What is Imposter Syndrome?
National Institute of Health
Imposter syndrome is a behavioral health phenomenon described as self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments among high-achieving individuals. These individuals cannot internalize their success and subsequently experience pervasive feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, depression, and/or apprehension of being exposed as a fraud in their work, despite verifiable and objective evidence of their success.
Discussion Questions
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Can you relate at all to the feeling described in the definition above?
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How does your environment play a role in this feeling?
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In what ways does this feeling affect your day-to-day life? Your life in general?
Imposter Syndrome in the Torah
(10) But Moses said to יהוה, “Please, O my lord, I have never been a man of words, either in times past or now that You have spoken to Your servant; I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (11) And יהוה said to him, “Who gives humans speech? Who makes them dumb or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, יהוה? (12) Now go, and I will be with you as you speak and will instruct you what to say.” (13) But he said, “Please, O my lord, make someone else Your agent.”
Discussion Questions
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How does Moses respond to G-d’s call at the burning bush?
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Why does G-d ask such a question in response to Moses’s hesitation?
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How does this situation relate to the concept of imposter syndrome?
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Was Moses’s hesitation warranted?
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How can we use this situation to give us confidence in our own lives when we are struggling with imposter syndrome?
“Why Was Aaron Ashamed?” Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
The sages were puzzled by the instruction, “Come near.” This seems to imply that Aaron had until then kept a distance from the altar. Why so? Rashi gives the following explanation: “Aaron was ashamed and fearful of approaching the altar. Moses said to him: ‘Why are you ashamed? It was for this that you were chosen.’”
“That,” implied Moses, “is why you were chosen. You know what sin is like. You know what it is to feel guilt. You more than anyone else understand the need for repentance and atonement. You have felt the cry of your soul to be cleansed, purified and wiped free of the stain of transgression. What you think of as your greatest weakness will become, in this role you are about to assume, your greatest strength.”
Discussion Questions
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Why does Aaron feel that he shouldn’t approach the altar?
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How does this situation relate to the concept of imposter syndrome?
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How does Moses’s experience with imposter syndrome assist him in making Aaron feel understood?
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Are there ways in which we can turn our own weaknesses into strengths?
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What else can we learn from these excerpts about making mistakes, moving forward, and knowing that we aren’t alone?
Countering Imposter Syndrome
(27) And God created humankind in the divine image, creating it in the image of God...
(טז) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה. אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, נוֹתְנִים לְךָ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ. וְדַע מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא:
(16) He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it; If you have studied much Torah, you shall be given much reward. Faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor; And know that the grant of reward unto the righteous is in the age to come.
Discussion Questions
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How can the concept of B'tzelem Elohim (in the image of G-d) be helpful in allowing us to feel less like imposters?
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What does the second excerpt say about the expectation of responsibility and accomplishment?
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How can we implement these ideas in our lives to counteract imposter syndrome?