Shabbat Beshallach Shalom

This Tof Miriam was created by artist Betsy Platkin Teutsch in 5759. I love it for its joyfulness, its colorfulness, and for the age diversity of its dancers. Round and round, in Hebrew and in English, and in Teutsch’s translation: “Miriam the prophet…took a timbrel in her hand; and then all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.” (Exodus 15:20). This Tof Miriam always makes me smile and I’ve displayed it prominently on one of my bookshelves.

In 2009, my chevrutah Rivka Haut and myself published a brief D’var Torah at The Jewish Week about crossing the Reed sea. Here’s a bit of it.

“Then, amazingly, the women separated themselves from the men, and, accompanied by musical instruments, sang and danced in a circle [Exodus 15:20]. Not separated into tribes, the women created a new form of unity, a circle, where every person is equal to every other.(See Maor Va'shemesh, Kalonymous Kalman of Krakow on this verse.). According to some commentaries, the Shechina, God's presence, was in the middle of the circle, which allowed each woman to be equally close to the presence of God… it was possible to ignore differences, to overcome tribal divisions, in order to praise the "One God" who had rescued them.”

A sweet Shabbat Shalom.