PARASHAT BESHALLAH – SHABBAT SHIRAH
“Sing to the Lord!” says the Psalms.
Both Hermann Cohen and Franz Rozensweig explained that we sing traditional prayers during Jewish rituals to create the grandeur of a vision of harmonized humanity centered around values and virtues that affirm life and human cultures. We chant to recognize our connectivity as one People, one Family, one entity on Earth who’s purpose is to bring about a world filled with holiness, justice and redemption, at least in stages.
Individual measures of redemption are parallel to measures that appear on scores of music. They help us create the rhythm of music in shul, as together they create a symphony or choral piece that touches our souls.
When we raise our voices together we praise God, come to know that we are part of something much larger than ourselves and engender joy and better health in our minds, bodies and hearts.
Come sing with us in shul this Shabbat, and come to enjoy Tizmoret – the collegiate a cappella group here with us for this special Sabbath of Song.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Bolton