THE SONG OF THE SEAS
The seas sing of Hashem’s strength and protection.
[Song 8] Seas (Ch. 1)
יָמִים אוֹמְרִים. מִקֹּלוֹת מַיִם רַבִּים אַדִּירִים מִשְׁבְּרֵי יָם אַד ִּיר בַּמָּרוֹם יי: (תהילים צג ד)
The Seas are saying: “More than the voices of many waters, than the mighty waves of the sea, Hashem on high is mighty.”
Commentary
The mighty oceans sing of Hashem’s unconquerable might. He holds back the
water from flooding the land, and so too the enemies of Israel from overrunning
us. 1 Moreover, the waves may be strong but their strength is only from the wind
and the pull of moon – which in turn are controlled by Hashem from up high.
So too, the nations are powerless marionettes who discipline us at times,
according to Hashem’s omnipotent will.
The fact that we are standing on dry land, and that we survive and even thrive
in the midst of seventy wolf-like nations, is a constant testimony of Hashem’s
desire for us to live here on earth. We, too, should hold steadfast to our traditions
and ideals, and live in a way that justifies His colossal efforts.
LIVING WITH THE SONG
The fact that we are standing on dry land is a constant testimony of Hashem’s desire for us to live here on Earth.
For this we thank Him each morning in the Bracha “המים על הארץ רוקע .“So too is the fact that we are not overrun
by the seventy wolf-like foes that surround us. Hashem wants us here, in this generation.
We have to live with this appreciation. Hashem is holding up the world so that we can serve Him even only in the
meagre earthly way that each can. He desires in this more than the mighty roaring chorus of the oceans and more
than the angelic choir on high. We too should value our service to Him no less, striving to Daven full meaningful
prayers, making Brachos with earnest intent, learning daily quotas of learning according to our ability and in general
to fulfil the Torah with magnificence.
The sea also instills fear of Heaven within us. “Sailors are [generally] all righteous” because they live constantly in
danger and their hearts are locked with their Father in heaven. (Talmud Nida 10a and Rashi ad loc.)
We too can emulate Hashem in this way if someone steps off the field of our tolerance and we hold back the tides
of frustrated emotion within. If you ever do that, other than meriting the great reward the Sages promise for it,
you also give voice to the song of the seas, declaring that mightier than any emotional tidal wave is the desire of
Hashem- “Mighty on high is Hashem.”
Inspirational commentary By Shmuel Ben-Tzion Kraines author of
The Song of Existence.
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