2020/5780

In this week's Parashah the Torah records the incredible miracle of Yetziat Mitzrayim, wherein Hashem reveals himself to the world while saving Bnei Yisrael from the hands of Pharaoh. After this incredible miracle, Bnei Yisrael ring out in a song of thanks to Hashem for the incredible miracle which He performed on their behalf. The song begins: “Az YaShir Moshe,” “And then Moshe sang” (Shemot 15:1). However, the Mefarshim ask a seemingly obvious question based on this phrase: why does the pasuk use the future tense Az Yashir instead of the past tense VaYashar Moshe?

Rashi, Shemot 15:1 s.v. Az YaShir Moshe, in contrast to the Midrashic understanding of the Gemara, presents a Peshat explanation , that after experiencing this transcendent miracle, Moshe had decided to sing a song of thanks to Hashem. Rashi then gives a beautiful Midrashic answer based on the Gemara in Sanhedrin 91a. He writes that this is the biblical source for our belief in Techiyat HaMeitim, revival of the dead. One day Moshe and Bnei Yisrael will return and he will sing this song once again. Rashi explains that in other places where the Tanach uses the future tense to describe something presently happening, it was a constant occurrence. For example, when the Torah describes the Jews’ travels, it writes “Al Pi Hashem YaChanu,” “Based on the word of Hashem they would encamp” (BaMidbar 9:23). This means that whenever the Jews would encamp, it was based on the word of Hashem. However, here, Yetziat Mitzrayim happens only once, it was a unique revelation of Hashem. Thus, the word Az is a symbol of the future and Techiyat Hametim. 

The Ohr HaChaim writes that the Pasuk uses the word Yashir because we continue to sing this song every day in our daily davening. If it would have said Vayashir then we could have thought that this song was intended only for the people who had witnessed Keriat Yam Suf.

                Ultimately, we can learn a valuable lesson from the fact that we say Az Yashir every day, that every day is a miracle, just like Yetziat Mitrazyim. There is a story told about Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach that when he was past 80 years old he visited a doctor and the doctor told Rav Shlomo Zalman that it was a miracle that he  was still alive. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach replied that in fact it was also a miracle that the doctor was alive. When we say Az Yashir every morning we can use it as inspiration to thank Hashem for every day. We must realize that every day is a miracle for us and that this is the reason that we say Az Yashir every day, and not just on days that we would consider miraculous like a Brit, or a wedding, but on every single day. If we take this to heart and realize how precious every single day is and use it to follow Hashem and his commandments to the best of our ability, we will be able to merit Techiyat HaMetim and the coming of Mashiach in our day and we will once again be able to sing Az Yashir with all of Bnei Yisrael together just as Bnei Yisrael did after the splitting of the sea.