“The Lord said to Moses: ‘Why are you crying out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth’” (Exodus 14:15). “The Lord said to Moses: ‘Why are you crying out to Me?’” That is what is written: “They cried out and the Lord heard” (Psalms 34:18). Why is this so? Isaac bequeathed two inheritances to his two sons: He bequeathed the voice to Jacob, as it says: “The voice is the voice of Jacob” (Genesis 27:22). He bequeathed the hands to Esau, as it is stated: “But the hands are the hands of Esau” (Genesis 27:22). Esau was proud of his inheritance, as it is stated: “Edom said to him: 'You shalt not pass through me, lest with a sword [I will come out against you’]” (Numbers 20:18). Jacob was proud of his inheritance, as it is stated: “We cried out to the Lord, God of our fathers” (Deuteronomy 26:7). In the future, both of them will receive their rewards. Esau will receive his reward, as it is stated: “As My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it will descend upon Edom” (Isaiah 34:5). Jacob will receive his reward, as it is stated: “The voice of gladness, the voice of joy” (Jeremiah 33:11). This is why it is written: “They cried out and the Lord heard,” because the children of Israel cried out at the sea, as it is stated: “The children of Israel cried out to the Lord” (Exodus 14:10). The Holy One blessed be He heard their prayer and said to Moses: “Why are you crying out to Me? I already heard their cry .” – “Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth.”
Another interpretation: “Why are you crying out to Me?” – that is what is written: “You will decree a matter, and it will be established for you” (Job 22:28). Rabbi Levi said: Just as the Holy One blessed be He commands Moses and speaks with him, so Moses, as it were, commands before the Holy One blessed be He, as the descendants of Joseph say to him [to Moses]: “'The Lord commanded [tziva] my lord…and my lord was commanded [tzuva]1The midrash is reading the passive form, tzuvv, was commanded, as if it were the active form, tziva; Moses commanded God, as it were. by the Lord…” (Numbers 36:2). Just as the Holy One blessed be He calls Moses and speaks with him, so Moses calls the Holy One blessed be He and speaks with him, as it is stated: “The Lord spoke to Moses” and it is written: “Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: “Let the Lord, God of the spirits, appoint…” (Numbers 27:15–16). See how powerful he was: When he saw Pharaoh pursuing the children of Israel, he came to cry out, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses: Why are you crying out to Me?” He said to him: ‘Why are you in distress?’ Rabbi Yehoshua said: This is analogous to the beloved of a king who had an issue and went to cry out before the king. The king said: ‘Why are you crying out? Decree and I will do it.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Why are you crying out to Me” – speak and I will do it.
Another interpretation: “Why are you crying out to Me?” – that is what is written: “It will be before they call, and I will answer, [while they are still speaking, and I will hear]” (Isaiah 65:24). Twice He says in the verse: “and I…and I,” and Moses says [in the Torah]: “See now that I, I, am He (Deuteronomy 32:39). Indeed, anyone who performs the will of the Holy One blessed be He and directs his heart in prayer, He hears him in this world and likewise in the World to Come, as it is stated: “It will be before they call, and I will answer,” in this world; and in the future, “they are still speaking, and I will hear.” What are they speaking about? It is that each of them is standing and reciting what he has learned and, as it were, He is sitting and reciting with him, as it is stated: “Then they who fear the Lord spoke one with the other” (Malachi 3:16), and it is written: “Your eyes shall see your Teacher” (Isaiah 30:20), and it says: “All your children are taught by the Lord” (Isaiah 54:13). So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: If so,2If you have already directed your heart in prayer. “why are you crying out to Me?” “It will be before they call, and I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24). Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: If one of flesh and blood hears the claims of a person, he can render his judgment; if he hasn’t heard, he is unable to determine his judgment. However, the Holy One blessed be He is not thus. Even before a person speaks, He knows what is in his heart. Likewise, regarding Solomon it says: “Know the God of your father, and serve Him [with a single mind, and a willing heart, for the Lord searches all minds and] understands the design of every thought” (I Chronicles 28:9). Even before the thought in the heart of man is formed, He understands. You find that seven generations before Nebuchadnezzar was born, Isaiah prophesied, and articulated what he was destined to think in his heart, as it is stated: “You said in your heart: I will ascend to the heavens” (Isaiah 14:13). If seven generations before, the Holy One blessed be He foresaw what he was destined to think, regarding a righteous person, does He not know what he is destined to think on the same day? That is why it is written: “It will be before they call, and I will answer.” That is why it is stated: “Why are you crying out to Me?”
Another interpretation: “Why are you crying out to Me?” – that is what is written: “Hearer of prayer, to You all flesh will come” (Psalms 65:3). What is “Hearer of prayer?” Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Meir, and Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: When Israel prays, you do not find that they all pray as one, but rather, each congregation prays on its own. This congregation begins, and then the other congregation. After all the congregations have finished their prayers, the angel appointed over prayers takes all the prayers that they prayed in all the congregations and crafts them into crowns and places them on the head of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “To you [adekha] all flesh will come,” and adekha means nothing other than crown, as it is stated: “You shall clothe yourself with them all, as with an ornament [ke’adi]” (Isaiah 49:18). So, it says: “Israel, in whom I will be glorified'” (Isaiah 49:3), as the Holy One blessed be He adorns Himself with the prayers of Israel, as it is stated: “And a beautiful crown upon your head” (Ezekiel 16:12). Another interpretation: “Hearer of prayer…” (Psalms 65:3) – you find that flesh and blood is unable to hear the speech of two [different people] simultaneously, but the Holy One blessed be He is not like that; everyone prays before Him and He hears and accepts their prayers. Another interpretation: “Hearer of prayer” (Psalms 65:3) – Rabbi Yehuda bar Shalom in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: [A person of] flesh and blood, if a poor person comes to say something before him, he does heed him; if a wealthy person comes to say something, he immediately hears it and accepts it. However, the Holy One blessed be He is not so; rather, everyone is equal before Him: Women, slaves, the poor, and the wealthy. Know that, about Moses, master of all the prophets, is written what is written about the poor. About Moses, it is written: “A prayer of Moses the man of God” (Psalms 90:1). Regarding the poor it is written: “A prayer of the poor man when he suffers, and pours forth his words before the Lord” (Psalms 102:1). This is prayer and that is prayer, to inform you that everyone is equal in prayer before the Omnipresent. Know that when Israel departed from Egypt, Pharaoh pursued them, as it is stated: “And Pharaoh drew near” (Exodus 14:10), and it is written: “[The children of Israel] cried out to the Lord” (Exodus 14:10). Moses also began praying before the Omnipresent. The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Why are you standing and praying? My children have already prayed and I have heard their prayer,’ as it is stated: “Why are you crying out to Me?”
