Posts Tagged ‘t. harv eker’

NOTE: This speech was written entirely by 12 year old William Sheiner for the occasion of his Bar Mitzvah.  It is posted here as it was delivered.

When you were young, and your parents asked you to do your homework or chores, did you ever try to get out of it?  Make excuses to not do it?  Even talk back your parents about doing it?  I know I do all those things.  Go on, raise your hand.  Yep, that’s what I thought.  It’s somewhat of a Jewish tradition.  In today’s parsha, we see this behavior go all the way back to Moses.  Moses did all of those things to G-d when he was asked to lead the Jews out of Egypt.  But we know Moses to be the wonderful prophet who did lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

When G-d asks Moses to lead the Israelites, Moses gives G-d five excuses to try to get out of leading the Jews out of Egypt.  First Moses askes G-d, “Who am I to lead these people?”  Second, Moses says, “What if the Israelites ask your name, oh Lord?”  Third, Moses asks, “How shall I prove to them I spoke with you, oh Lord?”  Fourth, Moses says, “I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.  How shall I speak to the Israelites?”  Finally, Moses begs to G-d, “Send someone else, please send someone else.”

For all of these excuses, G-d has answers.  Read the rest of this entry »