RABBI YAKOV YOSEF SCHECHTER
23:22 “כעת יאמר ליעקב ולישראל מה פעל א-ל” – “Even now it is said to Yaakov and Yisroel what Hashem wrought?” Tosfos in Meseches Sanhedrin 37b says that it says in the תשובות הגאונים that the Minhag in Eretz Yisroel is to only say Kedushah on Shabbos Kodesh. The reason for this is that the Malachim have six wings, one wing for every day of the week. When Shabbos Kodesh comes, the Malachim ask Hakodosh Baruch Hu why they don’t have a seventh wing with which to sing Shira to Him. Hakodosh Baruch Hu answers them that there is indeed another wing, another day of Shira, but that wing, that Shirah, comes from the earth below. On Shabbos Kodesh, the Malachim are not the ones who sing Shira to Hakodosh Baruch Hu, but it is only Klal Yisroel who sing Shira to Him.
The Zohar Hakodosh says that Hakodosh Baruch Hu runs the world with Malachim during the weekdays. When one performs an action, he needs a Malach to connect that action to where it is supposed to go. The Malach acts as the אמצעי, the intermediary, between a person and Hakodosh Baruch Hu. The way to connect to Hakodosh Baruch Hu during the weekdays is through the Malachim. However, Shabbos Kodesh is different. Shabbos Kodesh is a מעין עולם הבא, a semblance of Olam Haba. (שפת אמת)
The Posuk says in Parshas Balak, “There will be a time when it will be said to Yaakov and Yisroel what Hashem wrought?” This means that there will come a time when it will be asked of Klal Yisroel what Hashem did. This refers to Le’asid Lavo, when Klal Yisroel will have achieved such an exalted level of Kedushah, even greater than Malachim, that the Malachim will ask Klal Yisroel what Hashem did. There will be no intermediary between Klal Yisroel and Hakodosh Baruch Hu, rather everything will be direct through them. They will know even more than the Malachim. There will not be any intermediary.
On Shabbos Kodesh, all Klal Yisroel seek to do is come close to Hakodosh Baruch Hu, without action or work (through learning the Torah Hakdoshah, Davening, Singing Zemiros, etc...) and that can be done without any intermediary, because of the exalted level of Ruchniyos that Klal Yisroel are on during the holy day of Shabbos Kodesh. They achieve a level of Olam Haba, as Shabbos Kodesh is מעין עולם הבא. Thus, it is quite apropos that the Malachim only have six wings, and they are not the ones who sing Shira on Shabbos Kodesh. Klal Yisroel are on a higher level than Malachim on Shabbos Kodesh, and thus they are the ones to sing Shira to Him.
The Arizal explains that there is a distinct connection between wings, and singing Shira, singing Hashem’s praises. Through the power of Shira, song, one can be uplifted to great spiritual heights, in the same manner that a bird flies with its wings. Thus, the Malachim having six wings represents their ability to fly up and be close to Hashem, and sing His Shira. On Shabbos Kodesh, Klal Yisroel are Zoche to that wing. They are Zoche to be able to soar into the Heavens and come close to Hakodosh Baruch Hu through Shira, singing Hakodosh Baruch Hu’s praises. The Arizal says, “כל עליה על ידי שירה” – Every spiritual uplift occurs through song – through singing praise to Hakodosh Baruch Hu.
