was just in a couple days and I was really excited but I was nervous about
one thing one very strange thing actually you know in the observant
circles there's a custom that's kind of like the Jewish version of the bachelor
party that a groom just the Shabbat before the wedding goes up to the Torah
to say a blessing over the Torah on the Shabbat before the wedding
he's called up in a nice singsong everybody shears or claps and throws
candy at the groom that's what happens usually it's pretty quick simple nobody
thinks too much about it but I was freaking out about that particular
blessing I was supposed to make over the Torah why let's back up a couple years I
grew up with a debilitating stutter I. Couldn't speak I couldn't order pizza at
the pizza shop I couldn't answer a question in class I couldn't say the
word hello over the phone and I often couldn't even say my own name that's how
badly I stuttered thankfully I was able to find ways over the next number of
years to word switch which means I. Creatively find ways that when I know
that I'm going to stutter on a word I. Maneuver around the word and I use a
synonym a different word I'm able to get around it that's why I'm able to do
these videos going into the wedding that blessing had me freaking out because
that blessing I can't word switch I.
Can't use synonyms when I'm making a
blessing at the Torah there's set text that I got to write
about God and about the blessing and about the Torah there's nothing else
that I could do. I was really nervous. I. Was okay with the fact that I stuttered
I became comfortable with it in my teenage years but I wasn't in the mood
for a full-out stuttering episode in front of all the future family friends
and cousins and neighbors who were coming to celebrate and we're all
excited for this particular event.
I got it to the tour anyways and I decided I'm
just gonna do this and if I stutter it's okay my hands are sweaty my palms are
wet and I look inside the Torah so that the
person beside me who's reading can show me the first six words where he's about
to begin. As soon as my eyes connect with those six words I start to not just
shake but to tremble tears well up in my eyes. Those six words absolutely blew me
away. The following are the six words VaYomer
Hashem el Moshe, God said to Moses, or Moshe or Moe my Hebrew name Moshe.
Again
God said to Moe or Moshe al tira. Al tira - do not fear - God said to Moshe al
tira do not fear do not fear God was telling me Moshe
don't fear. He wasn't telling me Moshe it's going to be easy. He wasn't telling
me Moshe it's going to be smooth it wasn't smooth and it wasn't easy it's
not smooth and it's not easy but He was telling me these two words that stay
with me every single day al tira do not fear I'm here with you I love you I
care about you more than you can possibly imagine
I know it's hard with your stutter but don't worry I'm with you it's there for
a reason al tira it's all for the best those
words out here I have stayed with me ever since.
Every day I think about the
words al tira whether it's worrying about my stutter or other challenges
that I go through al tira God gives them to me with love He takes care of me
He is involved every single moment of my life. Sometimes He will send these
prophetic messages and other times it seems like He's hiding but He's always
there. Al tira. Let us all recognize that message about
tira whether it's VaYomer hashem el Moshe insert your name there.
God wants us to
recognize that He gives us everything with love with care with compassion the
challenges our beautiful gifts they're just wrapped in
different way. May we be blessed to incorporate that message into our lives
and lead much more meaningful and happier lives as a result.
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