A message from Yoetzet Halacha Atara Eis, Director of Nishmat’s Miriam Glaubach Center & educational supervisor to this Nishmat/OU/RCA Kallah Teacher Training course:

Our Pesach present to the נשים צדקניות of this course, who, like our holy matriarchs on the sea, are preparing their families and communities to celebrate זמן גאולתינו! Instead of taking your quiz, please enjoy a summary of some inspiring Rashi’s on the breathtaking love story of Am Yisrael and HaShem, שיר השירים.

יא) כִּי הִנֵּה הסתו הַסְּתָיו עָבָר הַגֶּשֶׁם חָלַף הָלַךְ לוֹ: יב) הַנִּצָּנִים נִרְאוּ בָאָרֶץ עֵת הַזָּמִיר הִגִּיעַ וְקוֹל הַתּוֹר נִשְׁמַע בְּאַרְצֵנוּ: יג) הַתְּאֵנָה חָנְטָה פַגֶּיהָ וְהַגְּפָנִים סְמָדַר נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ קוּמִי לכי לָךְ רַעְיָתִי יָפָתִי וּלְכִי לָךְ: ס יד) יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַרְאִינִי אֶת מַרְאַיִךְ הַשְׁמִיעִינִי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ כִּי קוֹלֵךְ עָרֵב וּמַרְאֵיךְ נָאוֶה: ס

Rashi tells us that this period of time in the courtship of HaShem and Am Yisrael, when the birds are singing, is at Nissan, during Yetziat Mitzrayim- where we find ourselves right now! קומי לך- HaShem instructed Am Yisrael to quickly prepare to exit Mitzrayim. The סתיו is over- HaShem is skipping 400 years of the originally decreed slavery, and the גשם is finished- the 86 particularly tough years of slavery from the time Miriam was born. The נצנים are coming- Moshe and Aaron to take care of us- and it’s time for the זמיר- for שירת הים!!  The figs have blossomed- it’s time to bring ביכורים when entering Eretz Yisrael. But Am Yisrael, HaShem’s dove, is stuck in the crevice of the rock- when Paroh was running after us to the sea and we had nowhere to go!! We were like a dove running away from a snake. Show Me your face, let Me hear your voice, says HaShem- how amazing you are when you turn to Me when you’re in distress!