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GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu ל“צז
ל“צז

Miracles

at the Sea

ach year, the Shabbat following Aharon’s sister, before Moshe was Horse and Rider He
Tu BiShvat is known as Shabbat born, when she said, ‘My mother will Hurled Into the Sea
EShira, because we read Parashat bear a son’ (Sotah 13a). By splitting the sea, G-d also wanted
Beshalach, which tells the story of the Another interpretation: “the sister of to teach us that the evil Egyptians,
crossing of the sea.
Aharon” – since he risked his life for who harmed the entire Jewish nation,
When the Jews crossed the sea, Chazal her when she got tzara’at, she is men- would receive their punishment –
calculated 10 special miracles. The tioned in his name. perpetrators and dispatchers, their
water parted into 12 pathways, so that “The drum” – a type of musical vehicles and their weapons, all need
each tribe found its own path, and each instrument. to be destroyed. We learn this from
tribe crossed separately. The tribes what was said at Shirat HaYam:
wanted to see each other – so the waters “And all the women went after her in “Horse and rider He hurled into the
became transparent, clear as glass, and dance with drums” – the righteous sea.” But what was the horses’ sin?
they could see each other without wor- women of the generation were certain Rather, this is the punishment the
rying that perhaps others hadn’t passed that G-d would perform miracles for wicked deserved, that even the horses
through the sea. them, so they took their drums with received their punishment.
them from Egypt. Moshe sang Shirat
Likewise, HaKadosh Baruch Hu HaYam for the men – he would recite There were different types of wicked
wanted the walk through the sea to and they would repeat; Miriam sang people in Egypt: those who were
be easy and comfortable, that there Shirat HaYam for the women. utterly wicked and cruel, the less
should be no distress to any Jew, so wicked and those who were somewhat
their hearts would open and they all On the verse, “the women went after wicked. G-d meted out the appro-
could sing Shirat HaYam from the her,” Chazal say all of the women priate punishment to each group. He
depths of their soul. For this reason, went out to “protest,” and wanted sent the utterly wicked into the sea
miracles occurred, mainly for the to sing like the men. The men told like straw and hay, and the suffering
children, that if they would suddenly them, ‘You can’t sing, because of kol of drowning was terrible – measure
want a candy, or a pacifier, candies or isha.’ Said Miriam, ‘Let each woman for measure. For those who were less
pacifiers would ‘pop out’ from the sea. carry a drum, and when you feel that wicked, He lessened their suffering
Thus everyone would receive every- the men are approaching and might and drowned them like stones, which
thing he wanted on the spot, in such a hear the sound of our song, bang the plunge immediately; this is “hurled
way that their hearts were open to say drums hard, so the sound of the wom- into the sea.” And those who were
Shirat HaYam, bursting forth from a en’s song won’t be heard.’ Miriam was somewhat wicked, relatively better,
pure soul. 1 a prophet before Moshe Rabbeinu, He drowned like lead, so their suffer-
and she told the women, ‘I will sing ing would be minimal.
The women also took part in Shirat and you should follow,’ and they began
HaYam and the Torah specifically singing “Sing to the L-rd, for He has
records what they sang. Miriam the triumphed gloriously,” like the men 1 See Rabbi Ovadiah Bartenura on Masechet
prophetess took her drum in her hand sang. The women said to her, ‘Are you Avot, 5, who calculates the 10 miracles, and
the Gra’s interpretation there.
and all the women began to follow trying to make fun of us? These are
her, singing: “Sing to the L-rd, for He the same words as Moshe Rabbeinu’s
has triumphed gloriously.” Comment- song!’ She said to them, ‘I have come
ing on Miriam’s song, Rashi brings the to teach you that we need to accept
Midrash:
all the teachings of the Rabbi without
“And Miriam the prophetess, sister exception, and even his song can’t be Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu ל“צז served
of Aharon, took the drum…” – when negated, but let us sing it together, as the Rishon LeZion and Sephardi Chief
did she prophesize? When she was specifically the way he loves.’ Rabbi of Israel from 1983 to 1993.

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