Then he could argue by analogy that eating would likewise result in no harm. When you add words that are unnecessary you can be led to sin.  Our Sages tell us that even speaking well of your friend can often lead to slander.  Talmud, Arakin 16a.  You may start off with a perfectly innocuous remark that a certain man is a wonderful father.  Your companion, warming to the subject, may then be tempted to point out that while this is true, the man is terrible husband! A third person present may pick up the thread at this point and reinforce the last speaker with a vile anecdote about the man and his business life.  What started out as “harmless” gossip can end in misunderstanding, envy, and hatred.  In fact, the more you may then attempt to defend the man, the more you may stimulate and arouse the others to refuse your opinion with all sorts of allegations and insinuations.  The more you talk, the more sin you are causing. There is a Hassidic teaching that everything under the sun teaches a moral lesson, even modern inventions: for example, the train, the telegraph and the telephone.   From a train you can learn that sometimes because of a minute you can miss making an entire trip.  From the telegraph you can learn that for each word there is a charge.  From the telephone you can learn that what you speak here is heard “over there,” in the supernal realms.  SINAI1 105