2) End of the Night
The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh (pasuk 21) learns that: כל הלילה – “the entire night” means that there was a strong until the end of the night, and after that the sea split and Klal Yisrael passed through it “be’ashmores haboker.” According to this, it comes out that Klal Yisrael passed through the Yam Suf at the end of the night, and the Mitzriyim drowned in the morning.
3) Beginning of the Day
Rabbeinu Bechaye (pasuk 5) has a novel understanding. He understands that Klal Yisrael passed through the Yam Suf on the day of Shevii Shel Pesach and not during the night. The entire night of the 21st of Nissan: לא קרב מחנה למחנה – the two camps (Yidden and Mitzriyim) didn’t get close to each other, like the pasuk says: ולא קרב זה אל זה כל הלילה – “they didn’t get close to each other the entire night”, and during the day of the 21st of Nissan Klal Yisrael arrived at the Yam Suf, with the Mitzriyim behind them. At that point in time Klal Yisrael passed through the Yam Suf and the Mitzriyim drowned behind them, and at that point in time Klal Yisrael sang Shirah.
The Shechel Tov also explains that when the pasuk says, וישב הים לפנות בקר, it means: בסוף ארבע שעות שהבוקר פונה והולך לו – “At the end of four hours into the day, at a time when the morning comes to an end.” The Chizkuni also explains that the sea returned to its place: כשפנה הבוקר ונעשה קרוב לחצי היום – “when the morning came to an end, and it was close to half way through the day.” From the Tosfos Yom Tov (Avos 5:4) it’s also clear that he learns that Klal Yisrael passed through the Yam Suf during the daytime of Shevii Shel Pesach.
On the Night of Shevii Shel Pesach One Can Reach Mylos Nisgavos [Great Heights]
There are various different minhagim throughout the different kehillos in Klal Yisrael, about what to do on the special night of Shevii Shel Pesach. Tzadikim say about this night, that it’s possible to attain ביזת הים – treasures at sea, meaning: השפעות טובות ונשגבות ברוחניות ובגשמיות – incredible heights in ruchniyus and gashmiyus!
The Minhag To Sing Shiras HaYam At Chatzos HaLeilah
In Darkei Chaim Vesholam (ois 618) they bring that the Munkatcher had the minhag to sing Shiras HaYam on the night of Shevii Shel Pesach, and he had the minhag to pour water on the floor:בשעת מחול השירה לזכר הנס שבני ישראל הלכו בתוך הים ביבשה – whilst dancing in circles and singing the Shirah, to reenact the miracle that Bnei Yisrael passed through the Yam Suf on dry land.”
The Nitei Gavriel (Hilchos Pesach, Vol. 3, Perek 15 sif 1) brings that the minhag in many kehillos is to go to the beis hamedrash at chatzos haleilah, and to recite the Shirah pasuk by pasuk, and some have the minhag to sing the entire Shirah whilst dancing. See there for many source about this minhag.
The minhag in Yerushalayim by R’ Yaakov Moshe Chorlaf was to sing Shiras HaYam b’rov am at chatzos haleilah on Shevii Shel Pesach in his home (today it is the beis haknesses “Beis Zevul”) on HaKalir Street in the Sha’arei Chesed neighborhood in Yerushalayim. In the Lu’ach HaHalachos V’Haminhagim (Zlotznik, Year 5772) they bring that they asked R’ Yaakov Moshe Chorlaf why he did it at chatzos, when surely he should have done it “be’ashmores haboker” when Kriyas Yam Suf happened and he answered very simply, “that if he would do it then, he wouldn’t have a minyan!”
According to the opinions who learn that Kriyas Yam Suf happened at chatzos haleilah we can understand the minhag to sing Shiras HaYam at chatzos, however, according to those that argue, why would we sing Shiras HaYam at chatzos? In fact, R’ Yisrael Yaakov Fisher zt”l (Halichos Even Yisrael, pg. 202) asks on this minhag and he says that if one wants to sing it he should sing it before alos hashachar, as that is when Klal Yisrael passed through the Yam Suf, but what purpose is there in singing it at chatzos haleilah.
They bring that R’ Yisrael Yaakov didn’t have the minhag to sing Shiras HaYam on Shevii Shel Pesach, and he didn’t even allow it to take place in his beis haknesses, Zichron Moshe in Yerushalayim.
[R’ Gamliel Rabinovitz relates, that one time they tried to arrange a minyan to sing Shiras HaYam in Zichron Moshe at chatzos haleilah on Shevii Shel Pesach, like the minhag is in many places and they asked him to be the chazon. When R’ Yisrael Yaakov heard about this, he called him in, and told him “since we haven’t had this minhag until now, and people walking through the streets at midnight may end up disturbing other people who are already sleeping, I don’t allow it. If one really has a desire to keep this minhag, he can go to a beis haknesses which already has a minyan doing it].
R' Sroya Davlitsky zt”l (Yikra De’O’raisa, sif 20, and he’orah 86) had the minhag to sing Shiras HaYam in his home at chatzos haleilah. He would also add the pasukim of ותען להם מרים וגו', the Shirah that Miriam sang with the women. He would say that the mekor for this minhag comes from the chasidim. We also mentioned above that this was the minhag of R’ Yaakov Moshe Chorlaf.
Besides for what we mentioned above, that it’s easier to get a minyan at chatzos haleilah, they explain that the reason for singing Shiras HaYam at chatzos haleilah in spite of the fact that the sea split “be’ashmores haboker”, is because chatzos is close enough to ashmoras haboker, especially as according to mekubalim the day starts from chatzos, like we find in regard to birchas hashachar, and tevilah on Shabbos morning.
The Minhag To Sing Shiras HaYam Behashkomah [Early in the Morning Before the Day Starts]
The Pri Eitz Chaim (Sha’ar 21, Perek 8) and the Kaf HaChaim (490, s.k. 62) both write, that on Shevii Shel Pesach it is good to get up “be’ashmores haboker,” and to read the Zohar which talks about the sodois [secrets] behind Kriyas Yam Saf. The Kaf HaChaim adds that after that, the minhag is to the read the pasukim in Parshas Beshalach until the pasuk:כל המחלה אשר שמתי במצרים לא אשים עליך כי אני ה' רפאך – “All the diseases that I brought in Mitzrayim, I will not bring upon you, because I am Hashem the One who heals you.” They should be read with great hislavus [fervor], as if one is standing at the sea and seeing the miracles taking place in front of his own eyes and he is singing Shirah as if he was actually there.
The Luach Eretz Yisrael writes: “Some have the minhag at hashkomah to say Shiras HaYam, Shir HaYichud, and Shir HaKavod.” Meaning, they have the minhag to sing Shirah at the time Kriyas Yam Suf actually happened which was “be’ashmores haboker”, and by the time the morning arrived it returned back to its original status.
The Entire Night
R’ Yaakov Emden brings in his Siddur, that the minhag of Anshei Ma’aseh, is that on this night that our forefathers went down to the Yam Suf and passed through it on dry land, we learn and read the pasukim that talk about it.
Minhagei Frankfurt (pg. 126) brings down, that those that are meticulous with mitzvos, have the minhag on the night of Shevii Shel Pesach to learn about Kriyas Yam Suf, and to learn the things that are printed in the Tikkun Leil Shavuos.
The Yesod VeShorash Ho’Avodah (Sha’ar 9) writes: I saw in seforim that the minhag of the Chasidim HaRishonim, was to stay up all night, and to talk about the miracles
יסוד ושורש העבודה בליל שביעי של פסח יכין אדם עצמו לומר ברכת אמת ואמונה בהודאה גדולה ובשמחה גדולה ועצומה במחשבתו שעיקר הנס בלילה הזה היה שנבקעו מימות שבכל העולם עם מי הים ועברו בני ישראל בתוך הים ביבשה והמצרים נטבעו בים והתעוררות ניסים ונפלאות אלו בעולמות העליונים בכל שנה ושנה בלילה הזה ובהזכיר האדם למטה ניסים ונפלאות אלו בלילה הזה בכונה ושמחה עצומה בלבו ובמחשבתו באלהותו ית"ש ויתעלה זכרו לעד מתעורר בזה גדולתו ורוממותו של הבורא ית"ש ויתעלה בכל העולמות .וביחוד תיבות (המעביר בניו בין גזרי ים סוף כו 'וראוי בניו גבורתו כו )'יאמר בהתלהבות גדול יותר ויותר ובהודאה עצומה במחשבתו עד חתימת הברכה בא"י גאל ישראל ודי בהערה זו . וראיתי בספרים שמנהג חסידים הראשונים שהיו נעורים כל הלילה הזה לספר הניסים והנפלאות של בוראנו ית"ש ויתעלה שעשה בלילה הזה לישראל הנמצאים במדרשים ובספרים גם במאמרי הזה"ק ובמזמורי תהלים המדברים מענין יציאת מצרים וקריעת ים סוף וקוראין פ 'בשלח עד אחר כל השירה אשרי להם ואשרי חלקם . ולמחר אחר טבילתו במקוה טהרה יתפלל תפלת שחרית בכוונה עצומה וביחוד שירת הים שהיתה בעצם היום הזה ראוי לומר בהודאה עצומה במחשבתו להבורא ית"ש ויתעלה יותר ויותר .ובעת קריאת הפרשה ויהי בשלח פרעה יטה אזניו היטיב לקריאת הקורא בפנים בחומש ויכוין כל הכוונות המבוארים בקריאת הפ 'שמו "ת בערב שבת קודש בשמחה עצומה ובודאי עושה בזה נחת רוח גדול לבוראנו ית"ש ויתעלה ודי בהערה זו.
