Parshat Beshalach 5765
January 21, 2005

Shabbat Shira (Az Yashir I)

This Shabbos is affectionately referred to by Jews around the globe as Shabbos Shira – The Shabbos of Song. The reason for this is because this week we read in Parshat Beshalach – The famous Az Yashir sung by Moshe, Miriam, and the entire Jewish nation after they crossed through the Yam Suf / Sea of Reeds and witnessed the strength and providence of G-d above.

The definition of the word Shira is spontaneous song. After the children of Israel experienced the splitting of the Yam Suf, crossing through on dry land, and witnessing the drowning of their oppressors a song burst from their hearts and mouths – the Az Yashir.

HaRav Chaim Friedlander explains that there is a relationship between the word Shira –song and Shura – an organized line/row. The implication is that a musical composition, a Shira / a Song is organized neatly with precision like a Shura row /line. A deeper look would suggest that when we are witness to the divine hand of the Almighty and we recognize his powerful and perfect orchestration of His world, we are driven to Shira / Song.

The sages question the grammatical tense of the opening line of the song. Why does it read (in future tense) Az Yashir, let it instead read Az Shar – And Moshe sang (in the past tense)? The Talmud advances the answer that the Torah is not only relating to the song of that time, it is also foretelling that in the Messianic Era – Az Yashir Moshe – indeed Moshe will sing again as he did before.

In the merit of our listening to the beautiful Shira this coming Shabbat as well as reciting it daily in our Shacharit prayers, may Hashem bless His world with the ultimate redemption so that we may hear soon – Az Yashir Moshe.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Ephraim Epstein
rabbiepstein@sonsisrael.com

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