Nishmas. part I

This week's shiur skips to Nishmas, under the assumption that davening in shul runs too quickly for slow and careful recitation, and it would be more practical to skip to around the point where we switch Chazanim and assume a more contemplative pace.

Just some of the discussed subjects:

• Who wrote Nishmas? The Peter connection and what it says about the content of Nishmas.
• Why do we speak of Nishmas kol chai, veru'ach kol basar, but say nothing about the nefesh? (see previous three weeks' shiurim for discussion of these three aspects of the soul.)
• The symbology of Shabbos, tefillin and tzitzis according to the Maharal and R' Samson Raphael Hirch.
• The moral duty to praise Hashem, and the mention of those things for which we must say Birkhos haGomeil. Being saved in and of itself vs being saved by reexperiencing an aspect of yetzi'as Mitzrayim.
• The need to thank Hashem for giving us challenges in measures that we can handle, and moreso, from which to grow.
• The impossibility of expressing His praise and therefore of the need to praise Hashem implicitly through action and ontologically, since we embodying His Wisdom.

We concluded at the beginning of haKeil, and should pick up at that point.