SINGING AND DANCING BIRDS

Dear Family,

Hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Alisa for her upcoming birthday I think on Shabbos. Wishing you a year of new happiness and success.

This weeks Sedra is Beshalach, and this coming Shabbos is called Shabbos Shira (Song)

This is because the sedra speaks about us crossing the Red Sea, and then Moshe singing praise to Hashem with the men and Miriam singing and playing musical instruments with the women.

THERE IS ALSO A MINHAG (CUSTOM) TO FEED BIRDS THIS SHABBOS.

Where does this originate?

The Frierdike Rebbe discusses this in Sefer Hasichos, and brings down that this was established by the Maharal of Prague a few centuries ago, on Shabbos Shira, as follows:

The Maharal instructed all the teachers of children to tell their pupils the story of how when Bnei Yisrael were crossing the Sea on dry land and singing praises to Hashem, there was also a miracle occurring in that fruit trees were sprouting on the sea floor, and the children were picking fruit from these trees and feeding them to the birds. AND THE BIRDS WERE SINGING AND DANCING TOGETHER WITH THEM. (Midrash)

He also instructed the teachers to then give the children, and also the adults, kasha to feed the birds on Shabbos, AND THE MAHARAL HIMSELF ALSO DID THIS HIMSELF IN HIS SHUL and thereafter gave blessings to the children and their parents.

Besides the Custom itself the Frierdike Rebbe points out the greatness of a Minhag and the greatness of educating young children.

The Maharal came down from all his lofty works and levels, and took time out, and on Shabbos, the holiest day of the week, for the sake of Custom and the Children

Ie he was the greatest Iluy of his time, a Gaon ha Gaonim in Nigleh, Nistar, and investigating the exact nature of everything (Chakira). He was a Master of music, and familiar with all the Sciences and Philosophies. And he was a Master of good Middos (kind etc)

Yet he placed above all this, the Custom to gather children and their parents, explain a story and feed the birds, on Shabbos.

Gut Shabbos to all.