The joke goes something like this: God asked Moshe to choose which country in the world the Jews should live in after the desert. He wanted to say Canada, an enormous land rich in resources. But with his stutter he said “C-C-Cana-C-C-Cana….” Which is why we wound up in Cana’an¹, a land that’s mostly a desert!² 

Jokes aside, Moshe struggled with a speech impediment. He pleaded three times, saying he was “not a man of words,”³ unfit for leadership. Eventually he became arguably the most iconic leader in Jewish history. Now at the end of his life in Parashat Devarim, Moshe makes a goodbye speech for 40 days. But how? What happened to his stutter?⁴ 

The Sfat Emet⁵ says that Moshe’s ability to speak depended on the Jewish people actually listening to him. When they were rebellious, he had the stutter; when they listened, he could speak clearly. So, the impediment wasn’t innate. It depended on the dynamic between the leader and his people.  

There’s a lesson for each of us in this. Leadership is symbiotic, not solo. The relationship between a leader and a follower is always co-created. Earn trust, then talk. Earn trust, then lead.  

The next time you sit down with someone, listen, really listen, show them you want to hear them – and they will become like Moshe – talking just a little louder and a little stronger.  

Shabbat Shalom!