Song at the Sea

After the miracle of the splitting of the sea, the entire Jewish people broke out into song. Moses led the men and Miriam led the women. What does this story teach us about separation of genders in Jewish tradition?

The womanly strain in the "Song at the Sea"

You feel the pain and bitterness, even more deeply than the others, yet you carry in your heart an inextinguishable flame of faith, hope and optimism. You are Miriam, the quintessential Jewish woman

This week's Torah reading contains the "song at the sea" sung by the Children of Israel upon their deliverance from the Egyptians, when the Red Sea split to allow them to pass and then drowned their pursuers. Hence this Shabbat is designated as Shabbat ...

The story is told of the cantor who was approached after the synagogue services by an indignant member of the congregation. "That was the most awful rendition I ever heard in my life!" The president of the synagogue turned to the cantor to console him: ...

A preemptory dose of pain can bring a lot of long-term pleasure. This pain/pleasure principle played itself out vividly in the life of Miriam and her soul-sisters...

Unravel the mystical dimension of three Talmudic opinions on how the Song of the Sea was sung, and its expression in the unity between Moses and the Jewish people.

How Miriam overcame darkness and found the power to be joyful as well as to bring joy to others.

When language aspires to the transcendent, and the soul longs to break free of the gravitational pull of the earth, it modulates into song.

The water of the sea conceals that which is within its depths