Page 5 - HaMizrachi #6 TuBishvat 5779

Rabbi Reuven Taragin Rabbanit Shani Taragin

Shabbat Shira:

SONG OF MILK AND HONEY

n Shabbat Shira (which always with milk and honey.” This expression 2 Judges 5.
coincides with the week of Tu appears 16 times in the Torah and five 3 Exodus 15:17.
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O BiShvat), we read Shirat HaYam times in Nevi’im (Prophets). Perhaps 4 The Ashkenazi custom is to begin from chapter
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– the Song of the Sea, praising G-d for from the outset, after 20 years of 4; the Sephardi custom is to begin directly with
miraculously saving us from the charging Canaanite oppression, this is an allusion the song in chapter 5.
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Egyptian army. The haftarah reading is that the blessings of the Land will finally 5 See Hadar Zekeinim on Genesis 35:8.
Shirat Devorah, a similar national military be restored through Devorah’s Divine 6 Genesis 35:8.
song after vanquishing the Canaanite inspiration! 7 Reflective of both opinions in the Mechilta
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forces. of Rashbi (13:5) regarding the interpretation
As we continue the story, this message of “Land of Milk and Honey.” Rabbi Eliezer
As we sing in Shirat HaYam of is further enhanced. We hear of the maintains that both the milk and honey are from
independence and eventual ‘planting’ in miraculous mayhem that led to the fruits; the honey from dates. Rabbi Akiva posits
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the Land: defeat of the Canaanite chariots near that the blessing of milk is from animals and the
honey from bees.
ָ
ָ
ך ְּ ת ְ ב ׁ ִ ש ְ ל ן ֹוכ ָ מ ך ְ ת ָ ל ֲ חַנ ר ַ ה ְּ ב ֹומ ֵ ע ָּ ט ִ ת ְ ו ֹומ ֵ א ִ ב ְּ ת Mount Tabor, followed by Yael’s heroic 8 Only once – in the narrative of Datan and Aviram
assassination of Sisera, the Canaanite
.'ה ָ ת ְ ל ַ ע ָּ פ 11 (Numbers 16) – is it mentioned in reference to
general, by offering him milk to drink. Egypt.
“You will bring them and implant She thereby merits the praise of Devorah 9 Similar allusions to honey may be found in the
them on the mount of Your heritage, and Barak in song – “By women in parasha as well, for example, Exodus 15:27 – “And
the foundation of your dwelling place the tent will she be blessed.” How? By they came to Eilim, where there were 12 springs
of water, and 70 palm trees; and they encamped
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that You, G-d have made.” We hear a providing for peaceful settlement in the there by the waters.” And 16:31 – “And the house
connection to Tu BiShvat – the time for Land through the women of milk and of Israel called the name thereof manna; and it was
planting and calculating the growth of honey! like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was
trees in Eretz Yisrael. 12 like wafers made with honey.”
The Chatam Sofer explains that the 10 Interestingly, in both Exodus 14:24 and Judges
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But when we read the haftarah, the Land Land of Israel is blessed with milk and 4:15, the same expression is used – 'ה ם ָ הָּי ַ ו, “and
imagery is more direct and the blessings honey to remind us that just as Torah is G-d confounded.”
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of Eretz Yisrael resonate loud and clear. compared to milk and honey, because 11 Judges 4:19 and 5:24-25.
The narrative begins with Devorah, a it enhances the body and soul with all 12 Chiddushei Chatam Sofer, Gemara Chulin 71b.
prophetess who sits under a palm tree its words, so does the fruit of the Land 13 Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:3.
near Beit-El. nourish our entire being. Indeed, the last
letters of the words ׁש ָ ב ְ דּו ב ָ ל ָ ח ת ַ ב ָז spell
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Our initial association is with another ַ ת ָּ ב ַ ׁש (Shabbat). Israel’s produce is so
Devorah, Rivka's nursemaid, who was bountiful that every day of the week here
buried under a tree in Beit-El as Ya’akov is like Shabbat!
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returns to his homeland. Hence, the
name Devorah conjures up images of How appropriate that we enter Tu
milk (associated with nursing) and BiShvat to celebrate the Land of Israel’s Rabbanit Shani Taragin is Educational
honey (Devorah means bee in Hebrew, blessings – trees, fruit, milk and honey et Director of World Mizrachi and
as well as her sitting under the date al – after singing the songs of milk and Religious Zionists of America-Mizrachi.
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palm). honey on Shabbat, praising and thanking
G-d for the marvels and miracles of She directs the Bellows Eshkolot and
This of course reminds us of the special Eretz Yisrael! Mizrachi Lapidot Educators' Programs in
blessing bestowed upon Eretz Yisrael Matan and teaches in various women's
as ׁש ָ ב ְ דּו ב ָ ל ָ ח ת ַ ב ָז ץ ֶ ר ֶ א, a “Land flowing 1 Exodus 15. higher educational institutions in Israel.

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