Like the amazing thing you have to offer just isn't... quite good enough?

Well, let's dive into a fascinating little parable from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy. It touches on exactly that feeling.

Rabbi Tanhuma, a well-known sage, tells a story. Imagine a merchant hawking his wares, calling out, "Here is purple wool! Here is purple wool!" Now, purple wool in those days? That was a luxury item, the kind of thing fit for royalty.

The king, hearing the merchant's cry, takes notice. He summons the man and asks, "What are you selling?" And here's where it gets interesting. The merchant replies, "Nothing."

The king, understandably confused, challenges him. "But I heard you! You were clearly advertising purple wool. How can you say you have nothing?"

The merchant explains, "My lord, it is true that it's purple wool. But for you, it's nothing. It's not of a quality worthy of a king."

Think about that for a moment. The merchant acknowledges the value of his product, at least to the general public. But he also recognizes that it falls short of the king's standards. He's being honest, maybe even a little self-deprecating. Etz Yosef, a commentary on the Midrash, explains that the merchant was announcing to the masses that he had purple wool, but it was not of a quality worthy of a king, and therefore to the king he said that he had nothing.

So, what does this have to do with Moses?

The Midrash connects this parable to Moses’ famous reluctance to speak. Before God, the ultimate King, the creator of language itself, Moses says, "I am not a man of words" (Exodus 4:10). He felt inadequate, perhaps, to the task of speaking for God.

But when it comes to the Israelites, the people he's leading? It's different. It is written in his regard: “These are the words.” Moses finds the words to speak to his people, to teach them, to guide them.

Isn't that a powerful insight? Sometimes, we might feel inadequate when facing the ultimate authority, the highest standard. We might feel like what we have to offer isn’t good enough. But perhaps, like Moses, we can still find our voice, our "purple wool," when it comes to connecting with those around us. When it comes to sharing our gifts with the people who need them.

Maybe it's not about perfection. Maybe it's about finding the right audience for our "purple wool," and speaking our truth, even if it feels a little rough around the edges.