Message Detail Subject: Insight 5767-14: CONCERN FOR SPEECH Author: sshapiro@yad-jdec.org Date: 1/24/2007 I appreciated reading this insight... Rav Hecht addressed Moshe's valid concern very well. As a woman with a significant speech impediment who is very involved and vocal in the public sphere, I am continually concerned about how I come across and I plan accordingly. Therefore, I surmise that Moshe's concern for how well he'd be understood probably entered into his first question to G-d as well. I ask that we all think about leadership and what made Moshe G-d's choice leader and spokesman for Am Yisroel. Today, we judge our leaders on the ways in which they express their thoughts and secondarily on content. One might hear another say, "I don't understand his point, but he's a great speaker." Contrarily, God doesn't seem to deem one's facility with speech to be the essence of leadership. Also, I conject, though I have no proof text, that Moshe's reliance on Aaron may have lessened over time because he became more confident and the "receivers" became accustomed to his speech. They mustered up the patience and incentive to lower their resistance, listen, and understand. A speaker with a significant speech impediment might be offering the listener a million dollars. If the listener has no patience at all to listen or to seek another way to understand, s/he might lose that million bucks. God's response to Moshe and what it conveys about leadership capacity and "reasonable accomodations&" (Aaron) is very important should be discussed as well. Thank you for this opportunity to reply. Sharon Shapiro, Founding CEO Yad HaChazakah-The Jewish Disability Empowerment Center, Inc. c/o Bikkurim 111 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10011 Tel. & 711 TTY Relay 212-284-6936 sshapiro@yad-jdec.org Lead primarily by Jews with disabilities and chronic health conditions, Yad HaChazakah - The Jewish Disability Empowerment Center Inc. provides support services, advocacy, and educational forums so that Jews with disabilities and chronic health conditions can live, love, learn, earn, worship and lead as valued members of their communities. We work to remove attitudinal barriers and increase physical, communication, and program access to Jewish community establishments, programs and events. Yad HaChazakah-JDEC is a nonprofit organization supported by Bikkurim and your generous donations.