Revealing Divine Guidance Through Song

בפסוק אז ישיר ובמד' נכון כסאך אע"פ שמעולם אתה לא נתישבה כסאך עד שאמרו בניך שירה.

On the verse “Then Moses sang,” the Midrash says: “Your throne is established from of old.” Although You are from eternity, Your throne was not settled until Your children said a song.

God’s throne, His revealed kingship in the world, was established through Israel’s song at the sea.

דהנה בנ"י נבראו ע"ז להעיד על הבורא ית'.

For Israel was created to testify about the Creator.

Israel’s purpose is to bear witness to God.

כדכ' עם זו יצרתי כו' תהלתי יספרו.

As it is written, “This people I formed for Myself; they shall tell My praise.”

Isaiah’s verse defines Israel as God’s witnesses.

אכן לא היו יכולים להוציא העדות מכח אל הפועל עד שסייע להם השי"ת בנפלאותיו ושינוי הטבע אז ישיר.

But they could not bring the testimony from potential into action until God helped them with His wonders and the changing of nature. Then “he sang.”

The miracles at the sea released the testimony that had been waiting inside them.

וזה לשון ישיר כמו שדייק רש"י ז"ל עלה בלבם.

This is the word yashir, “will sing,” as Rashi notes precisely: it rose in their heart.

The future tense hints that the song arose from within them.

פי' בכל ימי הגלות היו משתוקקים להוציא אלה הדברים ולא היו יכולין עד עתה.

Meaning, all the days of the exile they longed to bring out these words and could not, until now.

The song had been building through the whole bondage.

כדאיתא בזוה"ק שהדיבור הי' בגלות.

As the holy Zohar says, speech was in exile.

In Egypt even speech itself was enslaved.

פי' הנהגתו ית' את העולם הי' בהסתר.

Meaning, His guidance of the world was hidden.

God’s rule was concealed, so it could not be spoken of openly.

וז"ש ויאמינו פרשנו כבר שהאמינו למפרע על ימי הגלות וחושך.

This is “and they believed.” We have already explained that they believed retroactively about the days of exile and darkness.

At the sea they understood that God had been present all along.

וכדכ' מי כמוכה באלים מי כמוכה נאדר כו'.

As it is written, “Who is like You among the mighty (elim), who is like You, glorious,” and so on.

He turns to two phrases in the Song.

פי' חז"ל באלים באלמים ששומע גדופי הרשעים ושותק.

Our Sages explained elim as illemim, the silent: He hears the blasphemies of the wicked and stays silent.

God’s silence in the face of evil is part of His greatness.

והוא ב' התנהגות שיש בעולם.

These are two modes of guidance in the world.

There are two ways God runs the world.

בחי' הסתר תוך הטבע והגלות וזה באלים.

The aspect of concealment within nature and exile is “among the silent.”

One way is hidden, through nature.

ויש עתים שמתגלה הנהגה שלו בפועל ממש והוא נאדר בקודש נורא תהלות עושה פלא.

And there are times when His guidance is revealed in actual fact: “glorious in holiness, awesome in praises, doing wonders.”

The other is open, through miracles.

ובנ"י העידו עכשיו כי הכל אחד והוא ית' מנהיג כל העולם לפעמים בהסתר בטבע ולפעמים בהתגלות.

Now Israel testified that it is all one, and He guides the whole world, sometimes hidden in nature and sometimes openly revealed.

The song declares that both modes come from the same God.

והי' נצרך להיות השתנות הטבע לפעמים.

It was necessary that nature sometimes be changed,

Miracles are needed from time to time,

להיות דבר שהי' בכלל ויצא מן הכלל.

so that something included in the general rule would go out of the rule,

an exception that breaks the pattern,

וזהו עדות על כל הכלל שהכל מאתו ית'.

and this testifies about the whole rule, that everything is from Him.

and the exception teaches about the rule itself: nature too is God’s.

ובודאי הי' יכול השי"ת להוציאנו ממצרים בדרך הטבע ג"כ.

Certainly God could also have taken us out of Egypt in a natural way.

The splitting of the sea was not strictly necessary for the escape.

אך שהוצרך לנו לסייע לנו לעבודתינו אותו ית' להיות התגלות עולם הנסים ושינוי הטבע.

But we needed help in serving Him, through the revelation of the world of miracles and the changing of nature.

The miracles were for our sake, to strengthen our service.

ושירה זו הוא הפתח שנפתח לכל עבודת בנ"י לכל הדורות כדאיתא במדרש פיה פתחה בחכמה.

This song is the opening that was opened for all of Israel’s service in all generations, as the Midrash says, “She opens her mouth with wisdom.”

The Song at the Sea opened the gate of praise for all time.

וז"ש אז ישיר כו' ויאמרו לאמר.

This is “Then Moses sang,” and so on, “and they said, saying.”

“Saying” implies that the words would be passed on.

כי אז התחיל הפתח לכל בעלי השיר להיות יוצאים בשיר.

For then the opening began for all masters of song to go out in song.

Every future song entered through this one.

ואיתא במד' כי שביעי של פסח הוא כמו ש"ק ע"ש סוף פ' בא.

The Midrash says that the seventh day of Pesach is like the holy Shabbat. See there at the end of Parshat Bo.

The last day of Pesach parallels Shabbat.

דכ' ששת ימים תאכל מצות וביום השביעי עצרת.

As it is written, “Six days you shall eat matzot, and on the seventh day an assembly.”

The structure of Pesach mirrors the week.

כמו שיש ששת ימי המעשה וביום השבת הוא התכלית של כל ימי המעשה וסהדותא אקרי שבנ"י מעידין עליו ית' שזה הוא תכלית הבריאה.

Just as there are six working days and Shabbat is the goal of all the working days, and it is called “testimony,” for Israel testifies about Him that this is the purpose of creation.

Shabbat is the witness that the world exists for God.

וכזה ניתקן באלה הז' ימים.

So too it was repaired in these seven days.

The seven days of Pesach do the same work.

ששת ימים תאכל מצות הוא רפואה והכנה על ימי המעשה של כל השנה.

“Six days you shall eat matzot” is a healing and preparation for the working days of the whole year.

The matzah heals and prepares the weekdays ahead.

ויום הז' עצרת כנופיא.

And the seventh day is an assembly, a gathering.

The seventh day gathers it all.

הוא יום השירה שהוא סהדותא ותכלית כל יצ"מ.

It is the day of the song, which is testimony and the purpose of the whole Exodus.

The song on the seventh day is the goal of leaving Egypt.

וכ' במקהלות ברכו אלקים שא"י לומר זו השירה עד שנעשה אחדות אחד.

It is written, “In assemblies bless God,” for this song cannot be said until there is complete oneness.

The song requires the unity of the people.

ואמת ג"כ שכפי העדות והשירה כך מתאחדין להיות אחד.

It is also true that according to the testimony and the song, so they become united as one.

Song creates unity just as unity allows song.

וב' המדריגות אין להם שיעור שע"י האחדות מתגברין בשירה ואח"כ באין לאחדות יותר אמיתית ולשירה עליונה ביותר.

These two levels have no limit: through oneness they grow stronger in song, and then they come to an even truer oneness and a still higher song.

Unity and song lift each other without end.

וכן הוא לעולם. יש שירה למעלה משירה.

And so it is forever. There is a song above a song.

There is always a higher song.

וזה ויאמרו לאמר אשירה כו' כי גאה גאה א"כ אין לדבר סוף:

This is “and they said, saying, I will sing,” and so on, “for He is exalted, exalted.” If so, there is no end to the matter.

The doubled “exalted” points to endless ascent.

ואיתא כנסי' שהיא לשם שמים סופה להתקיים וכמו כן מחלוקת שהיא לשם שמים.

It is taught: a gathering that is for the sake of Heaven will endure in the end, and likewise a dispute that is for the sake of Heaven.

A new section, on the Mishnah in Avot.

וב' אלו הם בימי הגלות וימי הגאולה.

These two are the days of exile and the days of redemption,

Dispute belongs to exile and gathering to redemption,

ימי המעשה. ויום השבת.

the working days and the day of Shabbat.

just as the week and Shabbat.

ובנ"י הוצרכו להלחם עם כל הסט"א.

Israel had to fight against the whole other side.

They had to struggle against every force of evil.

ואיתא והנה מצרים נוסע אחריהם כאיש אחד.

It is taught: “and behold, Egypt was traveling after them,” like one man.

Rashi says the Egyptians pursued with one heart, like one man.

ואז כשזה קם זה נופל.

Then, when this one rises, that one falls.

Israel and Egypt cannot both stand at once.

ע"כ הי' אז בישראל ד' כתות.

Therefore there were then four groups in Israel.

The Midrash describes four reactions at the sea.

