Felt birds tribute for Shabbath Shirah

The Shabbat on which the Parsha of Beshalach is read is called Shabbat Shira, because it contains the song sung by Israel after the splitting of the Red Sea.
Tradition teaches that there are only ten true Songs (Shirot, the plural of Shirah) in the history of the world. These true Songs are not mere melodies; they are expressions of the harmony of creation and mark monumental transitions in history. Another of these Songs appears on the haftarah portion for the week (Judges 4:4-5:31): the Song of Deborah. The Song of Songs is, of course, one of the Ten Songs. Interestingly, the Tenth Song has not yet been sung: it is the Song of the coming of the Mashiach, which will be sung at the End of Days (see Isaiah 26:1).

To celebrate Shabbat Shirah, the Rabbis suggested, in addition to the customs connected with the synagogue Torah reading, a home-based ritual: on Shabbat Shirah we feed the birds. Some have suggested that we do so to acknowledge the birds’ singing in praise of G.d and his great miracle at the sea. Others have linked feeding birds with their role in the biblical story of the double portion of manna that miraculously appeared on Friday so that the Israelites would not have to gather manna on Shabbat. A midrash tells us that two trouble-makers, Dathan and Aviram, put out manna Friday evening so that the people would discover it on the morning of Shabbat and Moshè and G.d would be discredited. But the birds gobbled up all the manna before the people awoke, preserving the miracle of the double portion of manna on Friday and its absence on Shabbat and, thus, confirming the leadership of Moshè. 

Tribute to the birds

 Homemade garland with handmade felt birds decoration for Shabbath Shirah.

Shabbath Shirà

Shabbat of Song
This week's Torah reading contains the "song at the sea" sung by the Children of Israel upon their deliverance from the Egyptians, when the Red Sea split to allow them to pass and then drowned their pursuers. Hence this Shabbat is designated as Shabbat Shirah, "Shabbat of song."
Our sages tell us that the birds in the sky joined our ancestors in their singing; for this reason it is customary to put out food for the birds for this Shabbat (to avoid the possibility of transgressing the laws of Shabbat, the food should be put out before Shabbat).

Beshalach - Bird feeder

Shabbath Shirà - Beshalach

This Shabbat we celebrate a very special moment in the Torah, a very musical moment in Jewish biblical history. This Shabbat is Shabbat Shirah. It is the Sabbath of Singing, brimming with extraordinary music to celebrate Moshe and Miriam leading the Israelites across the Sea of Reeds and out of Egypt.

This Shabbat we read Parashat Beshalach. 

Shabbat Shirah gets its name from part of the sedra  known as Shirat HaYam (song of the sea).

Liturgically, this is the part of the Torah from which the Rabbis selected Mi Chamocha to become part of our worship. The prayer is taken from Shemot  15, 11 and 18. "Mi chamocha ba-ei-lim Adonai, mi ka-mocha ne-e-dar ba-kodesh, no-rah t'hi-lot o-seh feleh (11). Adonai yim-loch l'o-lam va-ed (18).(Who is like You, O G.d, among the gods that are worshipped? Who is like You, O G.d, majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor, working wonders (11)? Adonai will reign forever and ever (18)!).

Musically, not only does Shabbat Shirah lend itself to be a service throughout which one is totally immersed in amazing music led by the Cantor, choir, temple band and guest musicians, there is a special musical motif that exists just for this song/poem in the Torah.   An excerpt of the Shirah chant was included in the movie The Prince of Egypt in the song "When You Believe." 

 

This week's Torah reading contains the "song at the sea" sung by the Children of Israel upon their deliverance from the Egyptians, when the Red Sea split to allow them to pass and then drowned their pursuers.
Our sages tell us that the birds in the sky joined our ancestors in their singing; for this reason it is customary to put out food for the birds for this Shabbat (to avoid the possibility of transgressing the laws of Shabbat, the food should be put out before Shabbat).

Shabbath Shirà

On Shabbat Shirah (the "Sabbath of Song"), we read the Torah account of the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites. The climax of the reading is the "song at the sea," with its lofty, rolling musical melody. The Rabbis believed that the shirah was sung responsively, first by Moses and the men, then by Miriam and the women. Today, in keeping with this tradition, the congregation sings a number of the verses before the Torah reader chants them, as an expression of the spontaneous enthusiasm of the people.
On Shabbat Shirah we feed the birds. Some have suggested that we do so to acknowledge the birds’ singing in praise of G.d and his great miracle at the sea. Others have linked feeding birds with their role in the biblical story of the double portion of manna that miraculously appeared on Friday so that the Israelites would not have to gather manna on Shabbat. A midrash tells us that two trouble-makers, Dathan and Aviram, put out manna Friday evening so that the people would discover it on the morning of Shabbat and Moshè and G.d would be discredited. But the birds gobbled up all the manna before the people awoke, preserving the miracle of the double portion of manna on Friday and its absence on Shabbat and, thus, confirming the leadership of Moshè.

