Daf Yomi - Beitzah 16 - Nishmas and the Neshamah Yeseira

From Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Balak 5765. For more inspirational thoughts on Shabbos and other topics, please visit http://www.torahthoughts.com

In the Commentators’ Shabbos Prayers, Rabbi Yitzchak Sender quotes various reasons why we recite the prayer of Nishmas on Shabbos. One reason is that on Shabbos, a Jew is given a נשמה יתירה, an extra soul, and נשמת means soul. The Seder HaYom adds that on Shabbos we are endowed with an extra soul, so we add praises to Hashem for everything He does for us. Rabbi Shlomo from Germaiza writes that we proclaim that both the extra soul and the spirit that is the essence of the body bless and praise the Name of Hashem. The Tur notes that Nishmas is recited after the prayer of אז ישיר, which focuses on the redemption from Egypt. Similarly, Nishmas contains expressions of praise for Hashem who liberated us from the Egyptian bondage.