אלו אמרו המבלי אין קברים.

Some said, “Are there no graves?”

Some despaired.

ואלו צעקו לה'. אבל בנ"י נשארו בהאחדות.

Some cried out to God. But Israel remained in oneness.

Some cried out. Yet beneath the division the people stayed one.

ובסט"א נאמר שארי בחבורא וסיים בפרודא.

Of the other side it is said: it begins in union and ends in separation.

Evil can unite for a while, but it falls apart.

ובנ"י באים בסוף אל האחדות.

But Israel comes in the end to oneness,

Israel’s path leads to unity,

מטעם שכל כוונתם לשם שמים.

because all their intention is for the sake of Heaven.

because their aim is God.

וכל זאת הוצרך להתברר כי הרשעים אפילו שמתחברין וגם השורש שלהם מסייע להם כמו שדרשו שרן של מצרים נוסע.

All this needed to be made clear: the wicked, even when they unite and even their root helps them, as was expounded, “the prince of Egypt was traveling,”

Egypt’s heavenly patron also joined the chase.

אעפ"כ בסוף יתפרדו כל פועלי און.

still in the end “all evildoers will be scattered.”

Yet their alliance did not last.

אבל בנ"י אפילו הם מפוזרין בגלות ובהסתרות פנים נגאלין לבסוף.

But Israel, even when scattered in exile and in the hiding of God’s face, is redeemed in the end.

Scattered as they are, Israel is gathered in the end.

ותהלוכות בנ"י בגלות הוא ג"כ הנהגה מיוחדת לא במקרה.

The paths of Israel in exile are also a special guidance, not chance.

Even exile is purposeful.

וכ' המגביהי לשבת המשפילי לראות.

It is written, “He who sits on high, who looks down low.”

He cites Psalm 113, part of Hallel.

הוא רמז לב' הנהגות שהשי"ת מנהיג הטבע ומשגיח על כל שפל והוא ענין ימי המעשה ע"י התלבשות בטבע.

This hints at two modes of guidance: God guides nature and watches over every lowly thing, which is the matter of the working days, through clothing Himself in nature.

Looking down low is God’s hidden care within nature.

ומגביה לשבת הוא בחי' יום השבת הנהגה שלמעלה מן הטבע.

And “raised up to sit” is the aspect of the day of Shabbat, a guidance above nature.

Sitting on high is God’s revealed rule, the realm of Shabbat.

וכמ"ש לעיל בענין מי כמוכה באלים באלמים הוא הנהגת הטבע בימי המעשה.

As said above about “Who is like You among the mighty, among the silent”: it is the guidance of nature in the working days.

He ties this back to the Song.

נאדר בקודש הוא ביום השבת כמ"ש בזוה"ק אמור.

“Glorious in holiness” is on the day of Shabbat, as the holy Zohar says on Emor.

Revealed holiness belongs to Shabbat.

וכמו כן הנהגת בנ"י לפעמים בגלות ובהסתר.

So too the guidance of Israel: sometimes in exile and concealment,

Israel’s history moves between hiding

ולפעמים בהתגלות הקדושה. וכתיב אני חבצלת השרון הוא בזמן הגאולה וביום השבת שנק' סהדותא כדכתיב עם זו יצרתי כו' תהלתי יספרו.

and sometimes with the revelation of holiness. It is written, “I am the rose of Sharon”: that is the time of redemption and the day of Shabbat, which is called testimony, as it is written, “This people I formed; they shall tell My praise.”

and revelation, the open rose of redemption and Shabbat.

ואז בנ"י נשמרין בפריסת סוכת שלום ונק' שושנת העמקים כדפרש"י ז"ל שעומדת במקום משומר.

Then Israel is guarded under the spreading tabernacle of peace and is called “the lily of the valleys,” as Rashi explains, that it stands in a guarded place.

In redemption Israel is safe and sheltered.

ובנ"י מצפים לימים הללו.

Israel waits for those days.

We long for that time.

אבל התשובה מהקב"ה כשושנה בין החוחים כו' שיותר חשיבות לפניו ית' כשבנ"י הם תוך החוחים ואעפ"כ הם עומדים באמונתם והוא בימי הגלות.

But the Holy One answers: “Like a lily among the thorns,” and so on. It is more precious before Him when Israel is among the thorns and still stands in its faith, which is in the days of exile

God answers that faith among thorns is dearer to Him.