 Birds Feeders

Birds feeders from empty recycled milk containers

Shabbath Shirà ideas

One of the customs associated with this Shabbath is to place crumbs outside for the birds to eat. We read in the Torah on this week about G-d giving the  manna to the nation of Israel, for their sustenance. Moshe told the nation of Israel that the manna would not fall on Shabbath, and therefore they should collect a double portion on Friday. There were rabble-rousers who wanted to embarrass Moshe and weaken his authority. They took manna they had collected on Friday, and after dark placed it out on the ground. Come morning, they hoped that people would think that the manna did indeed fall on Shabbath, and Moshe, who they contended made up the laws as he went along, was wrong. However, no manna was around on Shabbath morning. Why? Because the birds carried it away before the nation awoke, so that the nation would indeed trust in Moshe and respect the sanctity of the Shabbath about which Moshe spoke. 
To reward the birds for this noble deed, we feed them the week on which we read of the surrounding incident, the week of Beshalach.

birds crafting for Shabbath Shirà

wood garland with birds 

 

 

Find HERE and HERE  the winter birds from Becca Karen

 

little wood hand painted birds houses

 

bird feeders

 

parashah Beshalach - Shabbath Shirà

This Shabbath, on which the Torah portion of Beshalach is read, is known as Shabbath Shirà, The Sabbath of Song. The source of this special name is the portion of Beshalach, in which we read of the song the entire nation of Israel sang after the miracle of the splitting of the Red Sea. This song, which is recited every day as part of the morning prayers, is a special song. Because of the importance of this song, the Shabbath on which we read it takes the name of "Sabbath of the Song." 

Myriam homemade tambourine

this year our tambourine is made with plastic plates, wool and wood beans

...Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing

Feeding the birds on Shabbath Beschalach

This Friday – Take a Bird to Lunch.
There is a minhag to feed birds on Shabbat Shira (better on Fri.) as an act of HAKARAT HATOV on two different levels.
There is an old custom to feed birds on Shabbat Shira. Note that there are halachic problems with feeding animals other than one's own on Shabbat. Sefer HaToda'ah, for example, says that one should provide for the birds on Erev Shabbat Shira, not on Shabbat itself.
The reasons given for this custom help us in a gentle way to become more sensitive to the needs of the animals around us. There is a tradition that on the first Shabbat of the Manna, not only did people go out looking for Manna, but they (wicked people, says Rashi) had previously scattered Manna around the camp in order to find it and "make a liar out of Moshe".
Birds came by early in the morning and ate up the Manna, thus protecting the honor of Moshe, and of G-d Who had said that Manna would not fall on Shabbat. In repayment "one good turn deserves another" style, we feed the birds around this Shabbat when we read of the Manna in the weekly portion.
Another reason for the custom is given. In this sedra, we joyously sing praise to G-d for His having taken us out of Egypt and saved us from the Egyptians. Singing is the special domain of the birds. That is how they express themselves in acknowledgement of the Creator (so to speak - or so to sing). We borrowed their skill; therefore we "pay royalties" on our Song by feeding birds on (before) this Shabbat.
We should not see this custom as just throwing a few crumbs to the birds. The act is a reminder of our obligation to repay kindnesses, HAKARAT HATOV, and of our attitude and treatment of the world's creatures in general.

Find HERE and HERE  the winter birds from Becca Karen

Shabbath Shirà

MIRIAM "artistic" tambourine

I bought cake pan and added a plastic plate and made a joyfull tamburine for the girls to play

Miriam's Song
Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took the drum in her hand, and all the women followed her with drums and dancing. Miriam led them in the response, "Sing to HaShem for His great victory, horse and rider He cast in the sea."

Parashah Beshalach 2 - pillar of cloud

The pillar of cloud turning pillar of fire craft
The Israelites moved on from Sukkoth, and they camped in Etham, at the edge of the desert. HaShem went before them by day with a pillar of cloud, to guide them along the way. By night it appeared as a pillar of fire, providing them with light. They could thus travel day and night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire at night never left their position in front of the people.

parashah beshalach - parting the sea

OPENING OF THE SEA CARTOON BOX

HaShem said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Speak to the Israelites, and let them start moving. Raise your staff and extend your hand over the sea. You will split the sea, and the Israelites will be able to cross over on dry land.

 

Parashat Beshalach with children

Have a great Shabbat, and don't forget to feed the birds this week (before Shabbat, of course...!) it's a tradition. 

My children enjoyed paint the birdcases and collect seeds and bread to give to the bird on Erev Shabbat 

 "Even the birds chirped and fluttered their wings when the Jewish people sang and the little children picked the buds off the sea plants and fed them to the chirping birds."

 

Long ago, in the days of the famed rabbi, the Maharal of Prague, the children of the city looked forward eagerly to Shabbat of the Torah portion of Beshalach. Even the cold European winter could not keep them home on this Shabbat.

After the story was told, the teachers, following the rabbi's instructions, gave the children buckwheat grains which they tossed to the birds and the hens below. "Just like the children fed the birds at the splitting of the sea," the children of Prague called out with delight.

Then a hush swept over the roof of the synagogue. Everyone turned toward the beloved leader of Prague. The Maharal himself had joined them, and now he blessed the children. "May you merit to bring your children to Torah, marriage, and good deeds," the Rabbi said.

This was the custom that the Maharal encouraged in ancient Prague.