When the Bnei Yisroel witnessed that great spectacle of the Yam Suf splitting apart, and then, after passing through the sea on dry land, they watched the waters come crashing down on their pursuing enemies, a tremendous excitement of gratitude seized them. They were so overcome by emotion, they became so elevated in their inspiration that the spirit of nevuah descended on the nation and they sang a song of love and dedication to Hashem. (Shemos 15:1).
Now, even though that itself was a tremendous achievement – to sing to Hashem for what He does for you is a great perfection of character – but we understand that there must have been something that the Am Yisroel undertook on that day. Because when something big happens, when a great salvation occurs, good people make nedarim and they promise to try to ‘repay’ Hakadosh Baruch Hu for the great benefit that He bestowed upon them. Like Dovid Hamelech said, When I lift up the cup of salvation, then I have to pay off my vows to Hashem (Tehillim 116: 13-14).
And so when they were saved from the jaws of death, and not only that but their enemies fell into the yam and were drowned, both together caused such an ecstasy of joy that something should have been forthcoming. And therefore it’s a valid question: As a result of this marvelous deliverance and the tremendous exuberance that they experienced at that time, what did they take upon themselves?
The Singular Oath
Now, when we examine the whole shiras hayam we find only one promise that they collectively undertook in return for this great yeshuah; only one thing. At that time they swore to Hashem an oath as follows: “This is my Hashem,” they said, “and I am going to beautify Him” (Shemos 15:2). Naveh means beautiful and v’anveihu means ‘I will make Him beautiful.’ That's the only obligation that the nation, individually and collectively, assumed upon themselves.
Now, what that means exactly we don’t know yet, but whatever it is, if that’s the one thing the nation chose, if that’s the one thing they promised, you must say it's a big thing. And so it pays to study that oath, to understand what it is that we promised when we stood at the shore of the Yam Suf. What does it mean that we’ll make Hashem beautiful?
The Beautiful Shlumiel
So in its most simple understanding we’ll say that it means to make Hakadosh Baruch Hu outstanding in our lives. “From here on in,” we said, “we will aggrandize You. Our promise to You is that we will glorify You all our lives.”
Of course we’re talking about a people who lived like that anyhow. In Mitzrayim they gave pure Jewish names, names that expressed kevod Shamayim. Ah, what a name! ‘Hashem is my peace.’ And his father – Hashem is my rock. All the names are like that, names that made Hashem beautiful. The people of the most high One. His wife was – Hashem is my glory. You see how a woman was named? She wasn't named after an old great-grandmother. It was an original name, a name of raising up Hashem, of loving Hashem. – My people volunteer to serve Hashem. – Whatever I have, Hashem has given me. That’s a name that was invented in Mitzrayim.
So you see what type of people we’re talking about – Hashem was most outstanding in their lives. But when they were saved from drowning in the yam and they saw their enemies overcome by the waves, they took it up a notch. They dedicated their lives and the lives of their children – forever and ever – to this one great task; the great function of Hodu laHashem, of elevating Hashem.
Elevating and Thanking
You know, people think that hodu means to thank or to praise, but actually those are secondary meanings. Hodu actually means to ‘raise up on high’. Like you find in Yeshayah, – over the den of a poisonous viper a little child will raise up his hand in the acharis hayamim (11:8). Hadah means ‘he'll raise up’. Or like Yirmiyah Hanavi said – “They threw stones at me” (Eichah 3:53). When you throw stones you don't throw horizontally. You throw in a trajectory. It goes up first.
And so hod means to elevate and means elevate Hashem, lift Him up. We say it means ‘Thank Hashem’ or ‘Praise Hashem’ because how do you thank Hashem? By elevating Him. “Hashem You're the One Who gives me everything.” “Hashem You're the Creator of the world.” “Hashem You're doing kindliness to all of us.” “Hashem I love You.” All that is included in the word ‘Hodu’ and it’s all included in our obligation of making Hashem ‘beautiful’.
Morning Exercises
Now you know why is the first proclamation of our daily davening. It's first in nusach Ashkenaz too only we say Baruch She’amar to introduce it. But that's how the prayers begin because , that's our job in this world.
So tomorrow morning practice on it. ! You’re saying, “Exalt Hashem! Raise Him up on high! Make Him the most important business of your lives.” Say it over and over again. Hodu laHashem, oy yoy yoy. Hodu laHashem, oy yoy yoy. Don’t say Hashem’s name a second time. Like this: “Hodu! Oy yoy yoy. Hodu! Hodu laHashem. Oy, I thank You Hashem!”
And then we go on: – Call out and proclaim in His Name. Let everybody know about it. – Make known among the nations His deeds.
Whom To Tell?
Actually, it’s a duty upon us to go out and to let the world know, but of course, like the world says, ‘Charity begins at home’, so first you have to let Jews know about it. And before you let other Jews know about it your business is to let this Jew (the Rov pointed at himself) know about it, because this Jew is usually the one who is most asleep.
