Parashat Beshalach 5772, 2012: Changing and Perfecting the World

Parashat Beshalach 5772, 2012:

Changing and Perfecting the World

Dedicated to the sacred memories of my sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, my sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, and Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam and Yehonatan Binyamin Halevy ben Golda Frieda

The Shirah (Song) of praise and exaltation sung by the Jewish people after having crossed unscathed through the Sea of Reeds (“Red Sea”) is one of the most often recited passages in the entire Torah. After all, we say it every day as part of the introductory section of our daily prayers (Pesukei d’Zimrah). Yet, due to its poetic language and metaphoric images, its meaning remains elusive and difficult to comprehend.

One example of a well known, yet difficult to understand phrase in the Shirah is that of “zeh kali v’anvahu.” (Sefer Shemot 15:2) One would think that such an expression would have a clear and unambiguous translation that would reflect unanimity of opinion as to its meaning. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Judaica Press translation, following the Aramaic translation of Onkelos (first century CE), interprets our phrase as “this is my G-d, and I will make Him a habitation.” Rav Aryeh Kaplan zatzal, takes a somewhat similar approach and translates our phrase as “this is my G-d, I will enshrine Him.” In stark contrast, Rashi (1040-1105) and his grandson, the Rashbam (1080-1158), following Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 133b, translate this as “this is my G-d, and I will glorify Him.” Thus, there is no definitive interpretation of our phrase.

The above-referenced Talmudic passage is based upon a comment of the Mechilta on our pasuk (verse):

R. Yishmael says: And is it possible for a man of flesh and blood to add glory to his Creator? It simply means: I shall be beautiful before Him in observing the commandments. I shall prepare before Him a beautiful Lulav, a beautiful Sukkah, beautiful Tzitzit and beautiful Tefilin. Abba Shaul says: O be like Him! Just as He is gracious and merciful, so should you be gracious and merciful. (Translation, Jacob Z. Lauterbach with my emendations)

Abba Shaul’s explanation of “zeh kali v’anvahu,” i.e. imitatio dei, is discussed at length in a famous passage in Talmud Bavli, Sotah 14a: