A Thank You Song

The Briskor Rav says the beracha Yisro said after hearing all the good news had the din of birchas hagomal.  The Rama says (Orach Chayim 219:4) that one can say hagomal for someone else only if he feels the joy and happiness of his friend (see the Taz that without the feelings of joy for the person he is being motzei it will be a beracha in vain.)  That’s why the possuk is מגדיש  that Yisro felt joy, ויחד יתרו  and that’s why he could say הגומל  for Klal Yisroel.  Based upon his father’s interpretation, Rav Dovid explains a difficult Yalkut.  The Yalkut says that it was a disgrace that no one saidברוך ה'  until Yisro.  Why didn’t Klal Yisroel give such praise?  Everyone asks what soes the Yalkut mean, Klal Yisroel sang the entire shira, they gave thanks?  Says Rav Dovid, yes shira was sang, but hagomal wasn’t said.  (See what my father shlita wrote about this Rav here.)  However, this distinction is difficult to understand; what is the difference between shira and hagomal?

The Beur Halacha finds this halacha very difficult.  How can one say a blessing that he is not obligated in, when do we ever find such a thing?  The Rambam (Berachos 10:8) rules that hagomal should be recited while standing.  The כ"מ  already questions why is there an obligation to recite the blessing standing?  The Aleyah Rabba suggests since the possuk calls it hallel, במושב זקנים יהלללוהו  (תהלים קז:לב), just as hallel must be recited while standing, so too hagomel.  We see from his words that hagomel isn’t just a “thank you” for being saved from danger; it is a אמירת דברי שבח והודאה בתורת שירה.  Based upon this we can answer the question of the Beur Halacha.  This isn’t like a blessing which I may not recite for you, this is a shirah which may be said by anyone that feels the joy of the event (Rav Mordechai Elefant cited in Hameor ShebTorah.)  This would seem to run against what Rav Dovid said, for according to Rav Elefant hagomal is a shira.  We would have to say that even if the geder of hagomal is that of shira, it still is said as a beracha and is distinct from shira. 

The difference between shira and beracha is that shira is an appreciation and recognition of the salvation of God.   Beracha is a way one drawing Hashem into the world as the Nefesh Hachaim describes in the second shaar that the word beracha is related to the word mavrich, to draw.  One draws the shefa eloki into the world, there is a connection between the world and God.  That was the advantage of the beracha of Yisro over the shira of Bnei Yisroel.  This connection was a prerequisite to the ultimate joining at maatan torah (according to the Zohar and others that Yisro came before maatan torah.) [Based upon Likutay Sichos volume 11, see here.] 

Rashi Tehillim Ch. 100 and in tractate Shevous (15b) holds that mizmor lesodah was said when one offers a korban todah.  That would seem to be the opinion of the Tur as well.  He rules in Orach Chayim 281 that we don’t say mizmor lesodah on Shabbos for one doesn’t offer a korban todah on shabbas.  However, the Radak and Bais Yosef disagree.  They hold mizmor lesodah was a paragraph that would be recited as expression of one’s thanks, however it isn’t the shirah of a korban todah.  The difficulty with Rashi is that one doesn’t say shirah on a korban yachid (Zevachim 89b,) so why would there be a shirah said when one offers a todah?  A suggestion is made by the Or Sameach (סוף פ"ג של מעשה קרבנות) to differentiate between shirah sung by the leviem and shirah sung by an individual.  The rule that there is no shirah accompanying a korban yachid is in regard to the shirah of the leviem.  However, an individual reciting shira as a token of appreciation would be acceptable.   However, Rashi himself in Tehillim 116:13 indicates that the mizmor lesodah was indeed recited by the leviem, hence the question is still valid.  See also the Levush in the laws of Yom Kippur and Chasom Sofer responsa 51 who both assume the leviem said the song, just like every other song said together with a korban.  [See the Shittah Mekubetses on Arachin 11a and Mikdash Dovid end of siman 10, but it remains difficult.]  It would seem that this is some kind of hybrid, yes mizmor lesodah is a shirah, but it is a shirah of thanks and that may be recited when offering a korban yachid.  ועדיין צ"ע ובירור. 

However, it is quite understandable that our hagomal which is patterned after mizmor lesodah is also a form of shirah.