Posted on 01/29/26
It is widely quoted in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Moshe Azkiri — 16th century Kabbalist who resided in Tzefas and was a contemporary of the Arizal — from his Sefer Chareidim, that reciting Shiras HaYam [Az Yashir] with joy, as if one personally just left Egypt, serves as a powerful means through which all sins are forgiven as the Midrash interprets the verse “And Moshe caused them to journey from the Sea of Reeds”, to mean “he caused them to journey away from their sins.”
Is that all it takes for one to have his sins forgiven.
What happened to regret, confession, and undertaking to never sin again, the vital three components of Teshuva?
Can we possibly mimic the joy they experienced when leaving Egypt and having been so miraculously saved from the raging sea?
We are taught that the instinctive eruption of joy expressed in the entire nation jointly breaking out in Shirah — song, was experienced even by fetuses in the wombs of their mothers.
Do these unborn children have cognizance of what was transpiring?
The Talmud in Sotah (30) describes how the mother's bellies became glasslike and transparent, allowing these children to observe the miraculous event!
Rav A.I. Kook in his commentary on Aggadeta, Ayin Ayah (Brachos 50) writes the following:
The psalmist describes the outburst of joy and thanksgiving when G-d delivered Israel out of Egypt and led them across the wilderness:
“In full assemblies, bless G-d; the Lord, ממקור ישראל — from the source of Israel.”
What does this phrase — “from the source (m'kor) of Israel” — mean?
The Talmud offers a curious interpretation. Rabbi Meir explained that even the fetuses in their mothers’ wombs sang G-d’s praises at the Reed Sea (Berachos 50a). What is the significance of this puzzling statement? Did the Jewish fetuses really sing?
There are several factors that deepen our feelings of love and awe of G-d. Certainly, Torah study and the performance of mitzvos play their part. A good education cultivates the soul’s loftier sensibilities and emotions.
But beyond these didactic efforts, the soul has an innate source of holiness. This natural holiness does not need any specific actions or external influences for the soul to be uplifted in song and joy in G-d’s kindness. It is enough to appreciate the simple fact that we come from “the source of Israel,” that we belong to this remarkable nation that G-d watches over and protects.
When did the Jewish people first experience the privilege of G-d’s favor as a nation? At the Reed Sea. Based on their deeds, the Jewish people at that time were no better than other nations. They had not yet received the Torah. The Midrash says that the angels were unable to distinguish between the Israelites and their Egyptian persecutors: "these are idolaters and these are idolaters.”
Nonetheless, the Israelites merited “seeing G-d’s great hand” deliver them. Physically, they were rescued from their enemies. And spiritually, their souls were uplifted to sing songs of praise and thanksgiving.
As soon as babies are born, they are influenced by what they see and experience. But a fetus in its mother’s womb has never experienced any form of education, formal or otherwise. A fetus only has awareness of its immediate surroundings — its origin.
The Jews who witnessed the miraculous deliverance at the Sea gained this ‘fetal’ awareness of the source of their souls. Struck with the true significance of this unique gift, they broke out in jubilant song and thanksgiving.
“In full assemblies, bless G-d.” Individuals can deepen their feelings of love for G-d via external efforts, but the potential for this love exists equally in all. Scholars and simple folk, together “in full assemblies,” sang their feelings of gratitude and love. They were elated by this sudden awareness of the great privilege that their souls were rooted in “the source of Israel.”
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן