Beshalach
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read this week the parsha of Beshalach. This Shabbos is called ”Shabbos Shirah”, the Shabbos of song, referring to the song Bnei Yisrael sang at the miracle of Keriyas Yam Suf. The Medrash at the end of parshat Bo teaches that Keriyas Yam Suf is like Shabbos. What is this special connection between these two events, Shabbos and Keriyas Yam Suf, and Shabbos and the Shirah, which caused Chazal to make this comparison and gave this Shabbos its name?
The Sfas Emes makes an amazing contrast between our parsha and the beginning of parshat Vayechi. The beginning of parshat Vayechi is a “parsha setumah”, it is a closed parsha. This is a reference to the fact that there is no space between the end of the previous parsha, Vayigash, and the beginning of Vayechi. The reason for this is as Chazal teach, Nistamu Eineihem V’Libam shel Yisrael. The hearts and minds of Bnei Yisrael became closed. This was the beginning of the galus. This was the parsha of galus.
Rashi teaches in the beginning of parshat Vayikra that the spaces between the parshiyot gave Moshe Rabbeinu the opportunity “Lehisbonein bein parsha l’parsha”. This means it gave Moshe the ability to reflect and understand about what he had been taught. The nature of the galus was such that Bnei Yisrael didn’t have time to think and analyze what was going on their lives. Their lives were a “closed parsha”.
The parsha of the “Shirah” in Beshalach is the parsha of the geulah. It is in total contradistinction to the parsha which began the galus. If the galus began without the usual space between one parsha and the next, the geulah reached its climax with spaces between each and every pasuk. The spaces on every line in our parsha reflect the great clarity of light and understanding that was given to every member of Clal Yisrael at the time of Keriyas Yam Suf. As Chazal teach and Rashi brings on the pasuk of Zeh Keilee V’Anveihu, Ra’asah Shifchah al Hayam Mah Shelo Ra’ah Ben Buzi. The level of clarity and prophecy even to a simple maidservant at the time of the splitting of the sea was tantamount to that of the great prophets.
Chazal teach the connection between Keriyas Yam Suf and Shabbos because they both reflect a clarity and higher level of connection between man and Hashem. And this connection is mutually expressed as one of joy, with the Shabbos and the Shirah coming together. We say in the davening on Shabbos, Yismachu B’Malchuscha Shomrei Shabbos. The Sfas Emes teaches that this is a reference to the future judgment when Bnei Yisrael will rejoice in receiving reward for the merit of being Shomrei Shabbos. Similarly, Chazal teach on the words “Az Yashir” that the future tense of the verb indicates a reference to the idea of Techiyas HaMeisim. Both events express a joy implicit in the understanding of our ultimate goal and connection with our Creator.
This clarity of vision which took place at Keriyas Yam Suf takes place every week on Shabbos as well. Chazal darshen the words U’Beyom Simchaschem, and on your days of joy, Eilu HaShabbasos. Why do Chazal understand the pasuk to be a reference to Shabbos and not Yom Tov? After all, there is no specific mitzvah to be joyous on Shabbos, while on Yom Tov there is such a mitzvah.
The answer is, on Yom Tov there is a mitzvah to be joyous, and therefore we must drink wine or perhaps even eat meat. And on Shabbos there is no such obligation. But Shabbos is inherently a day of joy. Not that we need to make ourselves joyous, but the great light of Shabbos and the closeness we all feel with Hashem on Shabbos establishes automatically this state of happiness. And this is the same joy and Shirah experienced at Keriyas Yam Suf. And on this Shabbos, how appropriate it is to have Shabbos and Shirah come together.
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