R’ Chaim Mendel fainted, falling to the floor with a thud. He had recognized the human form that Eliyahu hanavi had adopted. He was disguised as…Baruch Leib, the forest warden!
The rebbe later opined, “You see, Chaim Mendel, up there in shamayim it was decided that both requests of yours would be granted. Now you no longer need be embarrassed to conclude a shidduch with your neighbor, Baruch Leib.”
Truly so, thought Chaim Mendel. Both my wishes have been fulfilled, in a way I’d have never dreamed.
United In Song
When Moshe sang shira to Hashem, all of the children of Israel raised their voices in unison. Having ascended to a high spiritual plateau, they rose to the occasion and missed not a word, nor did they veer from a note in the prose of praise they had never before heard or verbalized. In their state of absolute emunah, they believed the appropriate lyrics to be divinely implanted in their hearts.
Miriam the Prophetess led the women in song and dance. The righteous women of that generation were utterly confident that their Savior would effectuate miracles and had packed tambourines among their meager possessions when they left Mitzrayim. In adherence to “kol b’isha ervah” – the prohibition against men to listen to the lilting sound of a woman’s voice (Brachos 24:1) – the instrumental accompaniment muted their melodious chant.
The wonders and miracles of that time awoke a profound longing in both human and celestial beings to sing God’s praises. The ministering angels who vied for first billing in the impromptu performance of shira to Hashem were firmly instructed by their Creator to await their turn. For His beloved children – men, women and youngsters (infants interrupted their nursing to sing) – would praise Him first.
“Shiru l’Hashem shir chadash kol ha’aretz” (Tehillim 96:1) – “Sing to Hashem, sing a new songall ye inhabitants of this earth.” This refers to a new time for which we desperately pine – the days of Moshiach. In the future, we will sing shir, as opposed to shira, the feminine form of song. For we will no longer be afflicted with the wretchedness of new exiles, likened to the female cycle of pregnancy and childbirth. Shira will take on the masculine form of shir – when misfortune will cease to be born, when victory and triumph will be ours forever (Shemos Rabbah 23:11).
