Shabbat shalom. What a joy to be together on Shabbat Shira and the shabbat that we have designated to celebrate our membership on Milestone Shabbat. This week we read from Parshat B’shalach, which is a meaty torah portion. Well, maybe meaty is the wrong word for the portion that introduces us to the idea of manna. In this portion,
- The Children of Israel escape across the Sea of Reeds from Pharaoh and his army, who drown when God drives back the sea. (13:17-14:31)
- Moses, Miriam and the Israelites sing a song praising Adonai. (15:1-21)
- In the wilderness, God provides the grumbling Israelites with quails and manna. God instructs the Israelites to gather and prepare on the sixth day food needed for Shabbat. (15:22-16:36)
- The people complain about the lack of water. Moses hits a rock with his rod and brings forth water. (17:1-7)
- Israel defeats Amalek, Israel’s eternal enemy. God vows to blot out the memory of Amalek from the world. (17:8-16)
It’s a surprise we don’t call this week Shabbat Kvetch, because this portion highlights several times that the Israelites didn’t trust that God would provide and complained to Moses. To their credit, each complaint was new and after God solved a particular problem, we moved to the next problem. Instead, we highlight singing through Shabbat Shirah.
Recently author Esther Goldenberg shared a bit of torah with me that I want to relay tonight. We talk about the exodus from Egypt twice a year – this shabbat and during Passover. During Passover, we focus on the plagues that lead up to our exodus and on the matzah. That we packed our bags so quickly, our bread didn’t have time to rise… and so we have unleavened bread.
On Shabbat Shirah, we build services full of song to replicate how we sang on the shores of the sea after escaping the Pharoah’s army. We regularly sing Debbie Friedman’s interpretation of the moment in Miriam’s Song.
And the women dancing with their timbrels
Followed Miriam as she sang her song
Sing a song to the One whom we’ve exalted.
Miriam and the women danced and danced
the whole night long.
We don’t talk about how, in the darkest moment, preparing to flee Egypt, packing so quickly that the bread didn’t rise… Miriam and the women remembered to pack their timbrels; they remembered to bring their drums. The instrument of joy and celebration. They knew in their heart of hearts that joy and celebration would return for our people.
Our sacred text reminds us to prepare for joy and celebration to return, even in the darkest times.
This congregation is a source of joy and a place of celebration for our membership. I showed up for the first time in December 2004 and officially joined the congregation in 2005. As many of you know, I converted to Judaism and didn’t grow up in a synagogue. When I first started coming to shabbat services, I was confused. How did you all know so many melodies when there wasn’t a hymnal with sheet music available? How did you change melodies every week and keep the same words? How did you know when to repeat a stanza and when to skip?
The singing was a mysterious but wonderful puzzle when I was new to Jewish life. It was the people in the room, and some who have since passed, who taught me how Emanuel Congregation sings and what our traditions; our minhagim are.
Emanuel Congregation’s greatest asset is our membership. The people who come weekly, monthly, or twice a year. People who join us online and in person. The people who were born members, who married into the congregation, or who found us while out shul shopping.
Our members do amazing things inside this building and in our community. I started writing a list to share, but knew I would inevitably leave people off the list and it started to look a lot like the End of Year fundraising letter. So instead I’ll ask that you pick this conversation up at the oneg and hear from each other the wonderful ways you support our community.
We are grateful you continue to choose Emanuel and limit your complaints, just like the Israelites.
A round of applause for all of our members, whether they are here in body or in spirit. It is an honor to serve as president of this congregation and to have learned how to sing Jewishly with you. As we move forward, let’s remember to pack our timbrels and prepare for joy, even in dark times.
Shabbat shalom, am Israel chai.
D’var given on Friday, January 27, 2024 at Emanuel Congregation in Chicago, Illinois
Accidentally Jewish 