וימי המעשה. ובמד' יונתי בחגוי הסלע כו' שרצה הקב"ה לשמוע קולם לכן גירה בהם המצריים.

and the working days. And in the Midrash: “My dove in the clefts of the rock,” and so on: the Holy One wished to hear their voice, so He stirred up the Egyptians against them.

God brought the Egyptians after them in order to hear Israel cry out.

והוא פלא היתכן שיהיו מצטערין כדי לשמוע קולן.

It is a wonder: could it be that they should suffer so that He might hear their voice?

How can suffering be the price of prayer?

אבל הענין כי בוודאי כחן של בנ"י בפה כמ"ש הקול קול יעקב והוא בכח התורה.

But the point is that Israel’s strength is surely in the mouth, as it is written, “The voice is the voice of Jacob,” and that is through the power of Torah.

Israel’s power is its voice.

אבל בעוד שלא זכו לתורה הי' נצרך להיות התעוררות קול יעקב ע"י הגלות ויסורים.

But while they had not yet received the Torah, the awakening of the voice of Jacob had to come through exile and suffering.

Before the Torah, only hardship could draw out that voice.

וזהו מוציא אסירים בכושרות שיש שנפתח הלב לצאת מתוך הסתרות הגשמיות לפעמים ע"י יסורים ובכיה.

This is “He brings out prisoners in kosharot”: sometimes the heart opens to leave the concealments of physicality through suffering and weeping,

The Sages read kosharot as both weeping and song.

ולפעמים ע"י שמחה ושירה בתורה ומצות.

and sometimes through joy and song in Torah and mitzvot.

The heart can be opened by tears or by joy.

ואז עדיין לא היו מתוקנים כראוי ולכן כ' יונתי בחגוי הסלע.

Then they were not yet properly repaired, and so it is written, “My dove in the clefts of the rock.”

At the sea they were still hidden, like a dove in a crevice.

שהתקשרות דביקות בנ"י בהקב"ה הי' עוד בהסתר ולא היו יכולין לפתוח פנימיות הלב רק ע"י צעקה.

The bond of Israel’s attachment to the Holy One was still hidden, and they could open the inner heart only through crying out.

Their closeness to God could only come out as a cry.

ולבסוף כתיב אז ישיר הוא הפתיחה ע"י שירה וזמרה.

At the end it is written, “Then he sang”: the opening through song and melody.

Then the cry turned into song.

והוא הנהגה המיוחדת בשבת טוב להודות לה'.

This is the special guidance of Shabbat: “It is good to give thanks to God.”

The Psalm of Shabbat speaks of praise, not of crying.

ובמד' נכון כסאך כו' ע"ש.

And the Midrash, “Your throne is established,” and so on. See there.

He returns to the Midrash he opened with.

והענין הוא דאיתא בעשרה מאמרות נברא העולם להפרע מן הרשעים ולתת שכר טוב לצדיקים שמקיימין העולם שנברא בעשרה מאמרות.

The point is that it is taught: the world was created with ten utterances in order to punish the wicked and to give good reward to the righteous, who sustain the world created with ten utterances.

The Mishnah in Avot on the ten utterances of creation.

א"כ תיקון העולם תליא בצדיקים.

If so, the repair of the world depends on the righteous.

The righteous hold the world up.

וכ"ז נתברר ביצ"מ להפרע מן הרשעים.

All this was made clear in the Exodus, punishing the wicked.

Egypt’s punishment showed it.

וע"י העשר מכות ועשרה נסים נתקן העולם.

Through the ten plagues and ten miracles the world was repaired.

The ten plagues in Egypt and the ten miracles at the sea answered the ten utterances.

ונתברר על ידי בנ"י שהקב"ה מנהיג העולם וכל הטבע.

It was made clear through Israel that the Holy One guides the world and all of nature.

Israel became the proof of God’s rule over nature.

ומקודם יצ"מ לא הי' יכול להתגלות הקדושה בעולם וזה המשל כביכול עומד.

Before the Exodus, holiness could not be revealed in the world, and this is the parable of “as it were, standing.”

Before then God’s throne was, so to speak, not yet settled.

וביצ"מ נתקן העולם להיות יכול לקבל הנהגה עליונה שלמעלה מן הטבע.

In the Exodus the world was repaired so it could receive a higher guidance above nature.

The world became able to hold miracles.

וזה עצמו ענין יום השבת שנקרא ע"ש זה כמ"ש בנוסח לאל אשר שבת.

