When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and this week is special indeed because it’s Shabbat Shira, the Shabbat of Song. This week we read Parashat Beshalach (בְּשַׁלַּח) aka Beshallach or Beshalah (Exodus 13:17 through 17:16), the 16th weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings. According to Wikipedia, Beshalach contains 6,423 Hebrew letters, 1,681 words, 116 verses and 216 lines of the Torah Scroll. Beshalach includes the climax of the 1956 classic Cecil B. Demille Passover narrative; Moses parting the Red Sea, Israel’s escape from Egypt and the destruction of Pharaoh’s army.
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Torah reading, Beshalach for Shabbat January 27, 2024 aka 17 Shevat 5784:
“This Shabbat we are blessed to have the Sisterhood of Temple Torat Emet lead us in song and prayer. Just as Miriam led the Jewish People in song after the perilous journey through the Yam Suf, so the wonderful ladies of our Sisterhood, who helped sustain us during the period of the pandemic, will inspire us and share their stories of spiritual connection and awakening. The Sages teach us that wherever we were directed by G-d during the 40 years of wandering, Miriam directed us to discover wells of water which sustained us in the parched wilderness. During the times of slavery, when the men would return home after long days of toil, the Jewish women would sustain and fortify and support them so that they would remain strong and steadfast.
During the time of the Judges, great women, such as Deborah were both general and judge, leading the people in battle and also helping them to apply and learn the usefulness of G-d’s laws expressed in the Torah. Throughout our existence, Jewish women, through their courage and strength, have helped sustain our survival and their leadership through this day will also help us persevere through the current crisis that we are facing.
Thank you Hashem, for endowing us with women of courage and vision in every age and may we always be blessed with women who will inspire us to cross the Yam Suf of the present and the future!”
“Questions for Consideration:
- Why did Amalek choose to attack after the Jewish people left Egypt?
- How long after B’nei Yisroel left Egypt was the gift of Manna granted? Why then?
- Where were B’nei Yisroel located when the Manna began?
- Why is Nachshon ben Aminadav mentioned in the narrative of the splitting of the Yam Suf?”
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his shicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
This moment of Jewish Learning is brought to you by the Florida Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC). We are part of a confederation of over 200 Jewish Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods representing over 20,000 members across the United States, Canada, Latin America, and beyond. Learn more about how your Jewish Men’s Club or Brotherhood can affiliate with the FJMC at: https://fjmc.org/for-clubs/affiliating-with-the-fjmc/.
The Florida Region of FJMC serves the needs of affiliated Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods throughout the State of Florida. Get to know more about the FJMC Florida Region and our growing network of Jewish Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods at www.floridaregionfjmc.org and please visit and LIKE our Florida Region FJMC Facebook Group at www.facebook.com/FloridaRegionFJMC.
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