The articles in this column are transcriptions and adaptations of shiurim by Rav Joseph Ber Soloveitchik, zt”l. The Rav’s unique perspective on Chumash permeated many of the shiurim and lectures he presented at various venues over a 40-plus-year period. His words add an important perspective that makes the Chumash in particular, and our tradition in general, vibrant and relevant to our generation.
This week’s d’var Torah is dedicated in honor of the marriage of Aliza and Benjy Kreitman.
While the concept of shira, singing praise to Hashem, appears in the Krias HaTorah for Parshas Beshalach (Az Yashir) and the haftarah (Vatashar Dvorah), it would not be a stretch to say that shira is a fundamental principle of Judaism. Reciting Kiddush and Havdalah over a cup of wine constitutes a kiyum (fulfillment) of shira, as shira requires a kos (cup). Rambam says that if one uses a kos for Birkas HaMazon he fulfills a kiyum of shira al hayayin. Similarly, the blessings of eirusin and nissuin, Asher kidash yedid m’beten (bris milah), Shehechyanu on Yom Tov, Borei m’orei ha’aish and b’samim, every beracha that is mesudar al hakos carries with it a kiyum shira. Otherwise it would not be included in the overall framework of the kos.
There are also kiyumim of shira without a kos, for example Hallel on Yom Tov and the Kedushah we recite three times daily. When we say k’shem shemakdishim oso bishmei marom, we refer to the shira recited by the angels in heaven. We emulate them and also express shira to Hashem. Chazal held that this shira recited by the angels is connected to the shira recited by Yisrael, for the angels cannot recite Kedushah until Yisrael recite their shira. Apparently, Chazal felt that the Kedushah in Shemoneh Esrei is a kiyum of shira, just like that contained in Az Yashir Moshe.
Pesukei D’zimara are also shira. Before a Jew can pray for his needs he must sing praise to Hashem. Shiru L’Hashem Shir Chadash, Kol Haneshama Thallel Kah. Hallelukah refers to shira. The importance of reciting shira daily before one prays for his needs was underscored by the inclusion of the last portions of Psalms in Pesukei D’zimra, each concluding with Hallelukah.
Shira is divided into two categories. The first is shira recited on a miracle or great deliverance that occurs in a supernatural way. When a miracle occurs that transcends nature, Hashem has broken the laws of nature to create the miracle. Kabbalistic masters say when Hashem performs a supernatural miracle, the hashgacha is mishaded, breaks, the laws of nature to create the miracle. The Ibn Ezra says that the word Sh-day and the word shoded have the same root, for sometimes Hashem robs the laws of nature to fulfill His will. Shira recited over supernatural events is called Hallel Hamitzri, or simply Hallel. Since Yetzias Mitzrayim was a supernatural process of visible miracles, Chazal established that shira describing its miracles be recited.
Shira for supernatural miracles can be recited by great and simple people alike. One need only look at Az Yashir to see that the shira was recited by Moshe as well as all of Bnei Yisrael. The Zohar has accepted the opinion of Rabbi Nechemiah that Bnei Yisrael repeated the entire shira after Moshe, they did not limit themselves to reciting the refrain of Ashira L’Hashem, as the divine countenance settled on all of them. As Chazal say, a maid witnessed miracles and revelations at the Red Sea that Yechezkel did not see, hence they all saw and sang the complete shira to Hashem.
The second category of shira is recited over and celebrates the wonder of the continuity of the nature process. Besides the chapters of Hallel Hamitzri, Dovid Hamelech included in Psalms shira that expresses praise to Hashem for the continuity of nature, like Barchi Nafshi Hashem Elokay Meod Gadalta. Chazal called this type of shira, Hallel of Pesukei D’zimra, containing the sections starting with Tehila L’Dovid concluding with Kol Haneshama.
Those who understand and appreciate the voice and intent behind Chazal’s words, realize that Chazal preferred the Hallel for nature over the Hallel Hamitzri. The Gemara in Shabbos (118b) says that one who says Hallel daily is a blasphemer. The Gemara asks is that so? There is a statement by Rabbi Yosi that my portion should be with those that complete Hallel daily? The Gemara answers that it is laudable to recite Hallel of Pesukei D’zimra daily, but not Hallel Hamitzri. (The Rav noted that this is an issue for those that say all of Tehillim daily and who come across Hallel Hamitzri.) Man’s religious experience is not dependent on witnessing miracles and supernatural events. Man can appreciate Hashem by observing nature on a daily basis. In the growth of the organic world around him and in the consistency of mathematical formulae, one can see and appreciate the greatness of Hashem more than through the ten plagues visited on the Egyptians. After all, in the context of and comparison to the creation and maintenance of the universe and all of creation, the drowning of 600 Egyptian chariots was a minor event.
Chazal felt that having implemented the laws of nature, Hashem was reluctant to alter them. When He resorts to supernatural events, it is to be viewed as a deficiency in the beneficiaries, in sinking to such a depth that he no longer can be saved by natural means. Chazal explain the verse Va’Ayraid Lhatzilo as a yeridah, degradation, kavayachol, for Hashem because He had to break the laws of nature in order to rescue them. The Midrash compares Hashem’s descending to Egypt and rescuing the Jews through miracles to a kohen whose terumah was placed in a cemetery and he can retrieve it only by defiling himself and entering the cemetery. There is a pechisas hakavod, a degradation of honor, in doing so.
The overwhelming contacts man has with Hashem are through the medium of nature. If one expects to find Hashem through supernatural events, he may never be successful. This is the deficiency of modern man who equates religious commitment with the witnessing of miracles and can’t see Hashem in everyday existence. That is why Chazal said that one should not say Hallel Hamitzri daily. For one who bases his praise and observance of Hashem on supernatural events will be incapable of appreciating the greatness of Hashem. However, Chazal required daily recitation of Pesukei D’zimara in order to appreciate His greatness through nature.
In Beshalach we find another fundamental principle of Judaism. Moshe took the remains of Joseph with him. On the night of redemption, didn’t Moshe have anything more important to do than search for the remains of a person who died hundreds of years before? Why not delegate that task to someone else? Also, Moshe had told Paroh that they were going out for three days to celebrate with Hashem. The act of taking Joseph’s remains with them indicated that they were leaving permanently. So why did he insist on rocking the boat and demonstrating to Paroh that they really had no intention to return? Because hakaras hatov for Joseph forced Moshe to. Joseph always knew that the future of Jews and Judaism was in Eretz Yisrael, not in Egypt. Joseph showed them how to survive as Jews in exile. Moshe wanted to personally express hakaras hatov to Joseph who paved the way for the people to survive their long exile and in the process, remain committed to Hashem. Moshe felt that the proper honor due Joseph was that he, as leader of the people, take responsibility to fulfill the promise made hundreds of years before to Joseph, to remove his remains when they are redeemed and ultimately bury him in the Promised Land.