Page 11 - HaMizrachi #6 TuBishvat 5779

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

A SONG OF

FREEDOM, FAITH

AND CLARITY

hat did Bnei Yisrael (the extreme clarity of the Divine Presence, eight times in the song. From this we
Children of Israel) see at to the extent they felt they had seen understand that the splitting of the sea
W the Red Sea that caused G-d Himself. What was so special was just as much a victory over the sea
them to sing? about the parting of the Red Sea? We as it was a victory over the Egyptians.
know that it was not the first miracle The song emphasizes both elements.
“This is my G-d, and I will glorify they had seen at that time. They were
Him” – Rabbi Eliezer says: a of course witnesses to the Ten Plagues In pagan thought, the sea was
maidservant at the sea saw what that G-d had miraculously brought uncontrollable, threatening the powers
Ezekiel and Isaiah did not see, as it upon Egypt. of the gods who fought against it with
is said “and through the prophets I all their might. Contrary to this belief,
conveyed allegories” (Hoshea 12:11), It seems that the splitting of the sea the splitting of the sea depicts G-d as
so they did not see but through was the peak, the culmination of their a power effortlessly controlling the
visions, as it is said: “the heavens were exodus from Egypt. After each one sea. G-d’s ability to control the water,
opened, and I saw visions of G-d” of the plagues – and even after the to part it, to dry the seabed, to create
(Ezekiel 1:1), and because they saw killing of the firstborn – the Egyptians walls of water, surprises Bnei Yisrael
seraphs and chayot hakodesh (celestial recovered and continued to enslave (who had lived in a pagan world until
creatures) to their right and to their Bnei Yisrael, or chase after them. The now) and shows them very clearly who
left, therefore, they did not recognize Egyptians drowned at the Red Sea is the true G-d controlling all forces of
the glory of their Creator. and would never be able to enslave the nature. Seeing G-d’s special powers so
Jews again. So this was really the first clearly turns belief into certain faith,
But when G-d Almighty disclosed time Bnei Yisrael sensed total freedom
himself to them on the sea, this was and hence they burst out in song. as stated in the midrash: “when they
not through an angel and not through saw with their souls and their hearts,
a seraph and not through chayot As long as a person is enslaved to and they recognized the glory of their
hakodesh. Therefore, when they saw external forces and lives in constant Creator, it is as if they saw with their
with their souls and their hearts, and fear and insecurity about his future, eyes.”
they recognized the glory of their he is not free and cannot sing songs of Such a certain, clear faith raised
Creator, it is as if they saw with their happiness and gratitude. The sense of Bnei Yisrael to the highest level of
eyes, and even babies and suckling liberty gives a person inner freedom, spirituality, causing them to sing and
infants could see the glory of their which expresses itself in song. praise G-d. So this is the moment they
Creator, and they pointed to Him and declare unequivocally: “The L-rd shall
said “This is our G-d”, and so it will The Song of the Sea (Shirat HaYam) reign for ever and ever.”
be in the future, as it says, “And it shall does not only mention the victory over
be said in that day: ‘Behold, this is our the Egyptians, but also the amazing
G-d’ …” (Isaiah 25:9). 1 control over the water: “And with 1
the blast of Thy nostrils the waters Sechel Tov, Buber, Beshalach, Chapter 15:2.
According to the midrash, Bnei Yisrael were piled up, straight as a wall stood
(the Children of Israel) experienced a the running water; the deep waters Rabbanit Sharon Rimon teaches Tanach
special Divine revelation at the parting congealed in the heart of the sea” and is Content Editor for the Herzog
of the sea, during which they attained (Exodus 15:8). The word sea appears Tanach website: www.hatanakh.com/en

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