and wonders that HaKadosh Boruch Hu did for Klal Yisrael on this night, that can be find in Midrashim and seforim. They also learnt the Zohar and the Perokim of Tehillim which discuss Yetziyas Mitzrayim and Kriyas Yam Suf, and they read the pasukim from Beshalach until after the Shirah: אשרי להם ואשרי חלקם – “Praise to them, and praiseworthy is their portion.”
The Minhagei Eretz Yisrael brings from the Sha’arei Yerushalayim (Sha’ar 9) that the minhag throughout Eretz Yisrael is to stay awake on the night of Shevii Shel Pesach. The Sephardim have a special Tikkun they learn all night, and after Amud HaShachar they gather together in botei kenasiyos and botei midrashos and recite Shiras HaYam: בקול נעים וערב וזמרה פסוק ופסוק בזמר מיוחד, הש"ץ קודם ואחריו הקהל – “With a sweet, pleasant and tuneful voice, pasuk by pasuk with a special tune, first the chazon and the congregation.”
It Is Not Fitting to Sing Shiras HaYam At Night
According to the Shu”t Chavas Yair (siman 225) one shouldn’t sing Shiras HaYam on the night of Shevii Shel Pesach, based on the Gemara in Megillah (10b) and Sanhedrin (39b), the Gemara asks: What does the pasuk mean when it says:ולא קרב זה אל זה כל הלילה - “They didn’t get close to each other the entire night”? The Gemara answers:בקשו מלאכי השרת לומר שירה, אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא מעשה ידי טובעין בים ואתם אומרים שירה, כי אין הקב''ה שמח במפלתן של רשעים – The malachei hashores wanted to sing Shirah, and HaKadosh Boruch Hu told them, “My handiwork is drowning at sea and you want to sing Shirah?” HaKadosh Boruch Hu doesn’t rejoice at the downfall of the wicked.
The Gemara then continues:ורק בבוקר יום המחרת, אמרו ישראל שירה על נס ההצלה ומפלת מצרים דכתיב אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל את השירה הזאת – Only in the morning the next day, did Klal Yisrael sing Shirah for the miracles that occurred to protect them, and for the downfall of the Egyptians, like it says “Then Moshe and Bnei Yisrael sang this song.”
The malachim also sang Shirah as is clear in the Medrash Rabbah (Shemos, 23:7). HaKadosh Boruch Hu said, that first Klal Yisrael should sing the Shirah, and only then should the malachim sing it. Based on all the above, it is not fitting to sing Shiras HaYam at night, and one should wait until the morning.
Besides for saying very clearly that one shouldn’t sing Shiras HaYam at night, we see from the Chavas Yair, that he understands that all the miracles that happened by Kriyas Yam Suf occurred during the night.
The Shu”t Yefeh L’Lev (Vol. 2, siman 490, s.k. 7) writes that according to Kabbalah, it is not correct to stay up the entire night of Shevii Shel Pesach, see inside for the reason.
Summary
The Time of Kriyas Yam Suf: We saw three different opinions about when Kriyas Yam Suf actually happened. Rashi learns that Klal Yisrael passed through the Yam Suf in the middle of the night, and the Mitzriyim drowned at the end of the night. The Ohr HaChaim learns that Klal Yisrael passed through at the end of the night, and the Mitzriyim drowned after that. Rabbeinu Bechaye learns that Klal Yisrael passed through the Yam Suf in the early hours of the morning, and the Mitzriyim drowned in the middle of the day.
Shiras HaYam: In many places there is a minhag to sing Shiras HaYam b’rov am at chatzos haleilah on Shevii Shel Pesach. Some are particular to say it by ashmoras haboker, and some say not to say it all as Hashem is not happy about the downfall of reshoim [wicked], and the time for singing Shirah is specifically in the morning.
Tikkun Leil Shevii Shel Pesach: Many have the minhag to stay up all night, and increase in Shirah and Zimra, and learn Tikkun Leil Shevii Shel Pesach, and some say, it is not fitting to be up that night.
(This write-up is based on Gilyan Oimek HaPeshat #213)