That is what is written: “My dove in the cleft of the rock” (Song of Songs 2:14). It should have said “a dove in the cleft of the rock.” Why did it say “my dove?” It is as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: “My dove.” See what is written: “Ephraim is like a foolish dove, with no understanding” (Hosea 7:11). The Holy One blessed be He said: To Me they are like a foolish dove; everything that I decree for them, they do and obey Me. However, towards idolaters, they are as tough as beasts, as it is stated: “Judah is a lion’s whelp” (Genesis 49:9); “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf” (Genesis 49:27); “Dan will be a serpent on the road” (Genesis 49:17); that is why they are as tough against idolaters. Why? It is because idolaters say to them: ‘What do you seek from this Shabbat that you observe, from this circumcision that you are circumcised?’ They [idolaters] seek to cancel the mitzvotfor them and they [Israel] become as tough as beasts against them. However, to the Holy One blessed be He they are like an innocent dove, and they obey everything that He decrees for them, as it is stated: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31). And likewise it says: “Everything the Lord has spoken we will do and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). That is why it says: “My dove in the cleft of the rock” (Song of Songs 2:14). “Pharaoh drew near and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and, behold, Egypt was traveling after them, and they were very frightened; the children of Israel cried out to the Lord” (Exodus 14:10). Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: When Israel departed from Egypt, they lifted up their eyes and the Egyptians were pursuing them, as it is stated: “Pharaoh drew near [and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and, behold, Egypt was traveling after them].” It does not say “were traveling,” but rather “was traveling.” When Pharaoh and the Egyptians came out in pursuit of them, they raised their eyes heavenward and saw the angel of Egypt floating in the air. When they saw him, they were very frightened, as it is stated: “They were very frightened.” What is “behold, Egypt was traveling after them”? The name of the angel of Egypt was Egypt, as the Holy One blessed be He does not bring about the downfall of a nation until He brings about the downfall of its angel first. Likewise, you find with Nebuchadnezzar that the Holy One blessed be He brought down his angel first, as it is stated: “While the word was in the king's mouth, a voice [kal] fell from heaven” (Daniel 4:28). Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin said: Nebuchadnezzar’s angel was named Kal, and the Holy One blessed be He brought him down. Likewise, the name of the angel of Pharaoh was Egypt, and it was flying to pursue them. When the Holy One blessed be He sank Egypt into the sea, He first sank their angel, as it is stated: “And the Lord tossed Egypt in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:27); that is the angel of Egypt, and then: “He tossed Pharaoh and his host” (Psalms 136:15). Likewise, it does not say: Their horses and their riders He cast into the sea, but rather, “horse and its rider” (Exodus 15:1), this is their angel; that is: “behold, Egypt was traveling after them.” What is: “Pharaoh drew near [hikriv]”? It is that he drew Israel nearer to repentence. Rabbi Berekhya said: Pharaoh’s drawing near was more effective for Israel than one hundred fasts and prayers. Why? Because when they [the Egyptians] pursued them and they [Israel] saw them, they were greatly afraid and they raised their eyes to Heaven, and repented and prayed, as it is stated: “The children of Israel cried out to the Lord” (Exodus 14:10). Israel said to Moses: ‘What have you done to us? Now they are coming and doing to us everything we did to them; we killed their firstborn, took their property, and fled. Did you not say to us: “Each woman will borrow [silver vessels and gold vessels and garments from her neighbor and from the resident of her house and you shall place them upon your sons and upon your daughters, and you will despoil Egypt]”?’ (Exodus 3:22). At that moment they were standing and they did not know what to do; the sea was closing in, the enemy was pursuing, and the beasts from the wilderness, as it is stated: “The wilderness has closed in [sagar] on them” (Exodus 14:3). Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: Sagar means nothing other than beasts, as it is stated: “My God has sent His angel, and shut [usagar] the lions' mouths” (Daniel 6:23). When Israel saw that they were surrounded on three sides – the sea blocking them, the enemy in pursuit, and the beasts in the wilderness – they raised their eyes to their Father in heaven and cried out to the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The children of Israel cried out to the Lord.” Why did the Holy One blessed be He do this to them? It was because the Holy One blessed be He desires their prayers. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: To what is this matter comparable? It is to a king who was travelling on the way and a princess was screaming to him: ‘Please, save me from the highwaymen.’ The king heard and rescued her. Some time later, he sought to take her as a wife. He desired that she speak to him, but she did not want to do so. What did the king do? He incited the highwaymen against her so that she would scream and the king would hear. When the highwaymen beset her, she began screaming to the king. The king said to her: ‘This is what I desired, to hear your voice.’ So Israel, when they were in Egypt and they [the Egyptians] were forcing them to work, they began screaming and raising their eyes to the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “It was during those many days…they cried out” (Exodus 2:23). Immediately, “God saw the children of Israel” (Exodus 2:25). The Holy One blessed be He began taking them out from there with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm. The Holy One blessed be He sought to hear their voice another time, but they did not wish to do so [to cry out]. What did He do? He incited Pharaoh to pursue them, as it is stated: “Pharaoh drew near.” Immediately, “the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.” At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘That is what I wanted – to hear your voice.’ As it is stated: “My dove in the cleft of the rock […sound me your voice]” (Song of Songs 2:14). It does not say sound me a voice, but rather, “sound me your voice,” – the voice that I already heard in Egypt. That is why it is written: “Sound me your voice.” When they had prayed, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Why are you standing and praying? The prayer of My children preceded your prayer, as it is stated: “Why are you crying out to Me?”’
“And you, raise your staff, and extend your hand over the sea, and split it; and the children of Israel will come into the midst of the sea on dry ground” (Exodus 14:16). “Raise your staff” – Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You are saying to me that I should split the sea and render the sea dry land, but isn’t it written: “I placed the sand as the boundary of the sea” (Jeremiah 5:22)? You swore that you would never split it.’ Rabbi Elazar HaKappar said: Moses said to Him: ‘Didn’t You say that the sea would not be rendered dry land? As it is stated: “I placed the sand as the boundary of the sea,” and it is written: “He shut the sea with doors”’ (Job 38:8). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You did not read from the beginning of the Torah. What is written: “God said: Let the waters be gathered” (Genesis 1:9). It is I who stipulated with it, so, I stipulated with it from the beginning that I would split it, as it is stated: “The sea returned to its power [le’eitano] before the morning” (Exodus 14:27), to its stipulation [tena’o] that I stipulated with it from the beginning. Immediately, Moses heeded the Holy One blessed be He and went to split the sea. When he went to split the sea, it was unwilling to take upon itself to split. The sea said to him: ‘I should split because of you? I am greater than you, as I was created on the third [day of creation] and you were created on the sixth.’ When Moses heard this, he went and said to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The sea refuses to split.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He placed His right hand on the right hand of Moses, as it is stated: “He caused [His glorious arm] to go to the right of Moses…” (Isaiah 63:12). Immediately, it [the sea] saw the Holy One blessed be He and fled, as it is stated: “The sea saw and fled” (Psalms 114:3). What did it see? It saw that the Holy One blessed be He placed His right hand upon Moses. It could no longer resist, so it fled immediately. Moses said to it: ‘Why are you fleeing?’ It said to him: ‘From the God of Jacob, due to fear of the Holy One blessed be He.’ Immediately, when Moses raised his hand over the sea, it split, as it is stated: “The water divided” (Exodus 14:21). It does not say “the sea divided,” but rather, the water divided. This teaches that all the water that was in all the springs and the cisterns and everywhere divided, as it is stated: “The water divided.” Likewise, when they returned, all the water returned, and so it says: “The water returned” (Exodus 14:28). All these miracles were performed by Moses, as it is stated: “Moses extended his hand over the sea” (Exodus 14:21). That is why the Holy One blessed be He praises him, as it is stated: “He remembered the days of old, Moses, His people: [Where is he who took them up from the sea, the shepherd of His flock?]” (Isaiah 63:11) and it is written: “He caused His glorious arm to go to the right of Moses” (Isaiah 63:12).
Another interpretation: “Why are you crying out to Me?” – that is what is written: “Have you composed your prayer [shuakha] with no trouble?”3Most translations translate shuakha as “your wealth” or something similar. The midrash understands it to mean “your prayer” or “your cry.” (Job 36:19). What is this? Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: The parable says: Honor your doctor before you need him. Rabbi Shimon says: Compose your prayers before your Creator, so you will not have enemies on high. Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: When Israel departed from Egypt, Samael the angel arose to prosecute them. Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina explained it in the name of his father: This is analogous to a shepherd who was crossing his flock over a river. A wolf came to threaten the flock. What did the expert shepherd do? He took a large ram and gave it to it. He said: Let him scuffle with it until we cross the river, then I will bring it. So, when Israel departed from Egypt, Samael the angel arose to prosecute them. He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Until now these were worshipping idols, and you are splitting the sea for them?’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He gave him Job, who was one of Pharaoh’s advisers, of whom it is written: “A wholehearted upright man” (Job 1:1). He said to him [Samael]: ‘Here he is, in your control.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘While he is busy with Job, Israel will enter and emerge from the sea, and then I will rescue Job.’ That is what Job said: “I was at peace and He crushed me” (Job 16:12). I was at peace in the world and He crushed me, “He took me by the nape and shattered me” (Job 16:12) in order to render me as protection [matara] for His people, as it is stated: “He established me as a target [matara]” (Job 16:12). And it is written: “He has handed me over to an evil angel” (Job 16:11), He handed me into the hand of the accuser so that Israel would not emerge guilty at trial. That is why He cast me into his hands; that is: “He hast cast me into the hands of the wicked” (Job 16:11). At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I handed Job to the accuser. What should you do? “Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth.”’
Rabbi Avtolis the elder said: This is analogous to a king who had a son who angered him. He decreed a harsh punishment for him, and the tutor pleaded on his behalf. He said to him: ‘Are you asking on behalf of my son? I have already reconciled with my son.’ Rabbi says: He [God] said to him [Moses]: ‘Last night you were saying: “Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name [he has harmed this people, and You did not rescue Your people]” (Exodus 5:23), and now you are standing [before Me] and praying intensely. “Why are you crying out to Me?” Yesterday, they were saying: “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt [that you took us to die in the wilderness]?” (Exodus 14:11), and now you are praying intensely? “Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth [veyisa’u].” Have them remove [yasiu] a matter from their heart.’ Rabbi says: The Holy One blessed be He says: ‘The faith that Israel had in Me is enough for Me to split the sea for them, as they did not say to Moses:4When Moses said to them: “Speak to the children of Israel, and they shall turn back” (Exodus 14:2). How can we turn back [towards Egypt] and break the hearts of the children and women who are with us? Rather, they had faith in me and followed Moses.’ Rabbi Eliezer says: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘There is a time to shorten [prayers] and a time to extend. My children are in a state of distress, the sea blocks them and the enemy is in pursuit, and you are standing and extending your prayers? “Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth.”’ Rabbi Yehoshua says: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Israel only needs to set forth. Let them set their legs forth from the dry land to the sea, and you will see the miracles that I will perform on their behalf.’ Rabbi Meir says: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Israel does not need to pray before Me. If Adam, the first man, who was alone, I made dry land for him, as it is stated: “Let the waters be gathered under the heavens” (Genesis 1:9), for a sacred congregation that is destined to say before Me: “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2), all the more so.’ Rabbi Benaya says: [God said:] ‘Due to the merit of Abraham, I will split the sea for them, because of what he did, as it is stated: “He split [vayevaka] the wood for the burnt offering”5For the binding of Isaac. (Genesis 22:3), and it says: “The waters were divided [vayibaku]”’ (Exodus 14:21). Rabbi Akiva says: [God said:] ‘Due to the merit of Jacob, I will split the sea for them, as it is stated: “You shall spread to the west and to the east”’ (Genesis 28:14). Rabbi Shimon says: [God said:] ‘I have already had it written about you [Moses]: “In all My house he is trusted” (Numbers 12:7), and you are under My authority and the sea is under My authority; I have appointed you trustee over it, as it is stated: “Raise your staff.”’
