Shabbos Shira - Feeding Birds

Q. This Shabbos (Parshas Bishalach) is referred to as Shabbos Shira (Shabbos of Song), because the Torah portion contains the shira of Az Yashir that was sung after the splitting of the sea. In honor of Shabbos Shira, there is minhag to put out (on Friday) seeds or bread crumbs for the birds. What is the reason for this minhag?

A. Many reasons are given for this minhag. Here are some of the more common explanations (cited in Yalkut Yosef - Shabbos 4:324:note 8):

• There is a tradition that during Kriyas Yam Suf, when Bnei Yisroel crossed the sea, the birds also sang shira. In appreciation, we put out crumbs for the birds.
• In this week’s Torah portion, we read that Hashem sustained Bnei Yisroel in the desert with Maan. The Jewish people are compared to birds (see Rashi, Beraishis 15:10, Vi’es hatzipor). We hope that our sustenance will be as easily accessible to us as the Maan was in the desert, just as the bread crumbs that we place outside are readily available for the birds.
• In this week’s Torah portion, Moshe Rabbeinu told Bnei Yisroel that the Maan will not fall on Shabbos. The Medrash relates that the wicked Dasan and Aviram tried to discredit Moshe by dispersing Maan in the desert on Friday night to give the impression that it had fallen on Shabbos. Their plan was thwarted by birds that came and ate the Maan in the evening. In appreciation, we put out crumbs for the birds.

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