Ozi v’zimrat Yah, vayehi li l’yishua (Ex. 15:2)
On Shabbat Shira, our Sabbath of Song, we read in the Torah about our escape from Egypt as we chant Shirat Hayam, the Song of the Sea. The second verse, Ex. 15:2, is: “Ozi v’zimrat Yah, Vay yehi, lishua,” which means “God is my strength and song, God has become my deliverance.” Rabbi Shefa Gold, a pioneer of Jewish chants who wrote a well-known chant for this verse, translates this text as: “My Strength (balanced) with the Song of God will be my salvation.” She explains that: “In this practice I find and express my strength, my will, my effort and desire when I chant ‘Ozi.’ When I chant ‘v’zimrat Yah,’ I open and surrender to the God-song and let it be sung through me. Then in the last phrase, ‘Vayahi li lishuah,’ I balance those two aspects of my practice.”
On Rosh Chodesh, the celebration of the new moon, I sang these words as I began to exit the Kotel with Anat Hoffman and the Women of the Wall. Though it wasn’t the first of my experiences in Israel with our congregational trip, it was the most powerful. In that moment of prayer, marching forward against a throng of people, I felt both my strength and surrender.
Israel is a complex country and we, Israel, are a complicated people. Though we joke about our many opinions, there is something dark in that truth. As we experienced first-hand, progressive Jews are often denied the respect of simply coexisting in Israel. It takes great personal strength and strong faith in one’s relationship with God to march forward.
Over the past few weeks in Israel, our congregational group experienced a touch of the joy, beauty, complexity, history, and even heartbreak that comes from living in Israel. There is a lot to unpack. I look forward to a class I will be offering later this year that will allow us to look at some of these complexities more closely. Before then, however, there are so many stories to tell and even more pictures to share. On April 30, the same day our community will observe Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel Independence Day, together with my fellow travelers, I will share many stories and insights from our Israel trip at the Ryterband Brunch. I hope you will join us and share in our enthusiasm.
Of course, you don’t have to wait until then! I hope you will join us on Friday for Share Shabbat, when we come together as a community with the Dayton Jewish Chorale to celebrate our collective history. There, I am sure you will find many friends who will be excited to share their travel experiences with you.
Ozi v’zimrat Yah, Vay yehi, lishua.
May we each find our own balance of strength and faith as we experience what it means to be God’s partners in this world. Shabbat Shalom.
Thanks for your blog, nice to read. Do not stop.