Rabbi Simon said: This is analogous to the holder of the rod [of office]6Roman lictors (magistrates) carried bundles of rods called fasces as a symbol of their office. who was walking outside with the rod in his hand. They said: ‘Were it not for the rod in his hand, he would not be respected.’ The king heard and said: ‘Put down the rod and go outside. Anyone who doesn’t greet you, I will remove his head.’ So, the Egyptians said: ‘Moses would have been unable to do anything but for the staff; with it he struck the Nile, with it he brought all the plagues.’ When Israel came into the midst of the sea and the Egyptians were standing behind them, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Cast away your staff, so they will not say: Were it not for the staff, he would not have been able to split the sea, as it is stated: “Raise your staff.”’ 7The midrash is commenting on the fact that Moses was commanded in Exodus 14:16: “And you, raise your staff, and extend your hand over the sea, and split it; and the children of Israel will come into the midst of the sea on dry land.” However, in the description of the actual action, only Moses extending his arm is mentioned: “Moses extended his hand over the sea and the Lord moved the sea…” (Exodus 14:21).
“The children of Israel came into the midst of the sea upon dry ground; and the waters were a wall for them to their right, and to their left” (Exodus 14:22). “The children of Israel came into the midst of the sea upon dry ground” – if in the midst of the sea, why on dry ground? If on dry ground, why in the midst of the sea? Rather, from here you learn that the sea was not split for them until they entered up to their noses, and then it became dry land for them. Rabbi Nehorai expounded: An Israelite woman would pass through the sea, with her son crying in her hand, and she would extend her hand and take an apple or a pomegranate from the sea and give it to him, as it is stated: “He led them through the depths, as through the wilderness” (Psalms 106:9); just as in the wilderness they lacked nothing, so too in the depths they lacked nothing. That is what Moses said: “These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing” (Deuteronomy 2:7). Nothing was lacking; all they had to do was mention something and it would be created before them. Rabbi Shimon says: Even speech was unnecessary, but rather anyone who thought something in his heart, it would be prepared, as it is stated: “They tried God in their hearts, asking food for their craving” (Psalms 78:18). Alternatively, “You have lacked nothing,” – that no thing [davar] was lacking in the world. But what was lacking? Repentance, as it is stated: “Take words [davar] with you and return to the Lord” (Hosea 14:3).
“I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh, and through his entire host, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, and so they did” (Exodus 14:4). “I will harden Pharaoh's heart.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: This is analogous to two wrestlers, one weak and one strong. The strong one overcame the weak one and received a crown on his head. Who caused the strong one to receive the crown? Was it not the weak one? So, who caused the Holy One blessed be He to receive praise and glory; was it not Pharaoh, whom He tossed, as it is stated: “He tossed Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea” (Psalms 136:15)? That is why “I will be glorified through Pharaoh.” “He removed the wheels of their chariot, and caused them to drive with difficulty. Egypt said: ‘Let us flee from before Israel, as the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt’” (Exodus 14:25). “Egypt said: ‘Let us flee from before Israel.’” What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He indicated to the land of Egypt, and it was elevated. They would see the war at the sea, as it is stated: “Egypt8It does not say the Egyptians. It says “Egypt.” said: ‘Let us flee from before Israel.’”
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (תהלים לד, יח): צָעֲקוּ וַה' שָׁמֵעַ, מַהוּ כֵן, אֶלָּא שְׁתֵּי יְרֻשּׁוֹת הִנְחִיל יִצְחָק לִשְׁנֵי בָנָיו, הִנְחִיל לְיַעֲקֹב הַקּוֹל, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (בראשית כז, כב): הַקֹּל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב. וְהִנְחִיל לְעֵשָׂו הַיָּדַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כז, כב): וְהַיָּדַיִם יְדֵי עֵשָׂו. וְעֵשָׂו הָיָה מִתְגָּאֶה בִּירֻשָּׁתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כ, יח): וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֱדוֹם לֹא תַעֲבֹר בִּי פֶּן בַּחֶרֶב וגו'. וְיַעֲקֹב מִתְגָּאֶה בִּירֻשָּׁתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו, ז): וַנִּצְעַק אֶל ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵינוּ, לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא שְׁנֵיהֶן נוֹטְלִין שְׂכָרָן, עֵשָׂו נוֹטֵל שְׂכָרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה לד, ה): כִּי רִוְּתָה בַשָּׁמַיִם חַרְבִּי הִנֵּה עַל אֱדוֹם תֵּרֵד. וְיַעֲקֹב נוֹטֵל שְׂכָרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה לג, יא): קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְקוֹל שִׂמְחָה. לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: צָעֲקוּ וַה' שָׁמֵעַ, לְפִי שֶׁצָּעֲקוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, י): וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ה', שָׁמַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא תְּפִלָּתָם, וְאָמַר לְמשֶׁה: מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי, כְּבָר שָׁמַעְתִּי צַעֲקָתָם [צעקתך] דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִסָּעוּ.
“The Lord said to Moses: ‘Why are you crying out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth’” (Exodus 14:15)..” – “Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth.”
“The Lord said to Moses: ‘Why are you crying out to Me?’” That is what is written: “They cried out and the Lord heard” (Psalms 34:18). Why is this so? Isaac bequeathed two inheritances to his two sons: He bequeathed the voice to Jacob, as it says: “The voice is the voice of Jacob” (Genesis 27:22). He bequeathed the hands to Esau, as it is stated: “But the hands are the hands of Esau” (Genesis 27:22). Esau was proud of his inheritance, as it is stated: “Edom said to him: 'You shalt not pass through me, lest with a sword [I will come out against you’]” (Numbers 20:18). Jacob was proud of his inheritance, as it is stated: “We cried out to the Lord, God of our fathers” (Deuteronomy 26:7). In the future, both of them will receive their rewards. Esau will receive his reward, as it is stated: “As My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it will descend upon Edom” (Isaiah 34:5). Jacob will receive his reward, as it is stated: “The voice of gladness, the voice of joy” (Jeremiah 33:11). This is why it is written: “They cried out and the Lord heard,” because the children of Israel cried out at the sea, as it is stated: “The children of Israel cried out to the Lord” (Exodus 14:10). The Holy One blessed be He heard their prayer and said to Moses: “Why are you crying out to Me? I already heard their cry
דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (איוב כב, כח): וְתִגְזַר אֹמֶר וְיָקָם לָךְ, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְצַוֶּה לְמשֶׁה וּמְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, כָּךְ הָיָה משֶׁה מְצַוֶּה כִּבְיָכוֹל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁכֵּן בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף אוֹמְרִים לוֹ (במדבר לו, ב): אֶת אֲדֹנִי צִוָּה ה', וַאדֹנִי צֻוָּה בַה', וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קוֹרֵא לְמשֶׁה וּמְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, כָּךְ הָיָה משֶׁה קוֹרֵא לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּמְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל משֶׁה, וּכְתִיב (במדבר כז, טו טז): וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה אֶל ה' לֵאמֹר יִפְקֹד ה' אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת, רְאֵה כַּמָּה הָיָה שׁוֹלֵט, וּכְשֶׁרָאָה אֶת פַּרְעֹה רוֹדֵף אַחֲרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּא לִצְעֹק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי, אָמַר לוֹ לָמָּה אַתָּה מִצְטָעֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, מָשָׁל לְאוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ עֵסֶק, הָלַךְ לִצְעֹק לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ מָה אַתָּה צוֹעֵק, גְּזֹר וַאֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה: מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי, דַּבֵּר, וַאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה.
