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Parshat Vaeira emphasizes time and again the importance of the voice. There are repeated references to Moses speaking to the Hebrews and to Pharaoh without results. Moses is afraid to use his authentic voice as he is self conscious of its limitations. Aaron serves as a mouthpiece for Moses because of this discomfort. God ultimately provides the words and Moses and Aaron deliver the message to Pharaoh. Eventually, although it will take ten plagues and much death and destruction to do so, Moses and Aaron's voices win and the Hebrew slaves are set free.
This short poem explores the power and responsibility that go along with having a voice.
To Moshe and Aharon b'nei Amram v'Yochevet, whose voices, with God's help, helped to free a people.
And to those who use your voices for good, this is for you.
You Have a Voice
Your eyes may reveal your soul
Your hands may reveal your vocation
Your smile might reveal your mood
Your voice, like the color of your eyes
or the shape of your hands
is given to you at birth,
and provides the powerful gift of words
The sound may be barely a whisper
or loud and booming
It may be shrill or deep
it may falter or it may howl
it may sing out or reach to the depths
It may emerge imperfectly
You may stutter or stammer
Your words may not flow like water
but splatter like oil in a hot pan
But nevertheless it is your voice
It has power!
Fear may be a wall between your voice and others
Ideas may clutter in your head
but the words exit your mouth haltingly
Syllable by syllable, each word has value
no matter the speed or the rhythm
Your words will be heard
Your message may be simple
or wildly complex
Perhaps a muffled message
whispered into an ear
or a purposeful shout to a crowd
Words chosen carefully
a voice authentic and true.
Remember its power is awesome
and is always to be respected
Your voice matters
Do not allow silence to win
Do not box yourself in
Let your voice ring out
Your voice can move mountains
It can open the gates of heaven
Your voice carries your prayers and demands,
your hopes and dreams, your love,
your dissent.
Without your voice we are all diminished
May you always use your voice to comfort and inspire
to soothe and lift up
May your voice always speak truth
May your voice be powerful but never harsh
May poetry escape your lips, no matter the speed or cadence
It is your beautiful voice that harmonizes with the voices of the millions
It is your powerful voice that makes democracy
It is your chosen words that change history
It is your holy words that set people free
Exodus 6:12 (Translation from Sefaria)
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵ֤ן בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֣וּ אֵלַ֔י וְאֵיךְ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֣נִי פַרְעֹ֔ה וַאֲנִ֖י עֲרַ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽיִם׃ (פ)
But Moses appealed to the LORD, saying, “The Israelites would not listen to me; how then should Pharaoh heed me, a man of impeded speech!”
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