One of the common accusations against Rabbis is that we talk too
much. When something can be said in a few seconds we will choose to spend
minutes spinning a story and extending the tale in whatever way we can.
The jokes suggest what does it mean when a Rabbi takes of his watch?
Absolutely nothing. We have a reputation for talking too much. And
perhaps this is a Jewish characteristic of using more words than a
necessary.
In this week's Torah portion as we witness the crossing of the
Israelites over the sea and the drowning of the Egyptian army behind them,
finally the people are free, with their persecutors behind them separated by
the returning waters. And then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to
Adonai, and we get the song at the sea and Moses’ song goes on for verse after verse
after verse.
And it is a beautiful song praising God for delivering the
Israelites, celebrating the destruction that has been reeked upon our enemies
and exulting God in the words that we recite on a daily basis: Mi chamocha
baelim Adonai, mi kamocha nedar bakodesh – who is like you Adonai among the
God's people worship, who is like you Adonai majestic in holiness.
The song is beautiful, but what is striking is that after Moses and
the men use all of these words to praise God, Miriam the prophetess, in this context
known as, Aaron sister, ‘took a timbrel in her hand, and all the
women went out after her in dance with timbrels. And Miriam chanted for them: Sing
to Adonai, for God has triumphed gloriously; horse and driver God has hurled
into the sea’ (Ex. 15:20-21). That's it; no more words are necessary for Miriam.
Moses takes all of these words to praise God but Miriam boils it
down into the necessary words. Let's sing to God, celebrating God's
triumph, and let's note that through the sea God has vanquished our
enemies. Nothing more is needed than that except the dance and music to
accompany the song. Miriam stands as a reminder that whilst we might sometimes
have a tendency to elongate a story, sometimes it is possible to be brief. In her few words she says everything that
needs to be said. And everyone joins in singing with her, remembering her
as our leader in song.
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