Song as Jacob's Ladder of Torah: Source sheet
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ShareSong as a vehicle for Spiritual elevation. Shirat HaYam, Serach Bat Asher, psalm 100 including original songs, zohar source- the purpose of all creation is song!
In a play called Steambath, which I watched as a young teen on television in 1973, the only line I clearly remember is from a discussion about what Jacob's ladder is built of. One character suggested it is made "entirely of diminished seventh chords" Now, years later, I think it may be made of love, but there is much overlap between those two! Music has been my ladder, my merchavah!
(יב) וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֔ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃
(12) He had a dream; a stairway was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were going up and down on it.
My song on Jacob's ladder
אז ישיר משה. אָז כְּשֶׁרָאָה הַנֵּס עָלָה בְלִבּוֹ שֶׁיָּשִׁיר שִׁירָה. וְ– חָשַׁב בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לָהּ, אַף כָּאן יָשִׁיר אָמַר ...לוֹ לִבּוֹ שֶׁיָּשִׁיר וְכֵן עָשָׂה – וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֵאמֹר אָשִׁירָה לַיהוה, –...וְכֵן שִׁירַת הַבְּאֵר, שֶׁפָּתַח בָּהּ אָז יָשִׁיר יִשְׂרָאֵל, פֵּרֵשׁ אַחֲרָיו "עֲלִי בְאֵר עֱנוּ לָהּ" (במדבר י"א
אז ישיר משה THEN SANG MOSES — with regard to the usage of the future ישיר, the meaning is: THEN — i. e. when he saw the miracle it entered his mind that HE WOULD SING a song. ... So, also, ישיר here signifies: his heart told him that he should sing, and thus did he actually do, as it states, ...The same applies to the Song of the Well (Numbers 21:17) which begins with the words: אז ישיר ישראל, “then would Israel sing”; it expresses the intention quite plainly in the following words, “Come up, O Well — sing ye unto it” (i. e. these words are a call to the people to sing to it ...).
Moses' song/ Miryam's Song
(ב) עָזִּ֤י וְזִמְרָת֙ יָ֔הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה זֶ֤ה אֵלִי֙ וְאַנְוֵ֔הוּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י אָבִ֖י וַאֲרֹמְמֶֽנְהוּ׃
(2) YAH is my strength and song; G8d has become my deliverance. This is my G8d whom I will enshrine; The G8d of my father, Whom I will exalt!
Gur Aryeh commentary on Rashi
אז כשראה הנס וכו'. רצה לתקן היו"ד של "ישיר" שהוא לשון עתיד, ותירץ דפירושו כשראה הנס – עלה בלבו שישיר, והוי שפיר לשון עתיד. ו..ויש לומר מפני שהפעל של השירה היא בלב, כי כאשר יגיע השמחה בלב הצדיקים עולה בלבם השירה,...,
Then Moshe … sang (literally, “will” or “would sing”). When the righteous are filled with rejoicing, song wells up within them spontaneously. Thus the future tense is used to indicate that as soon as they felt the joy of the miracle it occurred to them to sing, so that they did not sing out of a mere sense of obligation.
(כ) וַתִּקַּח֩ מִרְיָ֨ם הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֲח֧וֹת אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַתֹּ֖ף בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַתֵּצֶ֤אןָ כָֽל־הַנָּשִׁים֙ אַחֲרֶ֔יהָ בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת׃
(20) Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her in dance with timbrels.
SONG OF MIRIAM (15:20–21) Preceded by a prose introduction (v. 20), the single stanza of v. 21 is known in contemporary parlance as the Song of Miriam. This poetic verse is likely the title of the full poem, suggesting that the victory song in vv. 1–19 may have been composed by a woman (see at v. 1).
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד נַפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, רוּחֵיהוֹן הֲוָה תָּבִיר בְּגַוַּויְיהוּ, וַהֲווּ שַׁמְעִין אִינּוּן תּוּשְׁבְּחָן, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְמֶחדֵי, וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ אוֹכְלֹסִין וּרְתִיכִין נַפְקוּ בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ אָרִימוּ תּוּשְׁבְּחָן וְשִׁירִין קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִתְּעַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רוּחֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וַהֲווּ שַׁמְעִין אִינּוּן תּוּשְׁבְּחָן, וְקָאִים רוּחֵיהוֹן בְּגַוַויְיהוּ דְּלָא פַּרְחָן.
R. Simeon continued: ‘When the children of Israel went out of Egypt their spirits were broken because of their past sufferings, and there was no energy left in them and no will to participate in the joy, singing and exultation of Moses and Miriam (Ex. 15, 1-21). But when all those celestial hosts and chariots who accompanied the Shekinah on the way from Egypt began to sing and to praise the Lord for His glorious deeds, the Holy One awakened the spirits of the Israelites, putting new life into them
בְּהֵיכָלָא אַחֲרָא, אִית יוֹכֶבֶד, אִמֵּיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא, וְכַמָּה אַלְפִין וְרִבְּבָן בַּהֲדָהּ. בְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא, לָא מַכְרְזֵי כְּלַל, אֶלָּא ג' זִמְנִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, אוֹדֵת וּמְשַׁבָּחַת לְמָארֵי עָלְמָא, אִיהִי וְכָל אִינּוּן נָשִׁין דִּי בַּהֲדָהּ. וְשִׁירָתָא דְּיַמָּא מְזַמְּרִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וְאִיהִי בִּלְחוֹדָהָא אַמְרַת מֵהָכָא, (שמות ט״ו:כ׳) וַתִּקַּח מִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה וְגוֹ', אֶת הַתּוֹף בְּיָדָהּ וְגוֹ'. וְכָל אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא דִּי בְגַן עֵדֶן, צַיְיתִין לַקָל נְעִימוּ דִּילָהּ. וְכַמָּה מַלְאֲכִין קַדִּישִׁין אוֹדָאן וּמְשַׁבְּחָן עִמָּהּ לִשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא.
