The Song of the Sea: Archetype of Israel's Songs

Then Moses and the Israelites sang (yashir) this song to the Lord, saying (leimor): “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea.”                          Exodus 15:1

            Ba’al haTurim cleverly notes that the word “yashir” can be divided into “yod (the letter whose numeric equivalent is 10) shir” (meaning ten songs) and sees this fact as a hint at the ten songs which appear in the Bible: the song of the Sea; of the well [Numbers 21:17-20]; Ha’azinu [Deuteronomy 32:1-43]; Joshua at the Ayalon Valley [Joshua 10:12 (though it should be noted that the verses do not specifically refer to a “song”, but “Joshua spoke to the Lord…”)]; Deborah [Judges 5]; Ḥanna [I Samuel 2:10 (where the language of the verse is “Ḥanna prayed …”)];David [Psalms 18]; the Dedication of the House [Psalms 30]; King Hezekiah [Isaiah 38:10-20 (in these verses as well, the word “song” is missing)]: the Song of the Days to Come [Isaiah 42:10]

            (It is to be noted that Ba’al haTurim’s list differs slightly from that in Mechilta d’Rebbi Shimon bar Yoḥai. [Parashat Beshalaḥ 1]

            Numerous commentators wonder about the apparent redundancy of the word “leimor,” “which is (apparently) not understandable, since the song is not addressed to others,” as Alshikh phrases the question. Or haḤayyim explains that the use of the word “leimor” conveys that the song is to be sung by all Israelites in complete unison, “as a single person.” That is, the Song of the Sea expresses the untiy of the people of Israel, out of which the song springs. This elucidation also explains the use of the singular “I will sing” as opposed to the plural “We will sing.”

            According to Ba’al haTurim’s list, the Song of the Sea is the first song sung by Israel, and it can be seen as the archetype for all the nation’s songs, leading to the tenth and final song, the Song of the days to Come. As such, the secret of the ultimate song lies in the first song: it is the unity of Israel which will bring the final redemption, at which we will be privileged to sing a new song to God. [Isaiah 42:10]