Revelation and Song of Praise

ויושע ה' ביום ההוא כו'.

“And the Lord saved [Israel] on that day…”

This introduces the miraculous salvation at the Sea, the beginning of revelation.

וירא ישראל את היד הגדולה אשר עשה ה' במצרים.

“And Israel saw the great hand that the Lord had performed in Egypt.”

The people perceived a divine power greater than what was revealed through the plagues alone.

ווייראו כו'.

“And they feared…”

Their awe was elevated into reverence born of true spiritual insight.

ויאמינו כו'.

“And they believed…”

The revelation led them to a strengthened faith grounded in direct experience.

אז ישיר כו'.

“Then they sang…”

Their inner illumination burst into expression through song.

איתא בגמ' הגדולה זו מעשה בראשית.

The Gemara states: “The ‘great [hand]’ refers to the act of Creation.”

The miracle at the Sea revealed the same primordial divine power that formed the world.

וביציאת מצרים נגלה ונתברר כח הבורא ית' אשר הוא מנהיג הכל.

In the Exodus, the Creator’s power—who governs all—was revealed and clarified.

The hidden divine governance became unmistakably visible.

לכן אחר הישועה מיד מצרים ראו את יד הגדולה שנתקן עתה.

Therefore, immediately after the salvation from Egypt, they saw the “great hand” that was now repaired.

The original divine power of Creation appeared in renewed clarity.

עשה הוא לשון תיקון כמ"ש וימהר לעשות אותו.

“To do” denotes repair, as in “and he hastened to do it.”

The Sefat Emet reads “עשה” not as mere action but rectification.

את הנפש אשר עשו בחרן.

“The souls they made in Haran.”

Another example of “making” meaning spiritual refinement.

אח"כ וייראו יראת הרוממות ע"י השגה גדולה שהשיגו.

Afterward, they experienced awe of exaltedness through the great understanding they attained.

True apprehension naturally leads to reverence.

והוא סימן אמת.

This is a sign of truth.

Authentic spiritual grasp manifests as awe, not mere excitement.

השגה שמביא לידי יראה.

Insight that brings one to awe.

This is the proper measure of real comprehension.

ותפסו אומנת אבותם כמ"ש ביעקב ויירא ויאמר מה נורא כו'.

They took up the tradition of their ancestors, as with Jacob who said, “And he feared and said: How awesome…”

Their awe connected them to the patriarchal path.

אחר חלום הגדול הזה כמ"ש שם.

After that great dream, as written there.

Jacob’s revelation parallels Israel’s experience at the Sea.

אח"כ אז ישיר שהוציאו מכח אל הפועל הארה הפנימיות שבהם.

Afterward, “Then they sang,” for they brought into action the inner light within them.

The song expressed their awakened inner divinity.

דכתיב משכני אחריך נרוצה.

As it is written: “Draw me after You—we will run.”

Once God draws near, the soul moves eagerly toward expression.

איתא במד' נכון כסאך אעפ"י שמעולם אתה נתישבה כסאך מאז ישיר.

The Midrash says: “Your throne is established… although it existed forever, it became settled at ‘Then they sang.’”

The world’s divine order becomes perceptible when Israel responds with song.

פי' כי השי"ת מנהיג העולם וכל הטבע.

Meaning: God governs the world and all of nature.

But this governance is usually hidden.

אבל אינו ניכר כחו כביכול.

But His power is not clearly seen, so to speak.

Human perception obscures divine action.

ויש קושיות.

And there are difficulties.

Apparent contradictions arise when divine order is concealed.

אבל ביציאת מצרים נגלה ונתישב הקושיא שאמר אברהם מי הוא בעל הבירה כו'.

But in the Exodus, the question Abraham asked—“Who is the master of this palace?”—was revealed and settled.

The divine governance became unmistakably evident.

ואיתא אורייתא וקוב"ה וישראל כולהו חד.

It is taught: “The Torah, the Holy One, and Israel are all one.”

Their destinies and revelations are intertwined.

וכמו שהבורא ית' עלה לפניו אז לגלות כח השגחתו.

And just as the Creator then rose to reveal His providential power...

Divine initiative unveiled hidden guidance.

כן נמשכו אחריו בנ"י לגלות כח התלהבות שבהם.

So too Israel followed after Him, revealing their inner power of enthusiasm.

The human response mirrors the divine revelation.

וכעין אלה הדברים שמעתי מפה קדוש אמו"ז ז"ל על הא דאיתא שנענש חזקי' על שלא אמר שירה בנס דסנחריב.

I heard similar teachings from my holy grandfather regarding why Hezekiah was punished for not singing after the miracle of Sennacherib.

Hezekiah failed to express the required response to divine revelation.

והגם כי הטעם הי' ע"י שבלא הנס הי' ג"כ ברור אצלו כח הבורא ית'.

Even though the reason was that God’s power was already clear to him without the miracle...

He felt nothing new had occurred to prompt a song.

ולא נתחדש לו דבר.

And nothing was newly revealed to him.

He believed no additional praise was necessary.

אך כשהקב"ה רוצה להראות כחו צריכין בנ"י ג"כ להודות ולהלל לפניו.

But when God wishes to reveal His power, Israel must also thank and praise Him.

The human response completes the revelation.

The Sefat Emet teaches that the Song at the Sea expresses the awakening of Israel’s inner light in response to divine revelation, a necessary counterpart to God revealing His power in the world.