Nisan

                               After describing the miraculous
                                                    Crossing of the Red Sea,
                                                          the Torah relates:
                                                    "Miriam the Prophetess,
                                                           the sister of Aaron,
                                               took the tambourine in her hand,
                                                 and the women followed her
                                              with tambourines and cymbals.
                                 Miriam said to them: Sing to G-d, the Exalted..."

                              Why does the Torah refer to Miriam as a prophetess?

                             The Talmud explains the historical background, going back to the time
                               when Miriam was the sister of (only) Aaron, as Moses had not yet been
                               born. Miriam had then boldly declared with prophetic vision, "My mother
                               will give birth to a son who will redeem Israel..."

                            This was at a time that all male Jewish infants were being killed by Pharoah.
Imagine Miriam's predicament in those trying times. The young girl was surely the target of angry
questions and doubts, constantly being teased and taunted, "where is your prophecy?"

The Torah considers it noteworthy that Miriam and the women did not only sing verbally, but that
their singing was accompanied by tambourines. Where did these tambourines come from? An
instrument of gaiety and celebration, tambourines seem to be completely out of place during those
dark and gloomy years of Egyptian oppression.

The Midrash states that they Jewish women had great vision and foresight, creating and designing
tambourines as part of their preparation for the Exodus.

"The Jewish women of that generation were confident of Divine miracles, so they took along their
tambourines from Egypt." Even during the darkest times of Exile, the righteous women knew that
the Divine promise would be fulfilled, and they would eventually be redeemed.

Moreover, those faithful women translated the hope in their hearts into action. Rather than being
merely vague wishful thinking, their preparation for the Redemption was real and tangible, (as in the
folksaying: "When praying for rain, carry an umbrella!").

Miriam knew with certainty, that regardless of how unrealistic the prospects for Redemption may
have looked at the time, the Exodus was actually "right around the corner."

Miriam and the women were fully ready for this great and auspicious moment.
Miriam rejoiced and was thankful that her prophecy was finally proven right.

Having strengthened and encouraged Israel's faith during the hard depressing times, these women
fully deserved to herald the redemption, leaving Egypt with a song in their heart and tambourines in
their hands. Miriam's song did not come up after the fact, as did the singing by all the rest of the
people of Israel. Rather than being a result and effect of the miracle, her song of faith was truly the
reason for the miracle and its very cause.

May Miriam's song and her tambourine continue to inspire us to this very day, and may it strengthen
our faith as we look forward to the our private and our communal redemption from bondage of all
types.

                              Adapted from www.jewish-holiday.com/tambourine.html