From Silence to Song: Healing Speech

We are in the auspicious window between Purim and Passover—two energies that, on the surface, seem opposite yet are deeply intertwined in the inner journey of redemption. It’s not just about leaving Egypt “back then.” It’s about uncovering the parts of ourselves still enslaved, still in constriction. And so much of that constriction lives… in our throats.

The journey from Purim to Pesach is a movement from the shadow of Amalek to the liberation of speech—from hiding and shame to authentic self-expression. And this year, for me, the personal and collective themes came together around one central idea: the healing of the voice.

The Inner Amalek: Rejection, Shame, and the Silence It Breeds

We often speak of Amalek as an external enemy, but Chassidut and Kabbalah teach us that the real work is internal. Amalek begins inside. And its origin is shockingly relatable.

The nation of Amalek, we are told, descended from a woman named Timna. Timna was a noblewoman who sought to convert and join the people of Israel. She approached our forefathers, but they turned her away. Instead of joining through holiness, she joined through exile—marrying Eliphaz, the son of Esav, and giving birth to Amalek.

What is Amalek, then, if not the bitter fruit of rejection?

Rejection, especially in early life, births shame. And shame is one of the deepest, most pervasive forms of constriction. It tells us we don't belong. That we shouldn't speak. That our truth is too much, too different, too dangerous. We begin to hold back our words, disconnect from our authentic voice, and suppress the very gift we came to bring into the world.

The Throat Chakra, Paro, and the Blockage of Speech

The Hebrew word for Egypt, Mitzrayim, means "constriction." It is not just a geographic location but a psychological and spiritual state. And Paro, the Pharaoh of Egypt, represents the internal force that keeps us stuck in silence.

The Arizal teaches that the word Paro shares the same letters as oref (neck). The blockage is at the back of the throat—the gate through which inner truth becomes outer expression.

When we feel shame, when we fear being judged, when we believe we’re not safe to speak—the neck tightens. The voice retreats. And our divine ability to create through words is diminished.

This is not just metaphor. Many people feel physical tightness in the throat, chronic coughing, or even illness in this area. It's where the body holds the trauma of silenced expression.

Moshe, Speech, and the Path of Compassionate Healing

The archetype of healing speech is none other than Moshe himself. He, too, struggled with his voice. When G-d appointed him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moshe resisted. "I am not a man of words," he said. "I have a slow tongue."

Moshe had a literal speech impediment. But G-d didn't dismiss him. Instead, G-d replied: "Who gives man a mouth? Is it not I, Hashem?" And yet, G-d also had compassion. He sent Aharon to be Moshe's mouthpiece until Moshe found his own voice.

The healing of speech is a process. It doesn't happen all at once. It requires compassion, support, patience, and faith. And we see that Moshe eventually transformed. By the end of his life, he had become the ultimate communicator. The final book of the Torah, Devarim ("Words"), is a long speech Moshe gives to the people. The man who once could not speak becomes the man of many words.

Repetition, Torah, and the Rewiring of Our Voice

How did Moshe transform? The Me’or Einayim teaches: "When one has difficulty with speech, repeat words of Torah."

Speech is a spiritual muscle. And Torah is a channel of divine consciousness. When we repeat sacred words—in learning, prayer, or song—we're not just studying; we are rewiring. We are aligning our personal voice with a higher voice.

And this takes repetition. Like a nervous system that's been trained by trauma to hide, the voice must be gently, lovingly retrained to open.

When we say the words of the Haggadah at the Seder table, we aren't just telling a story. We're healing our own constriction. We're declaring: I, too, am coming out of Egypt. I, too, will let my voice be heard.

Safe Spaces, Community, and the Healing Power of Being Seen

So many of us have experienced the pain of being silenced—by family, by society, by internalized patterns of people-pleasing or fear. But healing happens in community.

When we are given space to speak, to be vulnerable, to share our stories without judgment—something miraculous happens. The voice returns. The inner child breathes. The throat softens.

In a recent gathering, we shared openly about political rejection, COVID alienation, religious doubt, and childhood trauma. Again and again, people said: "I’m not used to speaking. But here, I feel safe."

Sometimes, healing speech doesn’t look like talking. Sometimes it looks like listening. Sometimes silence is the most powerful expression of authenticity. True communication includes both the words and the spaces between.

Pesach: The Holiday of the Speaking Soul

The word Pesach can be read as Peh Sach — "the mouth speaks." This is the season of speech. And not just any speech—redeemed speech. Speech that is aligned with truth. Speech that emerges from a heart healed from shame.

And so we come to the Seder table, not just to recount a historical event, but to re-enter our own story of liberation. We speak the words of the Haggadah, we sing, we ask, we tell. And in doing so, we participate in the healing of our collective throat.

Like the Israelites crossing the sea, we split open the waters of constriction and discover the joy of song. Az yashir Moshe — then Moshe sang. The one who couldn’t speak becomes the one who sings.

And so will we.

May this season of Pesach open all our voices. May we speak our truths, share our stories, and remember that we are not alone.

Redemption is not only a story. It’s a vibration. And it begins in the throat.

Listen to the episode: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/livekabbalah/episodes/From-Silence-to-Song-Healing-Speech-with-Miriam-e30t9o3