In Temple times Shiras Hayam, the Song of the Sea, was sung by the Levites when the daily afternoon sacrifice was offered.¹ 31a, mentions that the Ode was sung atMinchahon Shabbos. After the destruction, the Jews of the Holy Land continued the tradition, reciting the Shira at the end of the Pesukei Dezimrah.The custom spread to Italy and from there to other Jewish communities. This daily recital is mentioned by Rav Saadya Gaon but not as an obligatory part of the service. Rambam calls it a “custom.”² 7:13. Subsequently adopted by all communities, reciting the Shira became an integral part of our daily prayers. Some hold that the Shira should be chanted aloud while standing. It should be sung with joy as at the time of the Exodus. “Sheloh”writes that reciting the Shira atones for sin, so that if one wishes to repent a serious sin, he should recite the Shira every day with great fervor. TheZoharsays, “If one recites this song with elation and joy, he will be worthy to sing it in the next world. He will also be worthy to sing it when he greets the Messiah.”

footnotes: ¹ Maseches Rosh Hashanah ² Hilchos Tefillah

On that day,³ Adonoy delivered Israel from the hand of Egypt, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. And Israel saw the great hand⁴ which Adonoy wielded against Egypt, and the people feared Adonoy, and they believed in Adonoy, and that Moses was His servant.

footnotes: ³ Even though they had been freed a week earlier, they were insecure, fearing that the Egyptians would capture and re-enslave them. Only when God had drowned the Egyptians were the Israelites psychologically free.—Seporno ⁴ The use of the word “hand” or any physical attribute with regard to God is merely metaphorical, since God is in no way physical.

Then Moses and the Children of Israel sang this song to Adonoy, and they said: I will sing to Adonoy for He is most high;⁵ the horse with its rider, He threw into the sea. The strength and retribution of God was the cause of my deliverance;⁶ this is my Almighty and I will glorify Him, God of my father and I will exalt Him. Adonoy is master of war Adonoy is His Name. Pharaoh’s chariots and army, He hurled into the sea; and his elite officers were drowned in the Sea of Reeds. The deep waters covered them; they descended into the depths like stone. Your right hand Adonoy is adorned with power, Your right hand Adonoy crushes the enemy. And in Your great majesty, You destroyed Your opponents; You sent forth Your fury, it consumed them like straw.⁷ send forth Your fury: it will consume them like straw.” According to the Zohar, it thus refers to the time of the Resurrection, when God will destroy all the wicked. And with the wind from Your nostrils the waters were heaped up, flowing water stood erect like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.⁸ The enemy (Pharaoh) said: I will pursue [them], I will overtake [them], I will divide the spoils; I will satisfy myself; I will unsheathe my sword, my hand will destroy them. You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.⁹ and others interpret the verse to read: “They, the mighty, sank like lead in the waters,” “mighty,” referring to the Egyptian officers rather than to the waters. Who is like You among the mighty, Adonoy! who is like You? [You are] adorned in holiness, awesome in praise, performing wonders.¹⁰ You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them. You led in Your kindliness, the people whom You redeemed; You guided them with Your might to Your holy dwelling place. The peoples heard and trembled, pangs of fear gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.¹¹ Then the chieftains of Edom panicked, the mighty men of Moab were seized with trembling, all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.¹² Terror and dread fall upon them; at the greatness of Your arm they were still as stone; until Your people cross over, Adonoy, until [they] cross over,¹³ —the people You have acquired. You will bring them and plant them¹⁴ on the mountain of Your inheritance, the place for Your habitation which You, Adonoy, have made; the Sanctuary, my Master, [which] Your hands established.¹⁵.—Rashi Adonoy will reign forever and ever.¹⁶ But it is repeated in prayer to signify the end of the Ode, just as the last verse of Psalms 150 is repeated in the prayer whereas it is not repeated in the Book of Psalms.—Avudraham Adonoy will reign forever and ever. Adonoy! His sovereignty is established forever and to all eternity.¹⁷ When Pharaoh’s horses, with his chariots, and his horsemen, went into the sea, Adonoy turned back on them the waters of the sea; and the Children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea.¹⁸ For the kingship is Adonoy’s and He rules over nations.¹⁹ over nations.”—Vilna Gaon And deliverers will go up to Mount Zion to judge Mount Esau, and the kingdom will be Adonoy’s.²⁰ And Adonoy will be King over the whole earth; on that day Adonoy will be One and His Name One.²¹

footnotes: ⁵ When people praise a mortal, they often declare undeserved praise. But God is so great that any praise we offer is insufficient.—Rashi ⁶ This translation follows Rashi’s commentary. ⁷ This verse is also translated, “You will ⁸ The water became hard as stone and the Egyptians were hurled against it with great force.—Rash i ⁹ Seporno ¹⁰ God is “awesome in praise” for we fear that all our praise will prove inadequate. In truth, it is impossible to praise God fully, and David therefore said (Psalms 65:2) “For You, silence is praise.”—Rashi ¹¹ The Philistines had killed the Ephraimites thirty years earlier when they left Egypt by force. The Philistines were thus gripped with terror when they heard that Israel had escaped from Egypt.—Rashi ¹² Nations on all sides panicked: The Philistines to the west, the Edomites to the south, the Moabites to the east and the Canaanites to the north. The Philistines feared revenge. The Edomites panicked because they feared that Israel would now seek revenge for what Esau (Edom) had done to Jacob. The Moabites, the descendants of Lot, feared they would be punished because of the dispute between Lot and Abraham (Genesis 13:7). Canaan “melted away” because they realized that Israel was destined to take their land, and their astrologers told them that there was no way out.—Rabbeinu Bachya ¹³ The two crossings are the respective crossings of the Arnon and the Jordan rivers before entering the Promised Land.—Onkelos ¹⁴ Moses here prophesied that he would not be entering the Promised Land, and he therefore prayed that God should bring the Jews into His inheritance.— Rashi ¹⁵ God’s “habitat” on earth, the Holy Temple, is a parallel of the Holy Temple on high ¹⁶ This verse is not repeated in Exodus. ¹⁷ This verse is a paraphrase of the previous verse as found in Targum Onkelos. ¹⁸ Exodus 14:30-15:19. ¹⁹ Psalms 22:29. The word “king” signifies one whose leadership is accepted freely by all his subjects. Therefore, in reference to Israel who willingly accept the Kingship of God, it says, “For the kingship is Adonoy’s.” A “ruler,” however, is one who forcibly rules people, without their consent. Regarding the nations who do not willingly submit to Adonoy’s Kingship, the Psalmist says, “And He rules ²⁰ Ovadyah 1:21. ²¹ Zecharyah 14:9. In the future, God will be recognized by all the nations of the world who will accept Him willingly as their King.