1)

What is meaning of "Vata'an Lahem Miriam"?

1.

Rashi: It means that Miriam began to sing 1 and the women sang after her.


1

Rashi in Ezra: As in Ezra, 3:11.

2)

Why does the Torah write "Vata'an Lahem Miriam" and not 'Vatashir' (as it does regarding Moshe and the men - See Targum Yonasan)?

1.

Due to the Isur of 'Kol Ishah', perhaps it means that Miriam made a point of chanting 1 rather than singing like the men. 2


1

Refer also to 15:20:4:2. One can add that that is why the women left the camp to sing the Shirah in the desert. Refer to 15:21:152:4.

2

See also Oznayim la'Torah, who, based on the fact that the Pasuk speaks in the masculine ("va'Ta'an Lahem Miriam)" explains that she was merely encouraging the men to sing and not singing with the women.

3)

What exactly did Miriam sing with the women?

1.

Rashi: Miriam sang with the women what Moshe sang with the men.

2.

Ramban: She sang with them the first Pasuk only. 1

3.

Targum Yonasan: She sang with them 'Let us thnak nd praise before Hashem, to whom strength and greaytness belonmg; He is proud over the proud ones and reigns over those who are exalted - because Par'oh ha'Rasha was wicked and pursued the B'nei Yisrael - He (Hashem) cast the horse together with its rider and drowned them in the Yam-Suf.'


1

Refer to 15:19:1:4*.

4)

Why does the Torah write "va'Ta'an Lahem (masculine) Miriam"?

1.

Riva (citing a Midrash): The angels complained to Hashem - 'If the men [of Yisrael] sing before us, will the women also sing before us'? Miriam answered them - 'You sing first, and we will sing afterwards'.

2.

Refer to 15:21:2:1**.

3.

Kli Yakar (in Pasuk 20): Because the women reached a level of prophecy of men.

4.

Sh'lah (Torah Ohr 7): Because when some bachelors came to see the women rejoicing, Miriam told them to return to the men and sing with them.

5)

Did the men hear the women sing? Is this not forbidden due to Kol Ishah?

1.

Be'er Mayim Chayim 3 (be'Sof Teshuvos Be'er Sheva): A Hora'as Sha'ah permitted Devorah to sing with Barak (Shoftim 5:1. Perhaps the same applied here. - PF)

2.

Vilna Gaon (OC 75:3): Some Rishonim, including Talmidei R. Yonah, Hagahos Maimoniyos and Mordechai, forbid Kol Ishah only at the time of Keri'as Shma.

3.

Chomas Anach (Tehilim 87:7): Where the Shechinah dwells - at a time of Nevu'ah, there is no concern. The same applied to Devorah, who sang with Barak (Shoftim 5:1).

4.

Seridei Esh (2:8): One may hear men and women singing together. Chasan Sofer (OC Taharas Yadayim 14) was unsure about this. Tzitz Eliezer (14:7) - this is a minority opinion, which most Poskim reject.

5.

Avnei Yashfe 2 (OC 5): The Isur of Kol Ishah is mi'de'Rabanan, and had not yet been enacted.

6.

Teshuvos R. C. Kanievsky (73): They danced and sang in their own place, lest the men see and hear them).

7.

Refer to 15:20:4:2 & 15:21:2:1 and note #1.

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