For the source text click/tap here: Sotah 30
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We find that bo ba-yom Rabbi Akiva taught that az yashir was sung responsively (i.e., Moshe recited a line and the people repeated it), while Rabbi Nehemya understood that Moshe would begin a passage and the people would complete it. This discussion leads to a statement brought in the name of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili:
When the Children of Israel climbed out of the sea onto dry land, natnu enehem lomar shirah – they wanted to sing a song of praise. What did they do? With the appearance of the Shehina (God’s presence), a child resting on his mother’s lap sat up and a baby nursing at his mother’s breast dropped it from his mouth to say – “this is my God and I will glorify Him.”
We present a number of meditations on (Shirat Hayam) the Song of the Sea and explore the music of songs of the sea.