The LORD My Strength and the Vision at the Sea

"The LORD is my strength (ozi)." "Ozi" means nothing but my might, as it is said, "O LORD, my strength and my stronghold" (Jeremiah 16:19), and it says, "The LORD is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusted, and I was helped" (Psalms 28:7). Another interpretation: "ozi" means nothing but Torah, as it is said, "The LORD will give strength to His people" (Psalms 29:11), and it says, "the king's strength loves justice" (Psalms 99:4). Another interpretation: "ozi" means nothing but kingship, as it is said, "In Your strength the king rejoices" (Psalms 21:2), and it says, "The LORD is the strength of His people, a saving refuge for His anointed" (Psalms 28:8). Another interpretation: "ozi" — You are a helper and support to all who come into the world, and to me most of all. "And song (vezimrat Yah)." You are a song to all who come into the world, and to me most of all; for the nations of the world declare the exaltation and praise of Him who spoke and the world came to be, but mine is pleasant before Him, as it is said, "the sweet singer of Israel" (2 Samuel 23:1). He made me an object of praise, and I too made Him an object of praise. He made me an object of praise: "And the LORD has declared you (he'emirkha) this day" (Deuteronomy 26:17), and I too made Him an object of praise: "You have declared the LORD (he'emarta) this day" (Deuteronomy 26:18). Israel says, "Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?" (Exodus 15:11), and the Holy Spirit announces through them, "Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you?" (Deuteronomy 33:29). Israel says, "Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4), and the Holy Spirit announces through them, "And who is like Your people Israel, a unique nation on the earth?" (1 Chronicles 17:21). Israel says, "As an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the young men" (Song of Songs 2:3), and the Holy Spirit announces through them, "As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters" (Song of Songs 2:2). Israel says, "This is my God, and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2), and the Holy Spirit announces through them, "Israel, in whom I will be glorified" (Isaiah 49:3). "And He has become my salvation." You are salvation to all who come into the world, and to me most of all. Another interpretation: "He has become my salvation" — He was for me and He is for me: He was for me in the past and He is for me in the future to come, as it is said, "Israel is saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation" (Isaiah 45:17). "This is my God, and I will glorify Him." Rabbi Eliezer says: How do we know that a handmaid saw at the Sea what Isaiah and Ezekiel did not see? As it is said, "And by the hand of the prophets I gave parables" (Hosea 12:11); and it says, "the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God" (Ezekiel 1:1). They told a parable: to what may this be compared? To a king of flesh and blood who entered a province, with a ring of guards around him, armies before and behind, and warriors at his right and left, and all needed to ask which one he was, because he is flesh and blood like them. But when the Holy One, blessed be He, went up over the Sea, not one needed to ask; rather, all recognized Him, and all opened their mouths and said, "This is my God." "And I will glorify Him (ve'anvehu)." Rabbi Ishmael says: Is it possible for a person to adorn his Maker? Rather, one should make himself beautiful before Him through commandments: make a beautiful sukkah for Him, a beautiful lulav, beautiful tefillin, beautiful tzitzit. Abba Shaul says: Be like Him — just as He is gracious and merciful, so you be gracious and merciful. Rabbi Yose ben Dormaskit says: Make for Him the Temple, as it is said, "Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; your eyes shall see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation" (Isaiah 33:20), and it says, "Holiness befits Your house" (Psalms 93:5). Another interpretation: "ve'anvehu" — Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: I will speak of the beauty and praise of Him who spoke and the world came to be. Rabbi Akiva says: I will declare the beauty and praise of Him who spoke and the world came to be before the nations of the world; for the nations ask Israel, "What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women?" (Song of Songs 5:9) — that you are slain and killed for Him, as it is said, "Therefore the maidens (alamot) love You" (Song of Songs 1:3): read not "alamot" but "unto death (al mavet) they love You"; and it says, "For Your sake we are killed all day long" (Psalms 44:23). They say, You are all comely, all mighty; come, mingle with us. And Israel answers them: Let us tell you a part of His praise — "My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand" (Song of Songs 5:10). When the nations hear the praise of Him who spoke and the world came to be, they say to Israel, We will come with you, as it is said, "Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women, that we may seek him with you?" (Song of Songs 6:1). And Israel answers them: You have no share in Him; rather, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine" (Song of Songs 6:3). Another interpretation: "ve'anvehu" — the sages say: Let us accompany Him (nelaveh) until we come with Him to His Temple. They told a parable: to what may this be compared? To a king of flesh and blood whose son was away; they told him, Your son is in such-and-such a province, and he went out after him and stood by him. So Israel went down to Egypt and the Divine Presence was with them, as it is said, "I Myself will go down with you to Egypt" (Genesis 46:4). They went up and the Presence was with them, "and I will also surely bring you up." They went down to the Sea and the Presence was with them, "And the angel of God moved." They came to the wilderness and the Presence was with them, "and in the wilderness, where you saw how the LORD your God carried you" (Deuteronomy 1:31) — until they came with Him to His Temple, as it is said, "Scarcely had I passed them when I found him whom my soul loves; I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him to my mother's house" (Song of Songs 3:4) — this is the Tent of Meeting, the place from which Israel were charged with instruction. "The God of my father." With me He deals in the measure of mercy, and with my fathers He dealt in the measure of justice. "Eli (my God)" — "Eli" means nothing but the measure of mercy, as it is said, "Eli, Eli, why have You forsaken me?" (Psalms 22:2), and "O God (El), please heal her" (Numbers 12:13), and "The LORD is God (El), and He has given us light" (Psalms 118:24). Another interpretation: "the God of my father" — I am a beloved daughter of beloved ones, a queen daughter of kings, a pure daughter of pure ones, a holy daughter of holy ones. They told a parable: to what may this be compared? To a king of flesh and blood who married a wife; sometimes he is ashamed of her, sometimes of her family, sometimes of her relatives. But I am a beloved daughter of beloved ones, a queen daughter of kings, a pure daughter of pure ones, a holy daughter of holy ones. "And I will exalt Him (va'aromemenhu)." Rabbi Shimon ben Eleazar says: When Israel does the will of the Omnipresent, His name is magnified in the world, as it is said, "For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Sea of Reeds before you... and when we heard it our hearts melted... for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath" (Joshua 2:10-11). And when they do not do His will, what does it say? "And they came to the nations where they went, and they profaned My holy name, in that men said of them, These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave His land" (Ezekiel 36:20). Another interpretation: "the God of my father, and I will exalt Him" — not for the miracles He did with me alone do I render praise before Him, but for the miracles He did with my fathers and is destined to do with me; therefore it is said, "the God of my father, and I will exalt Him."