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2/1/12

שירת הים Shirat Hayam

Shabbat Shira



The Shabbat that falls before or on Tu Bishvat (a minor Jewish festival celebrating trees) is called Shabbat Shira, because the week's parashah , B'shalah, includes Shirat Hayam, the song the Israelites sang after they crossed the Red Sea. It opens with the words, "I will sing to the Lord, for the Lord has triumphed gloriously; horse and driver the Lord has hurled into the sea" and ends with "Adonai will reign forever and ever."
Parshas Bishalach: Vilna Gaon & Rav Chaim Brisker - The Womens' Holy Shira
"Vata'an Lahem Miriam Shiru Lashem." (Bishalach 15:21) Just like Moshe sang Shira for the men, so, too, Miriam sang for the women. However, the word Vata'an means to answer, which connotes talking and not singing. Furthermore, Lahem is a masculine term and not addressed towards women.
The MiShulchan Gavoa brings from Rav Chaim Soloveitchik that Shira to Hashem has a din of Davar SheB'Kdusha that can only be said with ten men. Women are not included in a minyan in this respect. Therefore, the women could not say their own shira. They were only able to say as a continuation of the minyan of men. Therefore, it says Vata'an, they answered on the men. This also explains why it says Lahem, since they answered to the men.

http://revach.net/article.php?id=4910


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