Another interpretation: “Why are you crying out to Me?” – that is what is written: “You will decree a matter, and it will be established for you” (Job 22:28). Rabbi Levi said: Just as the Holy One blessed be He commands Moses and speaks with him, so Moses, as it were, commands before the Holy One blessed be He, as the descendants of Joseph say to him [to Moses]: “'The Lord commanded [tziva] my lord…and my lord was commanded [tzuva]1The midrash is reading the passive form, tzuvv, was commanded, as if it were the active form, tziva; Moses commanded God, as it were. by the Lord…” (Numbers 36:2). Just as the Holy One blessed be He calls Moses and speaks with him, so Moses calls the Holy One blessed be He and speaks with him, as it is stated: “The Lord spoke to Moses” and it is written: “Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: “Let the Lord, God of the spirits, appoint…” (Numbers 27:15–16). See how powerful he was: When he saw Pharaoh pursuing the children of Israel, he came to cry out, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses: Why are you crying out to Me?” He said to him: ‘Why are you in distress?’ Rabbi Yehoshua said: This is analogous to the beloved of a king who had an issue and went to cry out before the king. The king said: ‘Why are you crying out? Decree and I will do it.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Why are you crying out to Me” – speak and I will do it.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה סה, כד): וְהָיָה טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה, שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים הוּא אוֹמֵר בַּפָּסוּק וַאֲנִי, וַאֲנִי, וּמשֶׁה אוֹמֵר (דברים לב, לט): רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא, אֶלָּא כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה רְצוֹן הַמָּקוֹם וּמְכַוֵּן אֶת לִבּוֹ בַּתְּפָלָּה, שׁוֹמֵעַ לוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְכֵן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהָיָה טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְלֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא (ישעיה סה, כד): הֵם מְדַבְּרִים וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁמָע, וּמָה הֵם מְדַבְּרִים, אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד עוֹמֵד וּמַשְׁמִיעַ תַּלְמוּדוֹ, כִּבְיָכוֹל הוּא יוֹשֵׁב וּמַשְׁמִיעַ עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג, טז): אָז נִדְבְּרוּ יִרְאֵי ה' אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ, וּכְתִיב (ישעיה ל, כ): וְהָיוּ עֵינֶיךָ רֹאוֹת אֶת מוֹרֶיךָ, וְאוֹמֵר (ישעיה נד, יג): וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי ה', כָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, אִם כֵּן מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי. וְהָיָה טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פְּדָת בָּשָׂר וָדָם אִם שׁוֹמֵעַ דִּבְרֵי אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה דִינוֹ, אִם לֹא שָׁמַע אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְכַוֵּן דִּינוֹ, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ כֵן, עַד שֶׁלֹא יְדַבֵּר אָדָם הוּא יוֹדֵעַ מַה בְּלִבּוֹ. וְכֵן בִּשְׁלֹמֹה אוֹמֵר (דברי הימים א כח, ט): דַּע אֶת אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ וְעָבְדֵהוּ וגו' וְכָל יֵצֶר מַחְשָׁבוֹת מֵבִין, עַד שֶׁלֹא יְצָרָהּ מַחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁבְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הוּא מֵבִין. אַתָּה מוֹצֵא לִפְנֵי שִׁבְעָה דּוֹרוֹת עַד שֶׁלֹא נוֹלַד נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר נִתְנַבֵּא יְשַׁעְיָה וּפֵרַשׁ מֶה עָתִיד לַחֲשֹׁב בְּלִבּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה יד, יג): וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ בִּלְבָבְךָ הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶעֱלֶה, וּמַה אִם לִפְנֵי שִׁבְעָה דּוֹרוֹת צָפָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְרָאָה מֶה עָתִיד לַחְשֹׁב, הַצַּדִּיק בֶּן יוֹמוֹ אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מֶה עָתִיד לַחֲשֹׁב, לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: וְהָיָה טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי.
Another interpretation: “Why are you crying out to Me?” – that is what is written: “It will be before they call, and I will answer, [while they are still speaking, and I will hear]” (Isaiah 65:24). Twice He says in the verse: “and I…and I,” and Moses says [in the Torah]: “See now that I, I, am He (Deuteronomy 32:39). Indeed, anyone who performs the will of the Holy One blessed be He and directs his heart in prayer, He hears him in this world and likewise in the World to Come, as it is stated: “It will be before they call, and I will answer,” in this world; and in the future, “they are still speaking, and I will hear.” What are they speaking about? It is that each of them is standing and reciting what he has learned and, as it were, He is sitting and reciting with him, as it is stated: “Then they who fear the Lord spoke one with the other” (Malachi 3:16), and it is written: “Your eyes shall see your Teacher” (Isaiah 30:20), and it says: “All your children are taught by the Lord” (Isaiah 54:13). So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: If so,2If you have already directed your heart in prayer. “why are you crying out to Me?”
“It will be before they call, and I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24). Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: If one of flesh and blood hears the claims of a person, he can render his judgment; if he hasn’t heard, he is unable to determine his judgment. However, the Holy One blessed be He is not thus. Even before a person speaks, He knows what is in his heart. Likewise, regarding Solomon it says: “Know the God of your father, and serve Him [with a single mind, and a willing heart, for the Lord searches all minds and] understands the design of every thought” (I Chronicles 28:9). Even before the thought in the heart of man is formed, He understands. You find that seven generations before Nebuchadnezzar was born, Isaiah prophesied, and articulated what he was destined to think in his heart, as it is stated: “You said in your heart: I will ascend to the heavens” (Isaiah 14:13). If seven generations before, the Holy One blessed be He foresaw what he was destined to think, regarding a righteous person, does He not know what he is destined to think on the same day? That is why it is written: “It will be before they call, and I will answer.” That is why it is stated: “Why are you crying out to Me?”
דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים סה, ג): שֹׁמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה עָדֶיךָ כָּל בָּשָׂר יָבֹאוּ, מַהוּ שֹׁמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה, אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי מֵאִיר וְרַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִתְפַּלְּלִין אֵין אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁכֻּלָּן מִתְפַּלְּלִין כְּאֶחָד, אֶלָּא כָּל כְּנֵסִיָּה וּכְנֵסִיָּה מִתְפַּלֶּלֶת בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ, הַכְּנֶסֶת הַזּוֹ תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ הַכְּנֶסֶת הָאַחֶרֶת, וּמֵאַחַר שֶׁכָּל הַכְּנֵסִיּוֹת גּוֹמְרוֹת כָּל הַתְּפִלּוֹת הַמַּלְאָךְ הַמְמֻנֶּה עַל הַתְּפִלּוֹת נוֹטֵל כָּל הַתְּפִלּוֹת שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ בְּכָל הַכְּנֵסִיּוֹת כֻּלָּן וְעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָן עֲטָרוֹת וְנוֹתְנָן בְּרֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עָדֶיךָ כָּל בָּשָׂר יָבֹאוּ, וְאֵין עָדֶיךָ אֶלָּא עֲטָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מט, יח): כִּי כֻלָּם כַּעֲדִי תִלְבָּשִׁי. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה מט, ג): יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְעַטֵּר בִּתְפִלָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל טז, יב): וַעֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת בְּרֹאשֵׁךְ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֹׁמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה וגו', אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בָּשָׂר וָדָם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִשְׁמֹעַ שִׂיחַת שְׁנַיִם כְּאֶחָד, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ כֵן אֶלָּא הַכֹּל מִתְפַּלְּלִין לְפָנָיו וְהוּא שׁוֹמֵעַ וּמְקַבֵּל תְּפִלָּתָן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֹׁמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר שָׁלוֹם בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, בָּשָׂר וָדָם אִם בָּא עָנִי לוֹמַר דָּבָר לְפָנָיו אֵינוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ הֵימֶנּוּ, אִם בָּא עָשִׁיר לוֹמַר דָּבָר, מִיָּד הוּא שׁוֹמֵעַ וּמְקַבְּלוֹ, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ כֵן אֶלָּא הַכֹּל שָׁוִין לְפָנָיו, הַנָּשִׁים, וְהָעֲבָדִים, וְהָעֲנִיִּים, וְהָעֲשִׁירִים. תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהֲרֵי משֶׁה רַבָּן שֶׁל כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים כָּתוּב בּוֹ מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּעָנִי, בְּמשֶׁה כְּתִיב (תהלים צ, א): תְּפִלָּה לְמשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, וּבְעָנִי כְתִיב (תהלים קב, א): תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי כִי יַעֲטֹף וְלִפְנֵי ה' יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ. זוֹ תְּפִלָּה וְזוֹ תְּפִלָּה, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁהַכֹּל שָׁוִין בַּתְּפִלָּה לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם. תֵּדַע לְךָ כְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם רָדַף אַחֲרֵיהֶם פַּרְעֹה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, י): וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב, וּכְתִיב (שמות יד, י): וַיִּצְעֲקוּ אֶל ה', הִתְחִיל משֶׁה אַף הוּא מִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, מָה אַתָּה עוֹמֵד וּמִתְפַּלֵּל, כְּבָר הִתְפַּלְּלוּ בָּנַי וְשָׁמַעְתִּי תְפִלָּתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי.
Another interpretation: “Why are you crying out to Me?” – that is what is written: “Hearer of prayer, to You all flesh will come” (Psalms 65:3). What is “Hearer of prayer?” Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Meir, and Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: When Israel prays, you do not find that they all pray as one, but rather, each congregation prays on its own. This congregation begins, and then the other congregation. After all the congregations have finished their prayers, the angel appointed over prayers takes all the prayers that they prayed in all the congregations and crafts them into crowns and places them on the head of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “To you [adekha] all flesh will come,” and adekha means nothing other than crown, as it is stated: “You shall clothe yourself with them all, as with an ornament [ke’adi]” (Isaiah 49:18). So, it says: “Israel, in whom I will be glorified'” (Isaiah 49:3), as the Holy One blessed be He adorns Himself with the prayers of Israel, as it is stated: “And a beautiful crown upon your head” (Ezekiel 16:12).
Another interpretation: “Hearer of prayer…” (Psalms 65:3) – you find that flesh and blood is unable to hear the speech of two [different people] simultaneously, but the Holy One blessed be He is not like that; everyone prays before Him and He hears and accepts their prayers.
