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Why did Moshe and Bnei Yisrael respond to the splitting of the sea with *shira* — song — rather than simple thanks or praise? Rashi (רש"י)'s phrase "oz yashir" signals a deliberate choice: *shira* means connection, like a chain linking two parties, not merely expressing gratitude. The miracle of the horse and rider bound together (sus v'rochvo) modeled the ultimate relationship — Israel riding with Hashem (ה׳) as the driver — and only that bond could sustain the nation against Amalek.
Rabbi Zweig opens with Rashi (רש"י)'s question on "oz yashir Moshe u'Bnei Yisrael" (Beshalach 15:1). Rashi explains that "oz" ("then") means that when Moshe saw the miracle, "alah b'libo" — it arose in his heart to sing in the future. This implies Moshe Rabbeinu first *thought* about the appropriate response before acting. Why does the Torah (תורה) emphasize this deliberation? What required a decision? The shiur then asks: what does *shira* — song — mean? The word appears in many contexts: Torah is called a shira (Devarim 31:19), Leah named Yehuda after the concept of thanks (hoda'ah), yet shira seems distinct from simple thanks or praise. Rabbi Zweig proposes that *shira* in Hebrew shares a root with *sharsherah* (chain). A chain connects two entities. Shira is not "I'm in my world thanking you in your world" — it is "I am connected to you." This stands in contrast to *zimra* (also "song"), which shares a root with *zamir* (pruning). Zimra is internal growth, elevating one's own feelings — singing in the shower, so to speak. Shira, by contrast, is relational: the song itself expresses and effects connection between lover and beloved.
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Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Parshas Beshalach 15:1
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