This itself is the matter of the day of Shabbat, which is named for this, as in the prayer, “To God who rested.”

Shabbat is when God, so to speak, sits on His throne.

נתעלה וישב על כסא (קדשו) [*כבודו].

“He ascended and sat on the throne of His (holiness) [*glory].”

A line from the Shabbat morning prayer.

שבשבת מתגלה הקדושה בעולם.

For on Shabbat holiness is revealed in the world.

Shabbat reveals what the week conceals.

וביצ"מ נעשו בנ"י כלים לקבל הארת השבת.

And in the Exodus Israel became vessels to receive the light of Shabbat.

Leaving Egypt made Israel able to receive Shabbat.

לכן כתיב וזכרת כי עבד היית כו' על כן צוך כו' לעשות כו' יום השבת.

Therefore it is written, “Remember that you were a slave,” and so on, “therefore He commanded you,” and so on, “to keep the day of Shabbat.”

The Torah links Shabbat directly to the Exodus.

וז"ש ואתה קדוש שהוא מרומם מכל השגה ואעפ"כ יושב תהלות ישראל.

This is “And You are holy,” exalted beyond all grasp, and yet “enthroned on the praises of Israel.”

God is beyond us and still dwells in our praise.

שע"י בנ"י עם זו יצרתי מתגלה קדושתו ית' גם בעוה"ז.

For through Israel, “This people I formed,” His holiness is revealed even in this world.

Israel brings God’s holiness down into the world.

וכל השירה אמרו בנ"י על התגלות קדושתו ית' בעולם כמ"ש את השירה הזאת לה'.

Israel said the whole song about the revelation of His holiness in the world, as it is written, “this song to God.”

The song was about God, not about themselves.

ואיתא במכילתא לה' אמרוה.

The Mekhilta says: “To God” they said it.

They sang it for God.

כי לא היו שמחין בגאולתן כל כך כמו ששמחו ע"ז הגיאות שעשה הקדוש ב"ה בעבורם.

For they did not rejoice in their own redemption as much as they rejoiced in the majesty that the Holy One showed for their sake.

Their joy was mostly in seeing God’s greatness.

וכן כ' על ישראל גאותו ועוזו בשחקים.

So too it is written, “His majesty is over Israel, and His strength in the skies.”

Psalm 68 pairs His majesty on earth with His strength above.

פי' למעלה בשמים הכל יריאים ומלאים פחד מעוז גבורת שמו ית'.

Meaning, above in heaven, all are in awe and full of fear before the strength and might of His name.

In heaven God’s power is plain to all.

אבל בעוה"ז הסתיר הקב"ה להיות הטבע שולט בעולם רק ע"י בנ"י מגלה הקב"ה הנהגה שלו ונגלה כבוד ה' בעולם.

But in this world the Holy One hid Himself so that nature rules the world, and only through Israel does He reveal His guidance and the glory of God is revealed in the world.

On earth His rule is seen only through Israel.

וזה נק' יושב שכביכול הוא עצמו מנהיג העולם.

This is called “sitting,” for, as it were, He Himself guides the world.

God’s “sitting” on the throne means His direct rule.

ומקודם נאמר עמד וימודד ארץ להיות הכל במדה וקצבה.

Before that it is said, “He stood and measured the earth,” so that everything is by measure and limit.

Standing is the mode of limits and nature.

אבל כשמתגלה הנהגה שלו הוא בלי סוף וקץ ותכלית ומדה.

But when His guidance is revealed, it is without end, limit or measure.

Revealed guidance has no limit.

והוא בחי' השבת כמש"ל.

This is the aspect of Shabbat, as said above.

That is the realm of Shabbat.

וזה מתגלה רק בעבור בנ"י יושב תהלות ישראל כנ"ל:

And this is revealed only for the sake of Israel: “enthroned on the praises of Israel,” as said above.

God’s throne is established through Israel’s song.

Summary: God’s throne was established only when Israel sang at the sea. Israel exists to testify about God, but the testimony lay hidden through the exile until the miracles drew it out. The song declares that God guides the world both hiddenly through nature, like the weekdays, and openly through wonders, like Shabbat, and that it is all one. The seventh day of Pesach is like Shabbat, a day of song and unity that rises without end. Israel, scattered in exile, is gathered in the end because its aim is for Heaven, and God values its faith among the thorns. The Exodus made Israel vessels for Shabbat, when God’s rule is revealed through Israel’s praise.