
04 Feb PARSHAS BESHALACH: SALVATIONS ON SHABBOS SHIRAH
There is no space
between parashas
Vayigash and
parashas Vayichi,
which is why it is
called a Parashah
S’Tumah, a closed
parashah. Rashi (47:28) writes,
“Why is this parashah closed?
Because when Yaakov Avinu was
niftar, the eyes and hearts of the
Jewish nation became closed from
the tzaros… because they began to
enslave them.”
When there isn’t much white in a
sefer Torah, that is a sign of tzaros,
and the heart and the mind close. This
week, the abundance of white spaces
(in the Shirah) demonstrates an open
mind and happy spirit, freed from
all tzaros. This occurs on Shabbos
Shirah because with kriyas Yam Suf
come salvations for Bnei Yisrael, for
the individual and the community.
The Beis Aharon zt’l writes, “The Az
Yashir contains everything in it: what
was and will be. All redemptions are
found in the shirah. If a person says
it with all his heart, with mesirus
nefesh, according to his level, all
his spiritual and physical needs
will be attained.” This occurs every
day when we say Az Yashir with
kavanah. Certainly, this happens on
Shabbos Shirah when we say the Az
Yashir or when we listen to it being
read in the Sefer Torah. We can merit
many brachos and salvations on this
Shabbos.
The Midrash (Shemos Rabba 21:6)
asks, it should have stated, that the
sea split. Why does it say, that the
water split? This teaches us that all
waters in the world split. All around
the world, wherever there was a body
of water, it split.
What was the purpose of this
miracle?
The Sar Shalom of Belz zt’l
explains that water represents
tzaros and yesurim, as it states
(Tehillim 69:2) “Save me,
Hashem, for the waters have
reached the soul” Hashem
split all water of the world to
indicate that when we read
the Shirah, we are saved from
all troubles and yesurim.
The Chozeh writes that every year,
on Shvi’i Shel Pesach and Shabbos
Shirah Hashem sends bounty and
a lot of compassion to the Jewish
nation.
Chazal say that earning parnassah and
finding shidduchim are as difficult as
kriyas Yam Suf. So, shidduchim and
parnassah aren’t matters to be taken
lightly. Miracles as massive as kriyas
Yam Suf are needed for them to occur.
The Rashbam writes that the Gemara
tells us this, so we should understand
the importance of davening for
parnassah and shidduchim.
The Ateres Tzvi writes, “When the
sea split, it unlocked salvation for all
future generations — for individuals
and the Jewish community. Even if
the gates of parnassah or shidduchim
are closed, one can pray during this
special eis ratzon by kriyas Yam
Suf… and Hashem will save Bnei
Yisrael.”