What Made Moses Speak?
Early in his career Moses says, "I am not a man of words." (Exodus 4:10) By the time of the Book of Deuteronomy, we read, "These are the words which Moses spoke." Tongue-tied Moses has become a speaker! What caused the change?


Maybe it is the Torah which made him a speaker. Politicians have speech-writers and so did Moses, except that in his case God was his speech-writer. Maybe it is leadership that made him a speaker. His experiences, challenges and decisions moved him and gave him the gift of words.


The best answer is suggested by Rashbam in his commentary on Exodus 4:10. He says that the problem was not that Moses had a serious speech defect or a lack of verbal fluency. He simply did not want to be known as a mere orator word spinner, but as a worker. How often have I heard it said about a public figure, including rabbis, "He is wonderful at giving speeches, but what else can he do?"


It is said that at an 1897 conference of Russian Jews, Rabbi Shmuel Mohilever insisted that all speeches be in Yiddish. Some people found that very difficult and would have preferred to speak Russian, Polish or German. Nonetheless, Rabbi Mohilever was adamant.


"If you have to speak in Yiddish you will prepare properly, you will weigh your words and be relevant and concise. You won't waste time on rhetoric and we will be able to get on with the practical work," he said.

This Shabbat we read the second version of the Ten Commandments.



Two Versions of the Commandments
This Shabbat we read the second version of the Ten Commandments. The first version is in parashat Yitro and is better known. Certain words are different in this week's version. For example, in the tenth commandment, dealing with coveting, the original verb is tachmod ("desire"), while the second version has titaveh ("crave").


In one sense, the two verbs are the same: they both tell us there is no problem in being ambitious and wanting things - the problem comes when it is at someone else's expense. One of the differences is that coveting takes place in your heart. You should not desperately feel you want that which is your neighbour's. Craving goes one step further and involves your actions. For example, Micah 2:1-2 says, "Woe to them that plot iniquity.... They covet fields and seize them." Seizing what isn't yours is a grave and, indeed, criminal sin. It is a serious moral offence even to covet it.