In another chamber, Yocheved comes, the mother of Moshe the faithful prophet, and so many thousands and thousands of women with her. In this chamber, there is no announcement at all, but three times each day, she acknowledges and praises the Ruler of the world, she and all the women with her. They sing the Song of the Sea every day, and she herself recites from "And Miriam the Prophet...took her timbrel in her hand..." (Shmot 15:20). And all these righteous women there in Gan Eden listen to her pleasant voice, and so many holy angels acknowledge and praise the holy Name with her.
(כ) וַתֵּ֥לֶד עָדָ֖ה אֶת־יָבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י יֹשֵׁ֥ב אֹ֖הֶל וּמִקְנֶֽה׃ (כא) וְשֵׁ֥ם אָחִ֖יו יוּבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י כָּל־תֹּפֵ֥שׂ כִּנּ֖וֹר וְעוּגָֽב׃
(20) Adah bore Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who dwell in tents and amidst herds. (21) And the name of his brother was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe.
כנור ועוגב. מיני כלי נגינות והיא חכמה גדולה:
THE HARP AND PIPE. Harp and pipe (kinnor ve-ugav) are types of musical instruments. The ability to play these instruments requires great wisdom.
The Alphabet of Ben Sira (late 1st millennium CE) is one of the earliest midrashim to explicitly claim that Serach never died, but entered Paradise [Gan Eden] alive:
אלפא ביתא דבן סירה סרח בת אשר בעבור שאמרה ליעקב יוסף חי אמר לה יעקב זה הפה שבשרני על יוסף שהוא חי לא יטעום טעם מות.
Alphabet of Ben Sira 28b Serach bat Asher, because she told Jacob, “Joseph lives,” Jacob said to her, “This mouth that told me the good news that Joseph was alive, will never taste death.”
SONG (audio coming soon)
Serach bat Asher, Sings our history
Serach bat Asher, You’re a mystery
Melody played on a harp, sung in a minor key
Jacob was so very moved, he blessed with immortality
A favorite son had father Jacob tucked within his heart
Stronger even than death’s angels, though from us he parted.
Joseph our beloved dreamer, was to Egypt swept
He rose to tell the dreams of Pharaoh , in majesty was kept
He rules the Kingdom, saves from famine, and he calls us to his side
Arise grandfather and rejoice, Beloved Joseph is alive
He slowly lifted up his head to hers with a puzzled gaze
Can your words be true Granddaughter, truly I’m amazed?
My heart has wings, my soul is soothed,
I know what I must do
Once I held the Eternal’s gaze in a ladder stretching high
With that power I do bless, sweet Serah never die
Did you always know the truth, oh Serah, Joseph always lived?
Did you hide it, did you lie, how can he forgive?
No I did not know the truth, although I overheard their plans.
Truth was I was afraid to face my father’s hardened hand.
Now I must forever tell my people’ joys and trials
From Egypt to the promised land, we’re bringing Joseph up from the Nile
(א) מִזְמ֥וֹר לְתוֹדָ֑ה הָרִ֥יעוּ לַ֝יהוה כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ב) עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יהוה בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה בֹּ֥אוּ לְ֝פָנָ֗יו בִּרְנָנָֽה׃
(1) A psalm for gratitude. Raise a shout/song for Adonai, all the earth; (2) Serve the LORD in joy; come into His presence with shouts of song.
My setting: psalm 100:1-2 audio coming soon
Hariu L'Adonai kol ha-Aretz: the whole earth sings a love song to the ONe
Hariu L'Adonai kol ha-Aretz: the whole earth sings a song of longing
Ivdu et Hashem b'Simcha, I will serve the Holy One in Joy
Bou L'fanav Birnana, Before You I will offer up my heart in song!
(רצח) בְּרֵאשִׁית, רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פְּתַח, (תהילים ק״כ:א׳) שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת אֶל יהוה בַּצָּרָתָה לִי קָרָאתִי וַיַּעֲנֵנִי. שִׁירִים תְּאֵבִים בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּבְרִיאַת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, כְּדֵי לְהַלְּלוֹ וּלְשַׁבְּחוֹ, שֶׁהוּא יוֹצֵר הַכֹּל. הַשָּׁמַיִם אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה לְפָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים י״ט:ב׳) הַשָּׁמַיִם מְסַפְּרִים כְּבוֹד אֵל, וְהָאָרֶץ אוֹמֶרֶת שִׁירָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם צו) שִׁירוּ לַיהוה כָּל הָאָרֶץ.
..A song of ascents, ...Desiring songs did the Holy Blessed One create, while creating the heavens and the earth, to praise and exalt God, Maker of all. The heavens sing before God, as it is said: "The heavens tell of God's glory" (psalms 19:2) and the earth sings its song, as it is said "Sing to God, all the earth" (psalms 96:1)
And more: the whole world wants to sing, exults in singing to its Maker, in witnessing God's wonders in the heavens and earth. This is Bereishit, that is to say it wants to sing of God's wonders in the heavens and earth