So when you say hodu, first think that you're talking to yourself. You’re saying it loud not for your neighbor in shul – it’s so that it should go into your own ears. And then you'll be ready to talk to other Jews too. And the truth is if it was possible we shouldn't stop; we should let the world know about it. Only that the world is already so mixed up with falsehood, with stubborn lies, with imitations of the truth, so if you'll start telling them about Hashem they'll each trot out his own idol. He'll say, “Sure! We agree with you but this is the one.”
So this one will say this and that one will say that; they’ll introduce all types of garbage into it and they mix it all up. They’ll be raising all the wrong things. So we can't; but we have to at least feel it's our duty. Whether we are able to carry it out or not, at least we should know, it’s that important, this obligation.
It Never Ends
And it’s because of this obligation of Hodu la’Hashem, of v’anveihu, that we daven so much. I remember in my first shul we had a gentile neighbor, an old man, next door to us. So once we were walking into the shul to daven Mincha, he said to his daughter – he said it out loud so I should hear – “What is it with these Jews? All day, back and forth, back and forth, to the synagogue. Don’t they ever finish praying?”
And the answer is, no, we never finish praying. You know why? Because we made a promise. We promised that we’d aggrandize Hakadosh Baruch Hu and we’re a nation that fulfills its promise.
That’s the importance, by the way, of coming on time for pesukei dezimra. Hodu and Ashrei and all the Halelukahs! We have a big job in the morning and you shouldn’t run away from it. You know, sometimes a yeshiva boy comes to davening late in the morning, just before Borchu, and he feels happy; “I got Borchu in.” He feels like he accomplished something today.
Catching Borchu
Oh no! You are unaccomplished! You missed out on the great function of . That’s what it means to miss pesukei dezimra!
Now, in some shuls ‘on time’ won’t help because by the time you swallow your spit they’re saying Borchu already. So you’ll have to come early. If you want to fulfill the oath that we made on that day you’ll find another shul or you’ll set your alarm for a few minutes early.
Now, I understand that if you’ll do it the right way you won't finish pesukei dezimra anyhow, no matter how early you come. But it's worthwhile anyhow. Because just to run through it, I don’t know. I know a man who undertakes to finish all pesukei dezimra and he's very busy with that; he’s galloping through pesukei dezimra. Every word he says!
It's a pity though because if you’re not elevating Hashem, if you’re just rushing through the words to get it done, I’m not sure how much it’s worth. The Tur says a little bit with kavanah is better than much without kavanah.
Old Time Oathkeepers
And therefore, we shouldn't begrudge the time spent in prayers, in saying Tehillim. You know, the old-time Jews who weren't scholars used to say Tehillim all day long. They didn't waste any time.
But not to mutter the words; just to mumble the words is a very small accomplishment. The promise we made is fulfilled only when saying Tehillim is accompanied by a certain concentration of the mind, by the intention of .
There was a man like that I saw in Europe. He was an old coachman, an old school wagon driver, and he had a Tehillim that he himself had bound in leather, in homemade binding, and he kept it on him always, under his belt. And I remember how whenever he had time he used to come into Slabodka Yeshiva wearing his boots – big boots up to his hips because he used to drive in mud – and sit in the back seat and take out his Tehillim. He pulled it out from underneath his belt and said Tehillim. And he said every word with geshmak; he enjoyed the honey of every word of praises of Hashem.
But it wasn’t only him. He was special but that was the old-time wagon driver. They used to say Tehillim all day long as they were driving. And through the night too they said it by memory. It’s a remarkable thing, that a nation should produce such people. Because that's the Jew; it doesn’t matter if he’s a wagon driver or a big businessman, together we all took that oath at the Yam Suf.
Modern Oath Keepers
But who needs the old time Jew as a proof? I know a woman who has on her refrigerator an inscription; she wrote down on a piece of paper, “Hodu la’Hashem! Let’s elevate Hashem.” A tremendous thing! When she goes to the refrigerator – now maybe she forgets about it, it could be she's in the habit already, but it’s a good idea that she should look at it each time and remind herself about that promise we made.
And so she gets into the practice of praising Hashem in the home all the time. Let's say a mother will say to her little children, “Kinderlach, isn't it a good thing that it's raining outside? Rain is wonderful. Rain brings down good things to eat. Without rain you couldn't eat.” It’s raining again the next day? So she’ll say it again. She’s not sparing with her words; she’s not stingy because it’s an oath. An oath, you can’t treat it so flippantly. It’s serious business.
A father is sitting at the table – not on Shabbos; it’s just an ordinary Tuesday – why shouldn't you say, “Children, let's together say ‘We love You Hashem for giving us such a good seudah.’ Hodu la’Hashem! Isn't it enjoyable to eat it? And so let's all say, ‘We thank You Hashem.’
“Say it, son! Don't be ashamed. Speak up. What are you ashamed of? You should be proud. You said Az Yashir today – at least the father hopes he did – so now you can fulfill it. Make Hashem great!”
Because that’s our function. It’s not merely a national obligation, something you can rely on your neighbor for, on the rest of the nation. It’s an oath that devolves on every individual: – “I’m going to beautify Him! I will beautify Him by speaking about His greatness.” That’s what we promised at Kriyas Yam Suf.
