Singing is the deepest connection between a person and their Creator. The neshamah (soul), which heard the song of the ministering angels in the upper worlds, yearns for a melody to awaken it here, in this world. It is no coincidence that it is said: "Then Moshe and the children of Israel sang," because singing is the ultimate expression of emunah (faith), gratitude, and simcha (joy). In this article by our teacher, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, we will discover how melody elevates a person, how emunah breaks boundaries, and how even within the darkness, one can find the melody that lights the way.

"Then Moshe and the children of Israel sang this song to Hashem" (Exodus 15:1)

A person who plays and sings immediately connects to Hashem. Singing and melody are the most wonderful connection between a person and their Creator. Our neshamah comes from the upper worlds, where it was accustomed to hearing the song of the ministering angels. Therefore, even now, when it is within a body, it longs so much for song and melody. A person should train themselves to go with a melody because it will bring them joy, because it will awaken their heart to Hashem. Melody is such a wonderful thing. If you see a person humming a melody to themselves, it is a sign that simcha resides in their heart.

Our Rebbe tells us stories of the lost princess and how she is searched for. A wind came and carried the one searching for her and brought them to a mountain of gold and a fortress of pearls. The wind is the melody, which carries us to the highest, most wonderful places.

Singing and melody are the most wonderful connection between a person and their Creator

A person was created to say songs and praises. Hashem desires our song, more than the song of the angels. The song of those who are below, who are born with difficult inclinations, and who fight all their lives to overcome them. The prayer that is most accepted is a prayer with melodies and songs. A person who wants to draw down salvations should dress the prayer in songs and melodies. "Give thanks to Hashem for He is good, for His kindness endures forever." Kindness always flows, miracles always happen, says King David, we must always give thanks for them.

Since the creation of the world, Hashem has longed for songs to be sung before Him. He split the sea because He knew that afterwards there would be the Song of the Sea. Among all things, what does Hashem choose? "The one who chooses songs of praise."

On Shabbat Shira, we sing emunah. The sea is in front, the Egyptians behind, wild animals on the sides, where do we flee? We flee to Hashem. Because only He can save. We cry out to Hashem from the deepest place, "From the depths I call to You, Hashem." And what does He answer them? "Speak to the children of Israel and let them journey." That they should strengthen their emunah with all their heart and enter the sea before it is split. And because of this bitachon (trust in Hashem), I will perform a miracle for them (Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh). This is exactly what Nachshon ben Aminadav did, who became a symbol for us of dedication to the goal despite all dangers, standing before a stormy sea, entering it and continuing to walk even when the water reaches his nostrils. He continues to walk, and then the sea splits, and all of Israel enters after him. What emunah! What bitachon! What dedication to the goal!

And us? What about us? We do not truly believe that Hashem can do anything for us. Our day is full of such examples. According to nature, there is no chance. We do not even begin to believe it can happen. But we forget that Hashem is great and truly omnipotent.

"When a person throws away their intellect, there are no limits to the solutions and salvations they suddenly believe Hashem can bring them. Because emunah is the highest intellect there is. Intellect tells you to throw away the intellect. Intellect that tells you: you know what, believe. People returned to teshuvah (repentance) because they received intellect, a divine insight, that it is worthwhile to throw away the intellect and follow emunah."

The essence of emunah is that everything Hashem does, He does for good, and this is what most conflicts with the intellect. Because we see difficult things in life, and we ourselves go through difficult things, and if we do not precede emunah to intellect, the emunah that everything is good and there is no evil, then we will God forbid fall from emunah.

Hashem wants us to strive. To strive to believe in Him. To strive to believe that He does nothing bad to us in life. To strive that in every path we have reached in life, every path, the worst in the world, that we were thrown here and thrown there, such difficult paths we have reached in life, that suddenly we see the paths are blocked for us, we have such difficulties, suddenly we arrive at a place where we do not see Hashem at all, we see nothing, everything is dark, everything is blocked, but there is a melody there... such a tremendous melody...

A melody that we merit to hear when we do not pay attention to all the confusions, when we fight with the questions, when we say there is Hashem in the world who does everything and everything is with mercy. Hashem created the world to reveal His immense mercy. He consulted with the angels whether to create man, and they said it was not worthwhile. That he would not be able to withstand the trials. And what did Hashem say to them? You do not know how much mercy I have. Such immense and hidden mercy I have. With this mercy, I create man. This mercy is within the judgment, within the troubles. Because if there were only kindness, then it would be taken for granted. There is nothing else. But when there is judgment on a person, God forbid, and within the judgment, within the troubles, they see how Hashem had mercy on them, how Hashem performed a miracle for them, then they begin to feel Hashem, to draw closer to Hashem, Hashem, You are so great, what a miracle You did for me. Hashem, You are so merciful.

Emunah is the secret of simcha. Emunah that says there is no evil in the world, Hashem is good and does good and does the best for us. Every lack, every difficulty, every mishap, every delay, every trouble, every illness, it is all good because Hashem saw that only this way would we merit to reach our purpose, which is to believe in Hashem, to draw closer to Hashem, to know Hashem. The holy emunah takes these gray, difficult, confused lives, where a person does not find themselves, and everything is blocked, and all the difficult things that happen to us, each one with their issues, it seems to them they have fallen into a trap, and they have such a problem in the family, and such a story, and such a child and such a problem with peace in the home, all types of problems people have, the holy emunah comes and makes from all this such a tremendous and wonderful melody, a melody that says everything is planned from the beginning, that besides Hashem there is nothing here in the world, that Hashem does everything and everything is for the good. Master of the Universe, help me to always remember that You do everything for me, that this is exactly how You love me, that what happened to me is from Your love for me.

When does a person know they have attained complete emunah? When they constantly say thank you in all situations. They live with Hashem, they live with the emunah that everything that happens to them is from Hashem and all for their good. Just to say thank you. For everything, say thank you. In this world, it is dark, we do not see that it is good. We must believe that it is good. That everything that happens, it is good. When we begin to say thank you, it shows that we believe it is good. That everything Hashem does, He does for good. And what salvations do people see who walk this path of gratitude, miracles beyond nature. Truly beyond nature.