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We define a song by rimes or reading text with music. "Az Yashir" has no rimes and although its read in Shul with a special tune, the "Te'amim" are like the rest of the Torah. Why then "Az Yashir" is a song or poetry, or maybe we should ask what is a poetry?
The main difference between "Az Yashir" and the rest of the Torah is the way it's written. Most of the Torah verses are written in sequence, without spaces between words. However, in "Az Yashir" there are large spaces between words, and the combination of the number of words in each group and the space between the group reminds a brick wall. Ha'azinu's structure is different, but the principle of the spaces remains - the text is written in two columns, with a blank space in between.
Do these spaces define poetry? Does the blank sheet between the words give them a different meaning?
Rabbi Yehuda Halevi (11th century) was a well-known poet. Although he wrote classical poetry, in his book "Kuzari", he writes that good poetry isn’t characterized by beautiful words or rimes, but by conveying an idea beyond the words. Those who read good poetry should feel as if they can see poet and what he saw.
When Am Yisrael crossed the Red Sea, they reached a high spiritual level, somting that can not be described in words. "Az Yashir" comes from this high experience with an attempt to convey this to the reader. Because words can not contain the virtue of that great experience, it's written between the lines, in the spaces between words.
When we read "sAz Yashir" every day, and especially when read from the Torah in Parashat Beshalach, we should listen to the gaps, to the silence of the Cantor between verses, hear the idea that can not be expressed in words.
In the silence, everyone can try to hear the voices of the Red Sea and in the blank spaces to imagine how it was, as if he is standing there and can see it all in his eyes. If we try to live the song, the white spaces might be filled with lights of prophecy
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Rabbis in Midrash
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
