Beshalach: Zemer of The Week

SECOND ROUND: 
דַּיֵּנוּ – “Dayeinu” / “It Would Have Been Enough”

By popular request: The Maccabeats’ fun multi-genre version of “Dayeinu,” with more than 5M YouTube views: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZgDNPGZ9Sg

If you want a traditional zemer:

 

The zemer  for this week: כי אשמרה שבת

 

Itzik Eshel’s Sephardic version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7unv5xFt7A

 

This zemer was written by Avraham ibn Ezra (1089-1167), a prolific medieval author, philosopher, and poet.  His first name makes up the acrostic of the zemer’s five stanzas.  (Likewise, he also wrote צמאה נפשי , where the acrostic is Avraham.)  It delves into multiple halachic aspects of Shabbos.

Central elements of this parsha include Hashem’s splitting of Yam Suf and His protecting and feeding Bnei Yisrael in the desert.

 

Some of the connections to the parsha:

 

· 2nd line of 2nd stanza:

(“To the first generation my Holy One gave a wondrous proof”) – With the wondrous parting of Yam Suf, Hashem gave that first generation proof of his power and dedication to them.

 

· 1st line of 1st stanza:

“יִשְׁמְרֵנִי קֵ-ל” (“Hashem will safeguard me”) – The beginning of this parsha introduces us to the pillars of cloud and fire, which served to safeguard Bnei Yisroel throughout their years in the desert (Shemot 13:21).

 

· 3rd-4th lines of 2nd stanza:

/בְּשִׁשִּׁי מִשְׁנֶה לֶחֶם בְּתֵת”
“מְזוֹנִי יַכְפִּיל בְּכָל שִׁשִּׁי כָּכָה
(“By giving manna that was doubled on the sixth day / So on every sixth day may he double my food”) – Hashem first gave Bnei Yisroel a double portion of mahn in our parsha (Shemot 16:5).