Cosmic Reference Library, Shevat

Shabbat Shirah

Posted by Kohenet Ketzirah HaMa'agelet on

Shabbat Shirah, Shabbat of Song, falls on the Shabbat early in Sh’vat (Jan/Feb) where we read the Parsha Beshalach, which contains the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:1–18) and just before Tu B’Shevat.

It’s a custom in Ashkenazic custom to go out and feed the birds (because they sing) on this Shabbat.  So if you check the #challah on instagram on Shabbat Shirah (or after), you may see a bunch of challot (plural of challah) with birds in them.

Shabbat Shirah challah made by Kohenet Ketzirah
Shabbat Shirah challah made by Kohenet Ketzirah
habbat Shirah challah and challah offering made by Kohenet Ketzirah
Shabbat Shirah challah and challah offering made by Kohenet Ketzirah
Close up of Shabbat Shirah challah made by Kohenet Ketzirah
Close up of Shabbat Shirah challah made by Kohenet Ketzirah
Challah offering for Shabbat Shirah shaped like a bird that was fed to the birds, squirrels, and such.
Challah offering
Shabbat Shirah challah and challah offering made by Kohenet Ketzirah
Photos of a challah I made a couple of years ago that I’m really proud of that are birds in a nest, and I made my challah offering in the shape of a bird too. I used the offering bird challah to feed birds (or squirrels, or whatever got it).

My teacher Rav Kohenet Ye’ilah (Rabbi Jill Hammer) teaches on her website Telshemesh.org:

“The birds also represent the legendary story that as the Israelites walked through the miraculously split sea, trees sprouted in the sea and grew fruit for the Israelites to feed their children.”

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