Supernal Song
Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
What is song? A string of continuous notes? Word images? Or is it something much deeper, less tangible, yet containing profound messages? Our Parshah, Beshalach, contains the masterful Song of the Sea that will hopefully give us some insight into our questions. We will also note that Biblical Song is a genre in its own right with a deeply poetic voice.
Bnei Yisroel, having survived centuries of servitude in Egypt, and, after witnessing miraculous plagues that Hashem brought down upon the Egyptians, are hastily chased out of Egypt, redeemed from this oppression. Yet after only three days, Pharaoh regrets allowing the Israelites to leave. He gathers his chariots and horsemen and pursues Bnei Yisroel, trapping them at the shores of the Red Sea. At Hashem's instructions, Bnei Yisroel move forward into the Sea. Miraculously, the Sea splits before them, allowing them to cross safely. Hot in pursuit, the Egyptians follow them, only to have the Sea return to its original place, drowning the Egyptians army, chariots and all.
"אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל ויאמרו לאמר... Then Moshe Rabbenu and Bnei Yisroel sang and said saying..." The overriding question is why did Moshe Rabbenu and Bnei Yisroel sing only now, not after witnessing any of the other miracles preceding their exodus? In fact, this "song" is so meaningful that this entire Shabbat is called Shabbat Shirah, The Shabbat of Song; the Shabbat itself becomes song, notes Rabbi Mordechai Ezrachiz zt”l. And why do we have a mixture of times, אז/then implying the past while ישיר is the future, will sing? And to whom were they expressing themselves, "saying", asks Rabbi Druck?
Rabbi Ezrachi defines song as the method of encapsulating an experience, all its moments and emotions, and making it meaningful. The genesis of the idea was in the past, oz/then, explains Rabbi Druck. Once the desire to sing entered Moshe Rabbenu's mind, holy inspiration/ruach hakodesh entered Moshe Rabbenu's being and the words and song arose spontaneously.
In Mima'amakim, Rabbi Moshe Shapira zt”l. notes that the Torah here does not use the word zemer, a synonym for song, but shirah. He notes that shir has additional connotations that shed light and add meaning to our song. Twice, the word is used to mean bracelet. The Prophet Isaiah in 3:19 uses the actual word, hasheirot, and Onkelos translates the bracelets Eliezer gave Rivka, the tzemidim. as shirin. Rabbi Shapira notes yet another related connection to circle, as the walls that encircle a city, the walls young women would climb to catch a glimpse of Yosef.
Rabbi Shapira suggests that song arises when the circle closes, when we see how all the previous events were connected to bring us back to this place. It was only after the splitting of the Sea that Bnei Yisroel could look back and understand how all they had gone through were steps necessary to reach this point, how all the individual pieces fit together to create the notes in perfect harmony, circling back to accomplish the original goal, that everything in the seven [ז] of creation reveals the [א] the Aloofoh shel olam, the Master of the world, often hidden, now revealed.
On a similar note, Rabbi Beyfus explains that Bnei Yisroel could not sing shirah immediately after leaving Mitzrayim. While each previous experience was awe inspiring, only when all the experiences were completed could they see the pattern and put the notes together. Only with the splitting of the Sea could Bnei Yisroel see in retrospect that Hashem was with them throughout their enslavement, even when His face was concealed. [Perhaps, as the Medrash relates, Bnei Yisroel saw that the "horses and riders"suffered longer or shorter deaths in the Sea according to how cruel they were to Bnei Yisroel. Then they knew Hashem was with them as saw them through it all. CKS]
Rabbi Pincus zt”l. tells of a group of Jews fleeing the Holocaust headed for Australia by ship. The sailors, although paid for the voyage itself, wanted to inflict emotional pain on their passengers. They threw overboard many of their personal possessions, books and letters. The ship was not destroyed by the German Navy and arrived safely in Australia. Only years later did they learn that the Germans, having found letters with German writing, assumed the passengers were German citizens, not Jews. The cause of their original anguish was the very means of their salvation. Then they could praise God even for their pain; their experience had come full circle.
When we recite this song in our daily prayers, we need to internalize this message. Although we may be going through difficult, challenging times and Hashem's presence is concealed from us, we must not lose faith, for Hashem is always with us, always sees and knows all. It was the actualization of this faith that led to the spontaneous expression of song. As Rabbi Schorr zt”l.writes in Ohr Gedalyahu, the song was not about only this moment, but about how all the pieces fit together, even the notes of the exile. Therefore, Parshat Ha'azinu, which foretells both the glorious and the tragic times in our history, is called a shirah to write for future generations. Similarly, Dovid Hamelech writes in Tehillim 101:1, "Of [both] kindness and justice do I sing."They are all part of the symphony of life, just as both the black, somber sounding keys, and the white, uplifting keys of the piano are necessary to create music, so do both the dark and the bright times create the symphony of our lives.