Another interpretation: “Hearer of prayer” (Psalms 65:3) – Rabbi Yehuda bar Shalom in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: [A person of] flesh and blood, if a poor person comes to say something before him, he does heed him; if a wealthy person comes to say something, he immediately hears it and accepts it. However, the Holy One blessed be He is not so; rather, everyone is equal before Him: Women, slaves, the poor, and the wealthy. Know that, about Moses, master of all the prophets, is written what is written about the poor. About Moses, it is written: “A prayer of Moses the man of God” (Psalms 90:1). Regarding the poor it is written: “A prayer of the poor man when he suffers, and pours forth his words before the Lord” (Psalms 102:1). This is prayer and that is prayer, to inform you that everyone is equal in prayer before the Omnipresent. Know that when Israel departed from Egypt, Pharaoh pursued them, as it is stated: “And Pharaoh drew near” (Exodus 14:10), and it is written: “[The children of Israel] cried out to the Lord” (Exodus 14:10). Moses also began praying before the Omnipresent. The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Why are you standing and praying? My children have already prayed and I have heard their prayer,’ as it is stated: “Why are you crying out to Me?”
הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ב, יד): יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע, הָיָה לוֹמַר יוֹנָה בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע וּמַהוּ שֶׁאָמַר יוֹנָתִי, אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹנָתִי, רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב (הושע ז, יא): וַיְהִי אֶפְרַיִם כְּיוֹנָה פוֹתָה אֵין לֵב, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶצְלִי הֵם כְּיוֹנָה פוֹתָה, כָּל מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי גוֹזֵר עֲלֵיהֶם עוֹשִׂים וְשׁוֹמְעִים לִי, אֲבָל אֵצֶל עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים קָשִׁים הֵם כַּחַיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית מט, ט): גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה, (בראשית מט, כז): בִּנְיָמִין זְאֵב יִטְרָף, (בראשית מט, יז): יְהִי דָן נָחָשׁ עֲלֵי דֶרֶךְ, לְפִיכָךְ הֵם קָשִׁים כְּנֶגֶד עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, לָמָּה שֶׁעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים אוֹמְרִין לָהֶם מָה אַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁין מִן הַשַּׁבָּת הַזּוֹ שֶׁאַתֶּם שׁוֹמְרִים, מִן הַמִּילָה הַזּוֹ שֶׁאַתֶּם מוּלִים, וְהֵם מְבַקְּשִׁים לְבַטֵּל לָהֶם אֶת הַמִּצְווֹת וְהֵם נַעֲשִׂים כְּנֶגְדָם קָשִׁין כַּחַיּוֹת, אֲבָל אֵצֶל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּיוֹנָה תַמָּה, וְשׁוֹמְעִים לוֹ כָּל מַה שֶּׁהוּא גוֹזֵר עֲלֵיהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ד, לא): וַיַּאֲמֵן הָעָם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר (שיר השירים ב, יד): יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פְּדָת כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם הָיוּ נוֹשְׂאִין עֵינֵיהֶן וְהָיוּ הַמִּצְרִים רוֹדְפִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, י): וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב [וגו'], נוֹסְעִים אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר אֶלָּא נֹסֵעַ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא פַרְעֹה וְהַמִּצְרִיִּים לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם תָּלוּ עֵינֵיהֶם לַשָּׁמַיִם וְרָאוּ שָׂרָן שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם פּוֹרֵחַ בָּאֲוִיר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ אוֹתוֹ נִתְיָרְאוּ הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, י): וַיִּירְאוּ מְאֹד, וּמַהוּ וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם נֹסֵעַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם, שָׂרָן שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם הָיָה שְׁמוֹ מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַפִּיל אֻמָּה עַד שֶׁהוּא מַפִּיל שָׂרָן תְּחִלָּה. וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בִּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר שֶׁהִפִּיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְשָׂרוֹ תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ד, כח): עוֹד מִלְּתָא בְּפֻם מַלְכָּא קָל מִן שְׁמַיָא נְפַל, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן אָבִין שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר קָל שְׁמוֹ, וְהִפִּילוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. אַף שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה מִצְרַיִם שְׁמוֹ וְהָיָה פּוֹרֵחַ לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִשְׁקִיעַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הַמִּצְרִים בַּיָּם לֹא שִׁקַּע תְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא שָׂרָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, כז): וַיְנַעֵר ה' אֶת מִצְרַיִם בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם, זֶה שָׂרָן שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (תהלים קלו, טו): וְנִעֵר פַּרְעֹה וְחֵילוֹ, וְכֵן סוּסֵיהֶם וְרוֹכְבֵיהֶם רָמָה בַיָּם אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר, אֶלָּא (שמות טו, א): סוּס וְרֹכְבוֹ, זֶה הַשַֹּׂר שֶׁלָּהֶן, הֱוֵי: וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם נֹסֵעַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם. וּמַהוּ וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב, אֶלָּא שֶׁהִקְרִיב אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַתְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה, יָפָה הָיְתָה הַקְרָבַת פַּרְעֹה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִמֵּאָה צוֹמוֹת וּתְפִלּוֹת, לָמָּה, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁרָדְפוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְרָאוּ אוֹתָן, נִתְיָרְאוּ מְאֹד וְתָלוּ עֵינֵיהֶם לַמָּרוֹם וְעָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה וְהִתְפַּלְּלוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, י): וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ה', אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמשֶׁה, מֶה עָשִׂיתָ לָנוּ, עַכְשָׁו הֵם בָּאִים וְעוֹשִׂים לָנוּ כָּל מַה שֶּׁעָשִׂינוּ עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁהָרַגְנוּ בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם וְנָטַלְנוּ מָמוֹנָם וּבָרַחְנוּ, לֹא אַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ לָנוּ (שמות ה ג, כב): וְשָׁאֲלָה אִשָּׁה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הָיוּ עוֹמְדִים וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת, וְהָיָה הַיָּם סוֹגֵר, וְהַשֹּׂוֹנֵא רוֹדֵף, וְהַחַיּוֹת מִן הַמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ה יד, ג): סָגַר עֲלֵיהֶם הַמִּדְבָּר, אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אֵין סָגַר אֶלָּא חַיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ו, כג): אֱלָהִי שְׁלַח מַלְאֲכֵהּ וּסֲגַר פֻם אַרְיָוָתָא. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ מֻקָּפִין מִשָּׁלשׁ רוּחוֹת, הַיָּם סוֹגֵר, וְהַשֹּׂוֹנֵא רוֹדֵף וְהַחַיּוֹת מִן הַמִּדְבָּר, תָּלוּ עֵינֵיהֶם לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וְצָעֲקוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ה', וְלָמָּה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָהֶם כָּךְ, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתָן. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה בָּא בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְהָיְתָה בַּת מְלָכִים צוֹעֶקֶת לוֹ בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִמְךָ הַצִּילֵנִי מִיַּד הַלִּסְטִים, שָׁמַע הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהִצִּילָהּ, לְאַחַר יָמִים בִּקֵּשׁ לִשָֹּׂא אוֹתָהּ לְאִשָּׁה, הָיָה מִתְאַוֶּה שֶׁתְּדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ וְלֹא הָיְתָה רוֹצָה, מֶה עָשָׂה הַמֶּלֶךְ גֵּרָה בָהּ הַלִּסְטִים כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּצְעַק וְיִשְׁמַע הַמֶּלֶךְ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ עָלֶיהָ הַלִּסְטִים הִתְחִילָה צוֹעֶקֶת לַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ לְכָךְ הָיִיתִי מִתְאַוֶּה לִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹלֵךְ. כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם וְהָיוּ מְשַׁעְבְּדִים בָּהֶם הִתְחִילוּ צוֹעֲקִים וְתוֹלִין עֵינֵיהֶם לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ב, כג): וַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָרַבִּים הָהֵם וגו' וַיִּזְעָקוּ, מִיָּד (שמות ב, כה): וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הִתְחִיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹצִיאָן מִשָּׁם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה, וְהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶת קוֹלָם פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת וְלֹא הָיוּ רוֹצִין, מֶה עָשָׂה, גֵּרָה לְפַרְעֹה לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב, מִיָּד וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ה', בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְכָךְ הָיִיתִי מְבַקֵּשׁ, לִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹלְכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ב, יד): יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע, הַשְׁמִיעִנִּי קוֹל אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר, אֶלָּא (שיר השירים ב, יד): הַשְּׁמִיעִנִּי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ אוֹתוֹ הַקּוֹל שֶׁכְּבָר שָׁמַעְתִּי בְּמִצְרַיִם, לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: הַשְּׁמִיעִנִּי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה מָה אַתָּה עוֹמֵד וּמִתְפַּלֵּל, כְּבָר קָדְמָה תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל בָּנַי לִתְפִלָּתֶךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי.
