Page 28 - HaMizrachi #26 Tu Bishvat USA 2021

GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi
Four Wonderful Segulot

for Shabbat Shira

he Shabbat after Tu BiShvat is knows G-d will provide her food and she Rabbi Kalonymos Kalman Shapira, the
called Shabbat Shira, named sings even before she receives her bread. Rebbe of Piacezna, says: know, that
Tafter Shirat HaYam, which we Give the birds breadcrumbs or grain Shirat HaYam is a “decree” (ה ָ ריֵז ְּג, also
read in Parashat BeShalach. It is an before Shabbat. Show them that belief meaning to split). A righteous person
episode full of potential and capacity decrees and G-d fulfils. When you say
for your own personal splitting of the and faith pay off. And if you don’t give Shirat HaYam you are essentially doing
them? They’ll be fine. The birds get by.
sea – whether in health, in parnassah, as the Jews did at Yam Suf. They sang
or in relationships. Am Yisrael stand at But this segula comes to awaken your of the future, of the Beit HaMikdash:
faith, that you too have your daily por-
the edge of the Red Sea, surrounded “Bring them and plant them…” The
by desert. Behind them – Pharaoh, his tion of bread saved for you. Beit HaMikdash would only be built in
army and his horsemen. The Jews cry another few years, but they were already
out and pray. G-d says to Moshe Rab- 2. Challot singing about it, and by doing so, build-
beinu, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell An additional segula for blessed liveli- ing the reality. Have kavanah: “I’m now
the Israelites to go forward!” hood. In Parashat BeShalach, HaKadosh decreeing that such should happen –

“When Israel is in distress, it’s not the Baruch Hu speaks for the first time to me! ‘Who split apart Yam Suf – His
time for lengthy prayers,” explains Rashi, about Shabbat, and we hear about lovingkindness is eternal’” (Tehillim
“it’s the time to do something! lechem mishneh, which can also be inter- 136:13). I believe that He Who decreed
preted as lechem meshuneh, different in (gazar) then, can do so forever, always,
When you feel stuck in a particular sit- its shape and taste. So, place six small and for me, as well.”
uation, take a step forward. Move! This challahs on each side of the table, i.e. 12
specific Shabbat, you have the power to in all. Place three in the shape of a the 4. Sing!
change your destiny. Hebrew vowel, segol ( ) and three more
Here’s your “homework” for the week on top of them in the same way. This is On Shabbat Shira, sing. Every Shabbat
is a song: “A song for the Shabbat day”
of Parashat BeShalach and for Shabbat a minhag of the Arizal, who promises (Tehillim 92:1). But Shabbat Shira sings
Shira: livelihood for the coming 12 months, with you! The Chidushei HaRim says:
because this bread draws so much bless- “Sometimes, a person feels devotion, as
1. Feeding the birds ing to you. if he became a new being; this is what
A segula for faith and for an abundant 3. Say Shirat HaYam song is. And this is what makes Shab-
livelihood. My favorite explanation for bat, because the Shabbat itself sings.”
this is from Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz, the When you read Shirat HaYam, think of Sit around the table and sing Shabbat
Imrei Pinchas: in all of Creation, only the troubles and disturbances in your zemirot, and prune (in Hebrew, ּור ְ מ ְז ִּ ת,
man and birds sing. Birds rule the air. life. When the Egyptians drown, think, sharing the same letters as the word “to
A tune is created by air passing from “soon everything will pass. Hashem is sing”) all of the bitterness from your life.
the lungs through the larynx, and many organizing my redemption.” At 'ה ע ׁ ַ שוּי ַ ו
instruments generate sounds using אּוה ַ ה םוּי ַּ ב, be filled with true joy. What
the power of air as well. So too, Shirat happens when we read Shirat HaYam?
HaYam is written in columns – words The Zohar says that at that very moment,
with ‘air’ in between them. Therefore, every year, Moshe, Aharon and Miriam,
on Shabbat Shira, we feed the birds, and the whole generation of the Exodus,
because they can sing, like man. And come down from Gan Eden and sing
in the week of the parasha of manna Shirat HaYam with the Jewish people on
too, we throw food to the birds and look Shabbat Shira, and draw blessings down Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi is a popular
to them who have no worries. The bird upon the Jews from above. Israeli teacher, speaker and writer.

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