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
Jewish Key West
Artist: Michel Schwartz
Telephone
305-304-0290
Rabbi Yisroel &
Rebbetzen Judy
Finman