That is what is written: “My dove in the cleft of the rock” (Song of Songs 2:14). It should have said “a dove in the cleft of the rock.” Why did it say “my dove?” It is as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: “My dove.” See what is written: “Ephraim is like a foolish dove, with no understanding” (Hosea 7:11). The Holy One blessed be He said: To Me they are like a foolish dove; everything that I decree for them, they do and obey Me. However, towards idolaters, they are as tough as beasts, as it is stated: “Judah is a lion’s whelp” (Genesis 49:9); “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf” (Genesis 49:27); “Dan will be a serpent on the road” (Genesis 49:17); that is why they are as tough against idolaters. Why? It is because idolaters say to them: ‘What do you seek from this Shabbat that you observe, from this circumcision that you are circumcised?’ They [idolaters] seek to cancel the mitzvot for them and they [Israel] become as tough as beasts against them. However, to the Holy One blessed be He they are like an innocent dove, and they obey everything that He decrees for them, as it is stated: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31). And likewise it says: “Everything the Lord has spoken we will do and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). That is why it says: “My dove in the cleft of the rock” (Song of Songs 2:14).
“Pharaoh drew near and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and, behold, Egypt was traveling after them, and they were very frightened; the children of Israel cried out to the Lord” (Exodus 14:10).
Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: When Israel departed from Egypt, they lifted up their eyes and the Egyptians were pursuing them, as it is stated: “Pharaoh drew near [and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and, behold, Egypt was traveling after them].” It does not say “were traveling,” but rather “was traveling.” When Pharaoh and the Egyptians came out in pursuit of them, they raised their eyes heavenward and saw the angel of Egypt floating in the air. When they saw him, they were very frightened, as it is stated: “They were very frightened.” What is “behold, Egypt was traveling after them”? The name of the angel of Egypt was Egypt, as the Holy One blessed be He does not bring about the downfall of a nation until He brings about the downfall of its angel first. Likewise, you find with Nebuchadnezzar that the Holy One blessed be He brought down his angel first, as it is stated: “While the word was in the king's mouth, a voice [kal] fell from heaven” (Daniel 4:28). Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin said: Nebuchadnezzar’s angel was named Kal, and the Holy One blessed be He brought him down. Likewise, the name of the angel of Pharaoh was Egypt, and it was flying to pursue them. When the Holy One blessed be He sank Egypt into the sea, He first sank their angel, as it is stated: “And the Lord tossed Egypt in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:27); that is the angel of Egypt, and then: “He tossed Pharaoh and his host” (Psalms 136:15). Likewise, it does not say: Their horses and their riders He cast into the sea, but rather, “horse and its rider” (Exodus 15:1), this is their angel; that is: “behold, Egypt was traveling after them.”
What is: “Pharaoh drew near [hikriv]”? It is that he drew Israel nearer to repentence. Rabbi Berekhya said: Pharaoh’s drawing near was more effective for Israel than one hundred fasts and prayers. Why? Because when they [the Egyptians] pursued them and they [Israel] saw them, they were greatly afraid and they raised their eyes to Heaven, and repented and prayed, as it is stated: “The children of Israel cried out to the Lord” (Exodus 14:10). Israel said to Moses: ‘What have you done to us? Now they are coming and doing to us everything we did to them; we killed their firstborn, took their property, and fled. Did you not say to us: “Each woman will borrow [silver vessels and gold vessels and garments from her neighbor and from the resident of her house and you shall place them upon your sons and upon your daughters, and you will despoil Egypt]”?’ (Exodus 3:22). At that moment they were standing and they did not know what to do; the sea was closing in, the enemy was pursuing, and the beasts from the wilderness, as it is stated: “The wilderness has closed in [sagar] on them” (Exodus 14:3). Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: Sagar means nothing other than beasts, as it is stated: “My God has sent His angel, and shut [usagar] the lions' mouths” (Daniel 6:23).
When Israel saw that they were surrounded on three sides – the sea blocking them, the enemy in pursuit, and the beasts in the wilderness – they raised their eyes to their Father in heaven and cried out to the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The children of Israel cried out to the Lord.” Why did the Holy One blessed be He do this to them? It was because the Holy One blessed be He desires their prayers. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: To what is this matter comparable? It is to a king who was travelling on the way and a princess was screaming to him: ‘Please, save me from the highwaymen.’ The king heard and rescued her. Some time later, he sought to take her as a wife. He desired that she speak to him, but she did not want to do so. What did the king do? He incited the highwaymen against her so that she would scream and the king would hear. When the highwaymen beset her, she began screaming to the king. The king said to her: ‘This is what I desired, to hear your voice.’ So Israel, when they were in Egypt and they [the Egyptians] were forcing them to work, they began screaming and raising their eyes to the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “It was during those many days…they cried out” (Exodus 2:23). Immediately, “God saw the children of Israel” (Exodus 2:25).
The Holy One blessed be He began taking them out from there with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm. The Holy One blessed be He sought to hear their voice another time, but they did not wish to do so [to cry out]. What did He do? He incited Pharaoh to pursue them, as it is stated: “Pharaoh drew near.” Immediately, “the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.” At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘That is what I wanted – to hear your voice.’ As it is stated: “My dove in the cleft of the rock […sound me your voice]” (Song of Songs 2:14). It does not say sound me a voice, but rather, “sound me your voice,” – the voice that I already heard in Egypt. That is why it is written: “Sound me your voice.” When they had prayed, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Why are you standing and praying? The prayer of My children preceded your prayer, as it is stated: “Why are you crying out to Me?”’
וְאַתָּה הָרֵם אֶת מַטְךָ, אָמַר משֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה אוֹמֵר לִי שֶׁאֶקְרַע אֶת הַיָּם וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אֶת הַיָּם יַבָּשָׁה, וְהָכְתִיב (ירמיה ה, כב): אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי חוֹל גְּבוּל לַיָּם, וַהֲרֵי נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה קוֹרְעוֹ לְעוֹלָם. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַקַּפָּר אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה לֹא כָךְ אָמַרְתָּ שֶׁאֵין הַיָּם נַעֲשֵׂית יַבָּשָׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי חוֹל גְּבוּל לַיָּם, וּכְתִיב (איוב לח, ח): וַיָּסֶךְ בִּדְלָתַיִם יָם, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא קָרָאתָ מִתְּחִלַּת הַתּוֹרָה, מַה כְּתִיב (בראשית א, ט): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם, אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁהִתְנֵיתִי עִמּוֹ, כָּךְ הִתְנֵיתִי מִתְּחִלָּה שֶׁאֲנִי קוֹרְעוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, כז): וַיָּשָׁב הַיָּם לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר לְאֵיתָנוֹ, לִתְנָאוֹ שֶׁהִתְנֵיתִי עִמּוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה. מִיָּד שָׁמַע משֶׁה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהָלַךְ לִקְרֹעַ הַיָּם, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהָלַךְ לִקְרֹעַ אֶת הַיָּם, לֹא קִבֵּל עָלָיו לְהִקָּרֵעַ, אָמַר לוֹ הַיָּם, מִפָּנֶיךָ אֲנִי נִקְרַע, אֲנִי גָּדוֹל מִמְּךָ, שֶׁאֲנִי נִבְרֵאתִי בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וְאַתָּה נִבְרֵאתָ בַּשִּׁשִּׁי. כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע משֶׁה כָּךְ הָלַךְ וְאָמַר לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵין הַיָּם רוֹצֶה לְהִקָּרֵעַ, מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נָתַן יְמִינוֹ עַל יְמִינוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה סג, יב): מוֹלִיךְ לִימִין משֶׁה וגו'. מִיָּד רָאָה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבָרַח, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קיד, ג): הַיָּם רָאָה וַיָּנֹס, מַה רָאָה, אֶלָּא שֶׁרָאָה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁנָּתַן יַד יְמִינוֹ עַל משֶׁה וְלֹא יָכֹל לְעַכֵּב אֶלָּא בָּרַח מִיָּד. אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה מִפְּנֵי מָה אַתָּה בּוֹרֵחַ, אָמַר לוֹ הַיָּם מִפְּנֵי אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, מִפְּנֵי יִרְאָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מִיָּד כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֵרִים משֶׁה יָדוֹ עַל הַיָּם, נִבְקַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, כא): וַיִּבָּקְעוּ הַמָּיִם, אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר וַיִּבָּקַע הַיָּם, אֶלָּא וַיִּבָּקְעוּ הַמָּיִם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל הַמַּיִם שֶׁהָיוּ בְּכָל הַמַּעְיָינוֹת וּבַבּוֹרוֹת וּבְכָל מָקוֹם, נִבְקְעוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּבָּקְעוּ הַמָּיִם, וְכֵן בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁחָזְרוּ חָזְרוּ כָּל הַמַּיִם, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות יד, כח): וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם, וְכָל הַנִּסִּים הַלָּלוּ נַעֲשׂוּ עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, כא): וַיֵּט משֶׁה אֶת יָדוֹ עַל הַיָּם, לְפִיכָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְשַׁבְּחוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה סג, יא): וַיִּזְכֹּר יְמֵי עוֹלָם משֶׁה עַמּוֹ, וּכְתִיב (ישעיה סג, יב): מוֹלִיךְ לִימִין משֶׁה זְרוֹעַ תִּפְאַרְתּוֹ:
“And you, raise your staff, and extend your hand over the sea, and split it; and the children of Israel will come into the midst of the sea on dry ground” (Exodus 14:16).
