Cymbal of Hope

In honor of Chof Beis Shevat, Yahrtzeit of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushkah A"H

“Miriam took a tambourine, and all the women came out after her with tambourines.” (Shemos, 15:20)

It is understandable that Miriam, a Prophetess, foresaw the redemption, and prepared for herself a tambourine with which to celebrate. Yet, from where did the other women have tambourines?

Since the Egyptians must have had one or two tambourines with which to celebrate at their family festivals, etc. - and we know that the Jewish People took along the riches of the land when they left Egypt - we can answer that, along with all the other things, the Jews took the Egyptians’ tambourines.

Nevertheless, while many women would have had an Egyptian tambourine among their possessions, it is unlikely that all of the Jewish women had tambourines with them, yet, the Possuk says “…All the women came out... with tambourines” ?

Where did all the tambourines come from?

***

After a hard day of work, the Jewish husband would come home, hoping to find some solace in the warmth of his home; a few moments of comfort with his family. But there would be no comfort! Another bed is empty; his son was ‘selected’ and slaughtered for Pharaoh’s blood bath… Some solace! The neighbor’s family is crying; their newborn baby was thrown into the Nile… Some comfort!

As he takes a moment to reflect on his fate, he sees a tambourine hanging on the wall. A tambourine? A recent picture of the newly-lost child would be a fitting wall ornament in this time of mourning…

A tambourine? Of all things!

Yes! A tambourine! Of all things!

***

While crying over the deaths of her children, and weeping over the exile of her people, the tormented, righteous Jewish mother found the courage to gather materials and make a tambourine to celebrate the redemption.

The Jewish mother did not give up hope. Throughout and despite the years of suffering, the Jewish mother continued to prepare her tambourine...

The leather on the tambourine was tear-stained, yet the cymbals shone; the stitches were strong. The cymbals shone with the glimmer of hope that the Jewish mother put into making the tambourine; the stitches were strong with the faith the Jewish mother had in Hashem.

A tambourine! Of all things!

***

Seeing the tambourine gave the husband the courage to get up the next morning and go to work; it gave him the courage to strengthen his brothers who were dying in the fields. It gave him strength to raise the rest of his family in the spirit of our Forefathers; it gave him the strength to come home again and see the tambourine and continue hoping and praying for the redemption.

Seeing the tambourines gave the entire Jewish people the courage to stay together as a nation in times of trouble, and as the Jewish nation was falling apart under the hardships of the Egyptian exile, the stitches of the tambourine kept them together, and their cymbals chimed in the wind, ushering the hope for redemption.

***

“In the merit of the righteous Jewish women the Jews merited to go out of Egypt – and in the merit of the righteous Jewish women we will merit going out of this final exile.” (Sotah, 11b)

Let us hope and pray that we merit celebrating the ultimate redemption, speedily, in our days!

Based on a Sicha of Rebbe from Shabbos Parshas Beshalach 5741

Appeared originally in N'shei Newsletter, Shevat 5761