For me, one of the most touching moments in the Torah is found in Parasha Shemot, during a conversation between Moses and God.
Life has really changed for Moses. Once the prince of a great empire, Moses is now an outcast, a shepherd working for his father-in-law. One day, as Moses guides his sheep deep into the wilderness, he sees a strange sight: a bush on fire that is not…burning. How strange!
It is then that God reveals Himself to Moses and discloses some very big news. God has chosen Moses to lead the Israelite people out of slavery in Egypt.
Moses is shocked and confused. He certainly does not feel qualified to take on this important role.
“Please, my Lord,” says Moses. “I am not a man of words, not since yesterday nor since the day before yesterday, nor since You first spoke to Your servant, for I am heavy of mouth and heavy of speech.”
This is all so relatable. Moses feels insecure because he has a speech disorder. How could he, a man who struggles to communicate, help God redeem the Israelite nation? Surely God requires someone polished and eloquent to lead the people. Surely this must be a mistake.
But God’s reply to Moses is perfect. “Who makes a mouth for a man…is it not I, Hashem?”
As an educator, these words speak to my heart. We all (students and teachers alike) have difficulties and struggles. But these difficulties do not preclude us from serving out our “mission” in life. In fact, this Torah story seems to imply that even our obstacles were divinely created.
During my first semester as a student in the Early Childhood Master’s Program at AJU, I participated in a class called B’Tzalmo (In His image): Addressing Special Needs in a Jewish Early Childhood Program. This class focused on reframing our perspective regarding children with special needs. How can we, as teachers, empower our students who struggle in certain areas? How can we use conscious discipline to help our students succeed in the classroom and beyond?
Just as Hashem saw Moses as more than his speech disorder, we all have the opportunity to view our students positively—looking at their strengths instead of their weaknesses; seeing them as souls, perfectly designed by our creator.
Even Moses, one of the most important people in our Torah, struggled with his speech. God reminded him, as God reminds all of us, that our struggles do not define us. We all have the ability to rise to our fullest potential.