Resurrection Rooted in the Exodus

אז ישיר.

“Then he/they shall sing.”

The Sefat Emet begins by noting that the Sages said this phrase hints to the resurrection of the dead. He asks why this allusion appears here.

חז"ל הגידו מכאן רמז לתחיית המתים ומה מקומו כאן.

The Sages taught that this is a hint to the resurrection of the dead—yet what is its place here?

He raises the central question: why does the Torah embed this hint precisely in the Song at the Sea?

ולבאר הענין נראה כי שורש תחיית המתים הוא מישועה זו.

To explain: the root of the resurrection of the dead is in this very salvation.

The miracle at the Sea contains the spiritual seed of future resurrection.

וע"ז נאמר כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות.

And thus it is said: “As in the days of your coming out of Egypt, I will show him wonders.”

The future wonders mirror the wonders of the Exodus.

אראנו דייקא כמ"ש וירא ישראל כו'.

“I will show him”—precisely, as it is written, “And Israel saw…”

The future vision parallels Israel’s direct vision at the Sea.

שראו בעין מה שהוא למעלה מהטבע.

For they saw with their own eyes that which is above nature.

The revelation at the Sea was supra‑natural and openly visible.

ובוודאי נתרוממו נפשותם כאשר חכמים הגידו ראתה שפחה על הים כו'.

Certainly their souls were elevated, as the Sages said: even a maidservant saw at the Sea…

The elevation of consciousness was universal, not limited to the elite.

ואמרו כמה נתחבט מרע"ה הראני נא והם אמרו זה אלי.

And they said: How much Moses struggled—“Show me, please”—while they proclaimed, “This is my God.”

The people briefly attained a level of vision even Moses longed for.

ויפלא כי הלא מרע"ה הוא עיקר בעל השירה.

And this is wondrous, for Moses is the primary author of the Song.

The paradox shows something unusual occurred at that moment.

רק שלפי שעה בא ביורדי הים נשמות שלמעלה כעין תחיית המתים ממש כידוע שיש לכל צדיק חלק למעלה.

But for a moment, upon those who descended into the Sea, higher souls came—akin to literal resurrection, for every righteous person has an upper portion.

They were infused with higher aspects of their own souls, resembling resurrection.

כמ"ש משה משה כו' והוא הנשמה יתירה.

As it is written: “Moses, Moses…”—this refers to the higher soul.

The doubling of names hints to the upper level of the soul.

לכן חכמים הגידו כי בפסח יהי' תחיית המתים כי הוא זמן המיוחד לכך.

Therefore the Sages said that on Passover will be the resurrection of the dead, for it is the time suited for it.

Passover inherently contains the spiritual power of rebirth.

ויתכן לפרש משה ובני ישראל הם השבטים בני ישראל סבא.

And it may be interpreted that “Moses and the children of Israel” are the tribes, the children of Israel the Patriarch.

The phrase may allude to ancestral spiritual forces present at the Sea.

כדאיתא בזוה"ק שמות שבנ"י באו עמהם בגלות.

As the Zohar states in Shemot that the souls of the tribes came with them into exile.

Ancestral souls accompany Israel into history.

מכש"כ שהחי' אותם השי"ת עתה לראות בהצלת תולדותם.

All the more so did God revive them now to witness the salvation of their descendants.

The ancestors were spiritually present to behold the redemption.

וזה שכתוב תשורי מראש אמנה שהשירה הי' בכח שנמשכו אחר ראשית התחלת האבות והשבטים.

This is the meaning of “Gaze from the top of Amana”—the Song drew power from the primal beginnings of the Patriarchs and the tribes.

The song at the Sea flows from ancient spiritual roots.

וזה הלשון אז שהוא המשכה מקדם והתחלת הבריאה.

And this word “אז” (then) indicates a drawing from the beginning, from the start of creation.

“Az” signals a timeless, primordial flow.

כדאיתא בזוה"ק דכל אז למעלה מהטבע.

As the Zohar teaches: every “az” denotes something above nature.

Thus the song itself transcends natural boundaries.

וכן במה שרמזו חז"ל בפ' הנך שוכב כו' וקם מכאן רמז לתחיית המתים.

And similarly what the Sages hinted regarding “Behold, you will lie… and rise,” as a hint to the resurrection of the dead.

The Torah subtly embeds resurrection in Moses’s final prophecy.

ג"כ יתכן לפרש בדרך הנ"ל שהוא שורש תחיית המתים שמרע"ה בוודאי לא הי' לו למות.

It can also be explained as above: it is the root of resurrection, for Moses truly was not meant to die.

Moses’s death carries a hidden redemptive function.

והשי"ת אמר לו שע"י מיתה שלו יקומו כל בנ"י לתחיית המתים.

And God told him that through his death all Israel would rise in the resurrection.

His passing enables the future revival of the nation.

ועי"ז נתרצה וקיבל עליו המיתה.

And through this he consented and accepted his death.

Moses agreed when he understood its purpose.

ז"ש הנך שוכב כו' וקם העם הזה כו'.

Thus it says: “Behold, you will lie… and this people will rise.”

The verse contains a double meaning: Moses lies down, and through that, Israel rises.

The Sefat Emet teaches that the Song at the Sea already contains the source of resurrection, revealed in the supra‑natural elevation of souls at that moment, rooted in the ancestors, and reflected again in Moses’s death, which enables Israel’s future rising.