Summary of the Parasha

“When Pharaoh let the people go” (Beshalach), God does not lead them by the short road through the Philistines’ land, lest they see war and return to Egypt. Moses takes Joseph’s bones with him. The people march guided by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

Pharaoh regrets it and pursues Israel with six hundred chariots. Trapped between the army and the sea, the people cry out and blame Moses; he answers: “Hashem will fight for you, and you shall be still”. God says: “Why do you cry out to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward!” The Midrash tells that Nachshon ben Aminadav walked into the water up to his neck. Moses stretches out his hand, an east wind blows all night, and the sea splits; Israel crosses on dry land, and the Egyptian army is engulfed. It was the 21st of Nisan, the seventh day of Pesach. “They believed in Hashem and in Moses His servant.”

Then Moses and the children of Israel sing the Shirat HaYam, “Az yashir”, and Miriam takes a tambourine and leads the women in dance. At Marah the water is bitter; God shows a piece of wood that sweetens it, gives laws and declares: “I am Hashem your healer”. They stop at Elim, with its twelve springs and seventy palm trees.

The people complain of hunger: God sends quails in the evening and manna in the morning, one portion per person each day, a double portion on Friday, and none on Shabbat; those who go out to gather on Shabbat find nothing. A jar of manna is kept for future generations. At Rephidim, the people are thirsty: Moses strikes the rock and water flows; the place is called Massah and Meribah. Finally, Amalek attacks: Joshua fights, and as long as Moses raises his hands, Israel prevails; Aaron and Hur hold up his arms. “Hashem is at war with Amalek from generation to generation”.

This Shabbat is called Shabbat Shirah. The Song is read standing, and many have the custom of feeding the birds, who according to the Midrash sang with Israel.

Summary of the Haftara

“Vatashar Devorah” (“And Deborah sang”)
Text in Judges 5:1–31 for Sephardim, 4:4–5:31 for Ashkenazim

The prophetess Deborah judges Israel under a palm tree between Ramah and Beit El. She sends Barak to fight Sisera, general of Jabin king of Canaan, and his 900 iron chariots. God throws the enemy into panic, the Kishon river sweeps them away, and Sisera flees on foot to the tent of Yael, who kills him. Deborah and Barak then sing a victory song: “Hear, O kings, I will sing to Hashem”, up to the image of Sisera’s mother waiting for her son at the window. “So may all Your enemies perish, Hashem”.

Parasha-Haftara Connection

Two songs of deliverance, two armies of chariots swallowed by the waters, and two women in the lead: Miriam with her tambourines and Deborah the prophetess. Shabbat Shirah brings together the song of the sea and the song of the land of Israel.