“Raise your staff” – Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You are saying to me that I should split the sea and render the sea dry land, but isn’t it written: “I placed the sand as the boundary of the sea” (Jeremiah 5:22)? You swore that you would never split it.’ Rabbi Elazar HaKappar said: Moses said to Him: ‘Didn’t You say that the sea would not be rendered dry land? As it is stated: “I placed the sand as the boundary of the sea,” and it is written: “He shut the sea with doors”’ (Job 38:8). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You did not read from the beginning of the Torah. What is written: “God said: Let the waters be gathered” (Genesis 1:9). It is I who stipulated with it, so, I stipulated with it from the beginning that I would split it, as it is stated: “The sea returned to its power [le’eitano] before the morning” (Exodus 14:27), to its stipulation [tena’o] that I stipulated with it from the beginning.
Immediately, Moses heeded the Holy One blessed be He and went to split the sea. When he went to split the sea, it was unwilling to take upon itself to split. The sea said to him: ‘I should split because of you? I am greater than you, as I was created on the third [day of creation] and you were created on the sixth.’ When Moses heard this, he went and said to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The sea refuses to split.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He placed His right hand on the right hand of Moses, as it is stated: “He caused [His glorious arm] to go to the right of Moses…” (Isaiah 63:12). Immediately, it [the sea] saw the Holy One blessed be He and fled, as it is stated: “The sea saw and fled” (Psalms 114:3). What did it see? It saw that the Holy One blessed be He placed His right hand upon Moses. It could no longer resist, so it fled immediately. Moses said to it: ‘Why are you fleeing?’ It said to him: ‘From the God of Jacob, due to fear of the Holy One blessed be He.’ Immediately, when Moses raised his hand over the sea, it split, as it is stated: “The water divided” (Exodus 14:21). It does not say “the sea divided,” but rather, the water divided. This teaches that all the water that was in all the springs and the cisterns and everywhere divided, as it is stated: “The water divided.” Likewise, when they returned, all the water returned, and so it says: “The water returned” (Exodus 14:28). All these miracles were performed by Moses, as it is stated: “Moses extended his hand over the sea” (Exodus 14:21). That is why the Holy One blessed be He praises him, as it is stated: “He remembered the days of old, Moses, His people: [Where is he who took them up from the sea, the shepherd of His flock?]” (Isaiah 63:11) and it is written: “He caused His glorious arm to go to the right of Moses” (Isaiah 63:12).
דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איוב לו, יט): הֲיַעֲרֹךְ שׁוּעֲךָ לֹא בְצָר, מַהוּ כֵן אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פְּדָת הַמָּשָׁל אוֹמֵר כַּבֵּד אֶת רוֹפְאֲךָ עַד שֶׁלֹא תִּצְטָרֵךְ לוֹ. וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אוֹמֵר עֲרֹךְ שׁוּעַ כְּלַפֵּי בּוֹרְאֲךָ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יִהְיוּ לְךָ צָרִים מִלְּמַעְלָן. אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, עָמַד סמא"ל הַמַּלְאָךְ לְקַטְרֵג אוֹתָן, וְרַבִּי חָמָא בַּר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא פֵּרְשָׁהּ מִשּׁוּם אָבִיו, מָשָׁל לְרוֹעֶה שֶׁהָיָה מַעֲבִיר צֹאנוֹ בַּנָּהָר, בָּא זְאֵב לְהִתְגָּרוֹת בַּצֹּאן, רוֹעֶה שֶׁהָיָה בָּקִי מֶה עָשָׂה, נָטַל תַּיִשׁ גָּדוֹל וּמְסָרוֹ לוֹ, אָמַר יְהֵא מִתְגַּשֵׁשׁ בָּזֶה עַד שֶׁנַּעֲבֹר אֶת הַנָּהָר וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֲנִי מְבִיאוֹ. כָּךְ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם עָמַד סמא"ל הַמַּלְאָךְ לְקַטְרֵג אוֹתָן, אָמַר לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם עַד עַכְשָׁו הָיוּ אֵלּוּ עוֹבְדִים עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, וְאַתָּה קוֹרֵעַ לָהֶם אֶת הַיָּם. מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מָסַר לוֹ אִיּוֹב שֶׁהָיָה מִיּוֹעֲצֵי פַרְעֹה, דִּכְתִיב בּוֹ (איוב א, א): אִישׁ תָּם וְיָשָׁר, אָמַר לוֹ הִנּוֹ בְיָדֶךָ. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַד שֶׁהוּא מִתְעַסֵּק עִם אִיּוֹב, יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹלִים לַיָּם וְיוֹרְדִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אַצִּיל אֶת אִיּוֹב, וְהוּא שֶׁאָמַר אִיוֹב (איוב טז, יב): שָׁלֵו הָיִיתִי וַיְפַרְפְּרֵנִי, אָמַר אִיּוֹב שָׁלֵו הָיִיתִי בָּעוֹלָם וַיְפַרְפְּרֵנִי וְאָחַז בְּעָרְפִּי וַיְפַצְפְּצֵנִי, כְּדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתִי לְעַמּוֹ לְמַטָּרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב טז, יב): וַיְקִימֵנִי לוֹ לְמַטָּרָה, וּכְתִיב (איוב טז, יא): יַסְגִּירֵנִי אֵל אֶל עֲוִיל, מְסָרַנִי בְּיַד הַשָֹּׂטָן, וּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹא יֵצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל רְשָׁעִים בַּדִּין, לְכָךְ הִרְטָה אוֹתִי בְּיָדוֹ, הֱוֵי (איוב טז, יא): וְעַל יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים יִרְטֵנִי, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, משֶׁה הֲרֵי מָסַרְתִּי אִיּוֹב לַשָֹּׂטָן מַה בְּיָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת, דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִסָּעוּ.
Another interpretation: “Why are you crying out to Me?” – that is what is written: “Have you composed your prayer [shuakha] with no trouble?”3Most translations translate shuakha as “your wealth” or something similar. The midrash understands it to mean “your prayer” or “your cry.” (Job 36:19). What is this? Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: The parable says: Honor your doctor before you need him. Rabbi Shimon says: Compose your prayers before your Creator, so you will not have enemies on high. Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: When Israel departed from Egypt, Samael the angel arose to prosecute them. Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina explained it in the name of his father: This is analogous to a shepherd who was crossing his flock over a river. A wolf came to threaten the flock. What did the expert shepherd do? He took a large ram and gave it to it. He said: Let him scuffle with it until we cross the river, then I will bring it. So, when Israel departed from Egypt, Samael the angel arose to prosecute them. He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Until now these were worshipping idols, and you are splitting the sea for them?’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He gave him Job, who was one of Pharaoh’s advisers, of whom it is written: “A wholehearted upright man” (Job 1:1). He said to him [Samael]: ‘Here he is, in your control.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘While he is busy with Job, Israel will enter and emerge from the sea, and then I will rescue Job.’ That is what Job said: “I was at peace and He crushed me” (Job 16:12). I was at peace in the world and He crushed me, “He took me by the nape and shattered me” (Job 16:12) in order to render me as protection [matara] for His people, as it is stated: “He established me as a target [matara]” (Job 16:12). And it is written: “He has handed me over to an evil angel” (Job 16:11), He handed me into the hand of the accuser so that Israel would not emerge guilty at trial. That is why He cast me into his hands; that is: “He hast cast me into the hands of the wicked” (Job 16:11). At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I handed Job to the accuser. What should you do? “Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth.”’
