Shabbat Shalom - 15th Sh’vat - Shabbat Shira

This evening’s Erev Shabbat Service will be conducted with the returning Rabbi Dreyfus, beginning at 8:00 PM. The Adult Choir will provide the music. As part of the service, Rabbi Dreyfus will bless, and the congregation will honor Sybelle and Bert Heilbrunn on the occasion of their 61st wedding anniversary.

Tomorrow’s Shabbat Service, conducted by Rabbi Dreyfus, will begin at 10:00 AM. Carole Fefferman will be the Cantorial Soloist.

The Parsha is B’Shalach, Exodus, 13:17 - 17:16. This Shabbat is called Shabbat Shira as the Parsha includes the Song at the Sea. Pharaoh lets the Children of Israel go, finally, and G-d leads them not directly to Palestine, but through the desert, across the Red Sea (or is it the Sea o Reeds) lest they try to return to Egypt if they saw war against those in Palestine. Moses takes Joseph’s bones with him, and G-d leads the group with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. G-d hardens Pharoah’s heart for one last time and Pharoah sends his warriors after the Israelites. They both camp near the sea, and when morning comes Moses, upon G-d’s instructions, raises his hands and the sea parts, the Israelites go across on dry land, but Pharoah’s troops and chariots get stuck, and the sea comes back and they drowned, proving to everyone the power of G-d.

And the Israelites and Moses had a great time singing about the triumph over the Egyptians. Miriam, the Prophetess, and Aaron’s sister, led the women in dancing and singing. Hence the name of this Shabbat, the Sabbath of Song. They came to camp at a place with bitter water, but with G-d’s help, the water turned to be drinkable. Later, there was no water, but Moses was instructed to strike a rock and the water flowed from it. And there was no food, but G-d sent manna with the dew. Finally, a fight with Amalek. Joshua led the troops, but when Moses raised his arms, the Israelites prevailed. Alas, Moses grew tired, his arms dropped, and the Israelites began to lose. So they propped up Moses’s arms with stones, and the Israelites prevailed.

Through all of this, the Israelites complained, G-d sent help….water to drink, manna to eat, triumph over Amalek, but still they grumbled.