Parashas Vaeira · Side page (no TT primary unit)
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵ֤ן בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֣וּ אֵלַ֔י וְאֵיךְ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֣נִי פַרְעֹ֔ה וַאֲנִ֖י עֲרַ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽיִם׃ {פ}
But Moses appealed to GOD, saying, “The Israelites would not listen to me; how then should Pharaoh heed me, me—who gets tongue-tied!”dwho gets tongue-tied Lit. “uncircumcised of lips.”
Shemos Rabbah 6:2 — EXTRA.
ואני ערל שפתים —\ldots כבד פה וכבד לשון.
English: “And I am of uncircumcised lips” — \ldots heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue.
Custom
Chazal connect the phrase to Moshe’s ongoing difficulty of speech.