Feeding Birds Before Shabbat Shirah—A Segula for Parnassah
The Shabbat of Parshat Beshalach is called “Shabbat Shirah” (the Shabbat of Song).
There is a beautiful minhag to feed birds on Friday before Shabbat Shirah. It is a wonderful segula for parnassah on this day—to place “perurei lechem” (bread crumbs) on the windowsill or balcony so that the birds can peck at them; this is a segula for good parnassah throughout the year.
Source of the Segula
The tradition of feeding birds on Shabbat Shirah is mentioned in many books and has several explanations.
The Torah relates that before the first Shabbat after the manna began to fall, Moshe Rabbeinu warned the Jewish people that the manna would not fall on Shabbat, but would fall on Friday in a double portion—for Friday and Shabbat. (Shemot 16:25)
The Chozeh of Lublin cites a Midrash that relates how two notorious evildoers, Datan and Aviram, scattered the manna that had fallen on Friday on Shabbat, so that the people would think Moshe had spoken falsely. But birds flew in and pecked up all the manna. In merit of what these birds did, and as an act of gratitude, we feed them grain and seeds on this Shabbat Shirah, when Parshat Beshalach—which recounts these events—is read. (Minhagei Yeshurun 94).
There is another Midrash according to which Jewish children fed the birds seeds that grew on the trees near Yam Suf, and the birds joined in “Shirat HaYam” (the Song at the Sea).
According to the author of “Or Pnei Moshe”, the source of this custom is connected with the First Temple. It contained a vessel holding manna, commemorating the manna that fell in the wilderness. This was done so that whenever the Jews saw the vessel, they would be inspired to place their trust in G-d, Who feeds and sustains all His creations. Since nowadays we do not have this vessel containing manna, we feed birds grain on this Shabbat to demonstrate that just as birds find their sustenance without difficulty because the Creator cares for them, so too the Jewish people, who are compared to birds, will merit material prosperity if they place their trust in the Creator and engage in Torah and mitzvot.
The author of the “Magen Avraham” opposed this custom, since on Shabbat one does not feed ownerless animals that can find food for themselves. At the same time, many halachic authorities permit it.
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (zt”l) wrote in the responsa collection “Yabia Omer” on the laws of Shabbat that since this custom is widespread and is performed for the sake of a mitzvah, one may follow it as a matter of initial preference, and many other halachic authorities held the same opinion.
To accommodate all opinions, young children may be allowed to feed the birds instead of adults, or bird food may be prepared before Shabbat so that the birds can eat it on Shabbat.
In many Hasidic courts, it is customary to hold a special tish called a “fruit tish,” during which fruits for which the Land of Israel is renowned are eaten (this does not replace the Tu BiShvat Seder).
(From Yeshivat Kisei Rachamim—Yura Plishtiev)
Source: (по статье Рава Ашера Рохбергер)
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Tags: Shabbat, Beshalach, Weekly Torah Portion "Beshalach", Segula for Parnassah, Shabbat Shirah, Feeding Birds Before Shabbat Shirah—a Segula for Parnassah, Feeding Birds
