This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Shirah, as the Torah portion, B’Shalach, features Shirat HaYam, the Song of the Sea.
The song takes delight in the demise of Egypt, who is depicted as an arrogant foe planning to overtake and subdue Israel. The song remarks that the Egyptians “sank like lead in the great waters.” Like a victory cheer, the song emphasizes God’s prowess, even referring to God as a “Master of War.”
For such a famous song, Jewish tradition appears somewhat conflicted about its content. One midrash famously criticizes the angels for celebrating the Egyptians’ demise, stating, “My people are perishing, and you sing praises?” Meanwhile, the Book of Proverbs remarks, “If your enemy falls, do not exult; if he trips, let your heart not rejoice.”
However, the song remains a central element of Jewish tradition, chanted daily as part of the traditional morning liturgy and sung annually on Shabbat Shirah. Though our tradition teaches us to lament all human misfortune, it appears that we also have the right, and perhaps, the obligation, to celebrate victory. The two are not incompatible.
When we celebrate triumphs—in sports, in business, even in war—we must find ways to express genuine joy and relief for our success while acknowledging the humanity of our foe and lamenting the disappointments and tragedies that befall them. Likewise, when we grieve for a foe, we must find a way to uphold our gratitude for our preservation and success. This is the only way we may honor their humanity and ours, until the time arrives when competition and conflict are no more.
—Rabbi Josh Knobel