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Shabbat Shira
The Songs of Joy (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot)
The Song of the Sea (Biblical Hebrew: שִׁירַת הַיָּם, romanized: širaṯ hayyām), also known as Az Yashir Moshe (אָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה "then Moses will sing") and Mi Chamocha (מִי־כָמֹכָה "Who is like You?"), is a poem that appears in the Hebrew Bible in the Book of Exodus 15:1–18. Its first two verses are repeated in verses 20 and 21, there said to be sung by Miriam and other Israelite women. The Song of the Sea was sung by the Israelites after their crossing the Red Sea in safety and celebrates their freedom after generations of slavery and oppression by the Egyptians.
The poem is included in Jewish prayer books (siddurim) and recited daily during Shaharit. The poem forms part of the sixteenth weekly Torah portion, parashat Beshalach. The Shabbat on which it is read is known as (Hebrew: שַׁבַּת שִׁירָה, romanized: Shabbat Shirah, lit. 'Shabbat of Song'. It is one of only two sections of the Torah scroll written in a layout different from simple columns. The other section is the Song of Moses at the end of Deuteronomy, in the 53rd weekly portion (parashat Ha'azinu).
The poem also comprises the first hymn of the Eastern Orthodox canon, in which it is known as the Song of Moses.[1] It is also used in the Catholic Church and other Christian liturgies the Easter Vigil, when the salvation history as believed by Christians is recounted.[2] The Christian traditions follow Revelation 15:3 by calling it the "Song of Moses" (not to be confused with the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy).
-Wikipedia
Table of contents
1) Perashat Hashavoua - Rabbi Eli Mansour
2) Halakhat Hashavoua (Halakhot related to day to day life) By Hazzan David Azerad
- Kabbalat Shabbat and Other Additions to the Prayers - Peninei Halacha
3) Holy Jokes!
4) For KIDS
This Week's Parasha Insight with Rabbi Eli Mansour
Parashat Beshalah: We’re Never Too Busy To Say “Thank You”
The first section of Parashat Beshalah tells one of the most dramatic stories in the entire Torah – the story of Keri’at Yam Suf, the miracle of the splitting of the sea. Beneh Yisrael were trapped between the sea and the pursuing Egyptian army, and Hashem miraculously rescued them by splitting the sea, allowing them to cross on dry land.
Toward the beginning of the Parasha, there is one verse which appears to be somewhat out of place, recording an event that seems, at first glance, to pale in comparison to the rest of this section in terms of drama. The verse tells us that as Beneh Yisrael left Egypt, Moshe took with him the remains of Yosef, in fulfillment of the vow made by Yosef’s brothers to bring his remains out of Egypt so they could be interred in Eretz Yisrael.
But while this Pasuk may strike some as "uninteresting," the truth is that we have much to learn from this aspect of the Exodus. The Hemdat Yamim (attributed to a student of the Arizal) noted that in telling of Moshe’s efforts to bring Yosef’s remains, the Torah adds the word "Et": "Va’yikah Moshe Et Asmot Yosef Imo." The word "Et" generally alludes to something in addition to that which is mentioned explicitly in the text. In this instance, the Hemdat Yamim explains, the Torah alludes to another deceased person whose remains were brought by Moshe out of Egypt – Moshe’s stepmother, Batya. As we read in Parashat Shemot, Batya – Pharaoh’s daughter – was bathing in the river when she saw an infant floating in a basket. Recognizing that this was an Israelite child, she took the baby and adopted him as her son. This baby, of course, was Moshe. Now, some eighty years later, as Beneh Yisrael left Egypt, Moshe made a point of taking her remains so she could be buried in the Land of Israel. Moshe recognized the enormous debt of gratitude he owed to Batya, who rescued him from the river and from her father’s decree that all baby Israelite boys should be killed. He therefore saw it as his responsibility to tend to her remains and ensure her burial in Eretz Yisrael.
We can hardly imagine how busy and burdened Moshe Rabbenu was on the day of the Exodus. He was in charge of some two million slaves who were suddenly given their freedom, and were now leaving Egypt. He was their leader and prophet, the one who would guide them and care for them as they made their way toward their homeland. It would be an understatement to say that Moshe had a lot on his mind on this day. And yet, he did not forget his debt of gratitude to his stepmother, to the one who made this all possible. Even at the busiest, most hectic moment, Moshe remembered to say "thank you."
Gratitude must always be a priority. We must never be too busy to say "thank you," to pick up the phone and express our appreciation to those who have helped us. Even in today’s fast-paced world, and with the hectic life that we all live, we cannot be too preoccupied to show gratitude. Regardless of what else is going on, this must always remain toward the very top of our priority scale. Even on the day of the Exodus, Moshe did not forget his debt of gratitude to his stepmother. We, too, must never forget to say "thank you," even in life’s busiest moments.
Halachot this week are selected and Translated by Hazzan David Azerad
Kabbalat Shabbat and Other Additions to the Prayers - Peninei Halacha
More than 400 years ago, kabbalists in Tzefat began to usher in Shabbat with the recitation of psalms and liturgical poems. Since Jews desire to give expression to their neshama yeteira, this custom was accepted throughout the Jewish world; this is the origin of the Kabbalat Shabbat service. At that time R. Shlomo Alkabetz was alive, and he composed the wonderful poem Lekha Dodi, which is used today to welcome Shabbat in all synagogues.
Arizal would go out to the fields to greet Shabbat, facing the west where the sun was setting. The Sages tell us (BB 25a) that the primary revelation of the Shekhina (Divine Presence) is in the west. This custom of turning westward when reciting the last stanza of Lekha Dodi and saying “bo’i kalla” (“welcome, bride”) became accepted in synagogues. Following this logic, even if the entrance to the synagogue faces a different direction, those praying within still face west. However, some are accustomed to turn to the entrance to the synagogue even if it does not face west, thereby expressing that Shabbat is like a guest coming through the doorway.
There is an early custom, dating to the period of the Rishonim, to recite the second chapter of Mishna Shabbat (beginning with the words, and thus entitled, “Ba-meh Madlikin”) (SA 270:1). This is because near the end of the chapter there is a statement of the Sages that one must say three things in his home Friday as night falls: “Did you tithe? Did you make an eruv? Light candles!” The custom to read this chapter, though, is not universal. Some have a custom to read the section from the Zohar called “Ke-gavna.” (Minhag Askenazim)
There is a custom dating to the period of the Rishonim to add psalms to the Pesukei De-zimra section that introduces Shaĥarit. They chose psalms that mention the creation of the world and the giving of the Torah, since Shabbat is a remembrance of the creation of the world, and the Torah was given on Shabbat. Before Yishtabaĥ, the berakha that concludes Pesukei De-zimra, we add the prayer of Nishmat Kol Ĥai. It mentions the Exodus from Egypt, one of the things of which Shabbat reminds us (Tur §281; Levush).
Bevirkat Shabbat Shalom Umevorach
David Azerad
3) HOLY JoKeS!!
Selection of funny snippets, loosely related to this weeks parashah or current events, to brighten your day
4) FOR KIDS
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SPLIT THE SEA, Tambourines and MANNAH COOKIES
