As Heard from Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

Shabbat Shira

The wonders of the Ten Plagues were dwarfed by the rending of the Sea of Suf. In Egypt they had seen “the finger of G-d,” (Shemot 8:15) but now they had witnessed “the great hand.” (ibid. 14:31) “Ezekiel did not see in the vision of the Chariot of Heaven as much as a maidservant saw at the Sea.” (Mechilta Shemot 14:2) The entire nation soared together with Moses to the heights of prophecy, and they uttered the exalted Song of the Sea which their posterity would repeat forever.

“Let me sing to G-d, for he has become exceedingly exalted; the horse and his rider He has cast into the Sea.” (Shemot 15:1) They had feared the horse and the vengeful host of Pharoh, and the had feared the Sea even more. But the Master of the World had caused the Sea to become their ally, and it had destroyed the power of the enemy. This, at first sight, may seem a very small praise to the Creator of the Universe Who casts hugh celestial bodies into their orbits and Who catapults hugh comets through space. But we learn hear an important principle: one additional grain of True Knowledge outweighs a mountain of vaguely possessed knowledge.

Their gratitude, expressed in the enthusiasm of song, was for the gift of True Knowledge which they had gained. “Let me sing to G-d, for He has become exceedingly exalted” in the minds of His children, by means of the spectacle whereby “the horse and his rider He has cast into the Sea.”

For this event immensely elevated their faith in G-d and in His messenger Moses, and now they declared that “G-d would reign forever” (ibid 15:18) over them.

The Women, under Miriam’s leadership, intoned this first verse which expressed gratitude for the gift of Knowledge of G-d. The fact that these women did this independently, something unequalled ever before or after, was due to the independent esprit de corps which they had developed in Egypt. When they combated the pessimism of the downtrodden men and had begun a movement to build up the numbers of the children of Israel, under the inspiring leadership of the prophetess Miriam.

Quoted from “Behold a People” and “A Nation is Born” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

Shabbat Shalom

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