Song expresses emotion. Although it is expressed in words, it originates in the heart. Rabbi Frand cites the Gemara that teaches that shirah must be recited over wine, as at the celebratory blessings of a wedding or a bris. They are paired, suggests Rabbi Frand, because both wine and song reveal the inner emotions of the heart. It is for this reason that the brick design in the written format of this Song has more white space than black space in the print, for we are filled with more emotion than can be expressed in words. Further, this unique pattern begins not with the words themselves, but with the original intent, with the introductory words of Oz Yashir...
Song is a spontaneous eruption from the soul. We see the whole process, and how all the pieces fit together. Therefore, although we generally do not recite Hallel at night, we do recite Hallel at the Seder, writes Rabbi Asher Weiss, as an emotional expression of our joy. Some even have the custom of holding the cup of wine during this Hallel.
This pent up joy needs release, and it expresses itself in song, a song that breaks down barriers between ourselves and our Creator, writes Rabbi Alpert zt”l.. When the Torah writes ויאמרו לאמר /And they said, saying..., they were not relaying these words to others, but to themselves, as these word burst forth from their innermost heart, articulating their deepest emotions.
In Shemen Hatov, Rabbi Weinberger zt”l. observes that musical notes are written on a staff of straight lines, lines that are ישר. Some notes are above the line and some are below the line, but they are all connected to the lines. This whole parshah is replete with ups and downs of Bnei Yisroel, with complaints and fears in contrast to the miracles throughout. The whole Shabbat, and our entire lives, are one, full song with both ups and downs. A straight line on an electrocardiogram, a line without ups and downs, is catastrophic,is lifeless.
Song should be more than intellectual and emotional. Every bone of my body should sing God's praises (Tehillim 35:10). my entire being should be part of that song, writes the Netivot Shalom. The goal of a Jew is to continuously accept and be happy with everything Hashem gives you, for it is all for your benefit. Bnei Yisroel "said, saying this song" was for themselves and for all future generations. Recognize that what we perceive as good or bad is all equal, and all for our benefit, all good.
Every Shabbat we verbalize that idea in the Psalm for the Shabbat Day: "...To relate Your kindness in the dawn and Your faith in the nights." If every Shabbat is a Day of Song, then this Shabbat is the Shabbat of Song of Songs for on Shabbat. We see the full picture, "All will thank You and all will praise You."
The song expresses our belief not only in the Creator of the world, but in His constant involvement in the world and in our personal life. We realize our life force, and the life force of every creature comes directly in a straight line from Hashem. "Nature" itself is a direct result of God's hidden presence in the world. When we sing our song, it is the catalyst for all of creation to sing its various songs to Hashem. That, explains the Sifsei Da'as is the reason for the causative form of ישיר. Bnei Yisroel sang and caused the world to sing. "אז... לאמור, then they sang, and caused others to sing, "telling" them, "Sing."
Song, then, is about bringing the glory of God into the world. With this realization, our faith is strengthened, we tend to be less angry, and we lead a more contented life.
In Ohr Gedalyahu, Rabbi Schorr brings us a beautiful idea based on the special Kedushah of Shabbat. "We will... sanctify You according to the counsel of the holy Seraphim..." The holy angels, explains Rabbi Schorr, have six wings (Isaiah 6:2), one to sing praises to Hashem each day of the week. The seventh day is reserved for Bnei Yisroel to sing praises to Hashem. Our mission is to raise people up as the wings raise a bird, and bring them all closer to a revelation of Godliness, to bring them to see God in every blade of grass, in every aspect of the world.
Shabbos is full of references to angels, from inviting them into our homes on Friday night, singing Shalom Aleichem, to multiple references in zemirot and in our prayers, reminds us Rabbi Zucker. As we sing, we become more angelic as we understand more deeply how Hashem is the source of all life. In fact, the two times we burst forth in Song in the Torah are both times we were saved from death, here and in Bamidbar 21:17. Shabbat brings us back to the days of creation when we heard the songs emanating from every creature, for all understood that it was Hashem Who animated them.
Song is different from praise, explains Rabbi Lopiansky in Golden Apples. Praise is logical, and therefore has limitations. Song, on the other hand, is an overflowing of emotions that transcends time and reason, encapsulating past present and future. Hence, oz yashir, then they would sing. We understand that we are always dependent on Hashem, not just at this moment.
When Bnei Yisroel "walked on the dry land within the Sea," they realized that although they were in the Sea, Hashem was watching over them. We need to recognize that Hashem is always watching over us, that everything exists through His loving kindness. This is the message we must transmit to future generations, לאמר, writes Rabbi Tuvyah Weiss zt”l.
Just as Dovid Hamelech constantly sang shirah to Hashem, we should sing also sing shirah to Hashem constantly. We are told that our parnassah, our sustenance is linked to the splitting of the Sea. Therefore Rabbi Pincus zt”l. urges us to take every opportunity to sing shirah to Hashem. Every time we open our refrigerator, for example, we are faced with the food that Hashem in His benevolence has bestowed upon us.
Our lives are full of patterns that connect us o Hashem. Sometimes the patterns to Him are obvious. Often these patterns are hidden, but the lines are always there, whether we see them or not.
We too need to sing shirah to Hashem and internalize the truth of ki l'olam chasdo, His loving kindness is forever.