רַבִּי אַבְטוֹלִיס הַזָּקֵן אָמַר מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בֵּן וְהִכְעִיסוֹ, וְגָזַר עָלָיו גְּזֵרָה קָשָׁה, וְהָיָה הַפֶּדָגוֹג מְבַקֵּשׁ עַל יָדוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ כְּלוּם אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנִּי אֶלָּא עַל בְּנִי, כְּבָר הִתְרַצֵּיתִי לִבְנִי. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, אָמַר לוֹ אֱמֶשׁ הָיִיתָ אוֹמֵר (שמות ה, כג): וּמֵאָז בָּאתִי אֶל פַּרְעֹה, וְעַכְשָׁו אַתָּה עוֹמֵד וּמַרְבֶּה בִּתְפִלָּה, מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי, אֱמֶשׁ הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים (שמות יד, יא): הֲמִבְּלִי אֵין קְבָרִים, וְעַכְשָׁו אַתָּה מַרְבֶּה בִּתְפִלָּה, דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִסָּעוּ, יַסִּיעוּ דָּבָר מִלִּבָּן. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּדַי הִיא הַאֲמָנָה שֶׁהֶאֱמִינוּ בִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאֶקְרַע לָהֶם הַיָּם, שֶׁלֹא אָמְרוּ לְמשֶׁה הֵיאַךְ נַחְזֹר לַאֲחוֹרֵינוּ, שֶׁלֹא לִשְׁבֹּר לֵב טַף וְנָשִׁים שֶׁעִמָּנוּ, אֶלָּא הֶאֱמִינוּ בִּי וְהָלְכוּ אַחַר משֶׁה. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, עֵת לְקַצֵּר וְעֵת לְהַאֲרִיךְ, בָּנַי שְׁרוּיִם בְּצַעַר וְהַיָּם סוֹגֵר וְהָאוֹיֵב רוֹדֵף, וְאַתָּה עוֹמֵד וּמַרְבֶּה בִּתְפִלָּה, דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִסָּעוּ. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה אֵין לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא לִסַּע בִּלְבָד, וְיִסָּעוּ, יַסִּיעוּ רַגְלֵיהֶם מִן הַיַּבָּשָׁה לַיָּם וְאַתָּה רוֹאֶה נִסִּים שֶׁאֶעֱשֶׂה לָהֶם. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל צְרִיכִין לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנַי, וּמַה אִם אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהָיָה יְחִידִי עָשִׂיתִי יַבָּשָׁה בִּשְׁבִילוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, ט): יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם, בִּשְׁבִיל עֵדָה קְדוֹשָׁה שֶׁעֲתִידָה לוֹמַר לְפָנַי (שמות טו, ב): זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. רַבִּי בְּנָיָא אוֹמֵר, בִּזְכוּת אַבְרָהָם אֲנִי בּוֹקֵעַ לָהֶם אֶת הַיָּם, בַּעֲבוּר מַה שֶּׁעָשָׂה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ה כב, ג): וַיְבַקַּע עֲצֵי עֹלָה, וְאוֹמֵר (שמות יד, כא): וַיִּבָּקְעוּ הַמָּיִם. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר בִּזְכוּת יַעֲקֹב אֲנִי קוֹרֵעַ לָהֶם אֶת הַיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כח, יד): וּפָרַצְתָּ יָמָּה וָקֵדְמָה. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, כְּבָר הִכְתַּבְתִּי עָלֶיךָ (במדבר יב, ז): בְּכָל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא, וְאַתָּה בִּרְשׁוּתִי וְהַיָּם בִּרְשׁוּתִי, כְּבָר עֲשִׂיתִיךָ גִּזְבָּר עָלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאַתָּה הָרֵם אֶת מַטְךָ.
Rabbi Avtolis the elder said: This is analogous to a king who had a son who angered him. He decreed a harsh punishment for him, and the tutor pleaded on his behalf. He said to him: ‘Are you asking on behalf of my son? I have already reconciled with my son.’ Rabbi says: He [God] said to him [Moses]: ‘Last night you were saying: “Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name [he has harmed this people, and You did not rescue Your people]” (Exodus 5:23), and now you are standing [before Me] and praying intensely. “Why are you crying out to Me?” Yesterday, they were saying: “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt [that you took us to die in the wilderness]?” (Exodus 14:11), and now you are praying intensely? “Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth [veyisa’u].” Have them remove [yasiu] a matter from their heart.’ Rabbi says: The Holy One blessed be He says: ‘The faith that Israel had in Me is enough for Me to split the sea for them, as they did not say to Moses:4When Moses said to them: “Speak to the children of Israel, and they shall turn back” (Exodus 14:2). How can we turn back [towards Egypt] and break the hearts of the children and women who are with us? Rather, they had faith in me and followed Moses.’ Rabbi Eliezer says: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘There is a time to shorten [prayers] and a time to extend. My children are in a state of distress, the sea blocks them and the enemy is in pursuit, and you are standing and extending your prayers? “Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth.”’
Rabbi Yehoshua says: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Israel only needs to set forth. Let them set their legs forth from the dry land to the sea, and you will see the miracles that I will perform on their behalf.’ Rabbi Meir says: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Israel does not need to pray before Me. If Adam, the first man, who was alone, I made dry land for him, as it is stated: “Let the waters be gathered under the heavens” (Genesis 1:9), for a sacred congregation that is destined to say before Me: “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2), all the more so.’ Rabbi Benaya says: [God said:] ‘Due to the merit of Abraham, I will split the sea for them, because of what he did, as it is stated: “He split [vayevaka] the wood for the burnt offering”5For the binding of Isaac. (Genesis 22:3), and it says: “The waters were divided [vayibaku]”’ (Exodus 14:21). Rabbi Akiva says: [God said:] ‘Due to the merit of Jacob, I will split the sea for them, as it is stated: “You shall spread to the west and to the east”’ (Genesis 28:14). Rabbi Shimon says: [God said:] ‘I have already had it written about you [Moses]: “In all My house he is trusted” (Numbers 12:7), and you are under My authority and the sea is under My authority; I have appointed you trustee over it, as it is stated: “Raise your staff.”’
אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן מָשָׁל לְבַעַל הַזְּמוֹרָה שֶׁהָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בַּחוּץ וְהַזְּמוֹרָה בְּיָדוֹ, אָמְרוּ אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁהַזְּמוֹרָה בְּיָדוֹ לֹא הָיָה מִתְכַּבֵּד, שָׁמַע הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאָמַר לוֹ, הַעֲבֵר הַזְּמוֹרָה מִמְּךָ וְצֵא לַחוּץ וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹמְךָ אֲנִי נוֹטֵל אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ. כָּךְ אָמְרוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל משֶׁה לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּלוּם אֶלָּא בַּמַּטֶּה, בּוֹ הִכָּה הַיְאוֹר, בּוֹ הֵבִיא כָּל הַמַּכּוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתוֹךְ הַיָּם וְהַמִּצְרִיִּים עוֹמְדִים מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה הַשְּׁלֵךְ אֶת מַטְךָ, שֶׁלֹא יֹאמְרוּ אִלּוּלֵי הַמַּטֶּה לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִקְרֹעַ אֶת הַיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הָרֵם אֶת מַטְךָ.
Rabbi Simon said: This is analogous to the holder of the rod [of office]6Roman lictors (magistrates) carried bundles of rods called fasces as a symbol of their office. who was walking outside with the rod in his hand. They said: ‘Were it not for the rod in his hand, he would not be respected.’ The king heard and said: ‘Put down the rod and go outside. Anyone who doesn’t greet you, I will remove his head.’ So, the Egyptians said: ‘Moses would have been unable to do anything but for the staff; with it he struck the Nile, with it he brought all the plagues.’ When Israel came into the midst of the sea and the Egyptians were standing behind them, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Cast away your staff, so they will not say: Were it not for the staff, he would not have been able to split the sea, as it is stated: “Raise your staff.”’ 7The midrash is commenting on the fact that Moses was commanded in Exodus 14:16: “And you, raise your staff, and extend your hand over the sea, and split it; and the children of Israel will come into the midst of the sea on dry land.” However, in the description of the actual action, only Moses extending his arm is mentioned: “Moses extended his hand over the sea and the Lord moved the sea…” (Exodus 14:21).
וַיָּבֹאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה, אִם בַּיָּם לָמָּה בַּיַּבָּשָׁה, וְאִם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה לָמָּה בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם, אֶלָּא מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁלֹא נִקְרַע לָהֶם הַיָּם עַד שֶׁבָּאוּ לְתוֹכוֹ עַד חוֹטְמָן, וְאַחַר כָּךְ נַעֲשָׂה לָהֶם יַבָּשָׁה. דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי נְהוֹרָאי, הָיְתָה בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבֶרֶת בַּיָּם וּבְנָהּ בְּיָדָהּ וּבוֹכֶה, וּפוֹשֶׁטֶת יָדָהּ וְנוֹטֶלֶת תַּפּוּחַ אוֹ רִמּוֹן מִתּוֹךְ הַיָּם וְנוֹתֶנֶת לוֹ, שֶׁנֶאֱמַר (תהלים קו, ט): וַיּוֹלִיכֵם בַּתְּהֹמוֹת כַּמִּדְבָּר, מַה בַּמִּדְבָּר לֹא חָסְרוּ כְלוּם, אַף בַּתְּהוֹמוֹת לֹא חָסְרוּ כְלוּם. הוּא שֶׁמּשֶׁה אָמַר לָהֶם (דברים ב, ז): זֶה אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ עִמָּךְ לֹא חָסַרְתָּ דָּבָר, שֶׁלֹא הָיוּ חֲסֵרִים אֶלָּא לְהַזְכִּיר דָּבָר וְהוּא נִבְרָא לִפְנֵיהֶם. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר אֲפִלּוּ דִּבּוּר לֹא הָיוּ חֲסֵרִין, אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁהָיָה מְהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ דָּבָר וְהוּא נַעֲשָׂה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים עח, יח): וַיְנַסּוּ אֵל בִּלְבָבָם לִשְׁאָל אֹכֶל לְנַפְשָׁם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֹא חָסַרְתָּ דָּבָר, שֶׁלֹא הָיָה חָסֵר דָּבָר בָּעוֹלָם, וּמָה הָיָה חָסֵר, תְּשׁוּבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע יד, ג): קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים וְשׁוּבוּ אֶל ה'.
“The children of Israel came into the midst of the sea upon dry ground; and the waters were a wall for them to their right, and to their left” (Exodus 14:22).
“The children of Israel came into the midst of the sea upon dry ground” – if in the midst of the sea, why on dry ground? If on dry ground, why in the midst of the sea? Rather, from here you learn that the sea was not split for them until they entered up to their noses, and then it became dry land for them. Rabbi Nehorai expounded: An Israelite woman would pass through the sea, with her son crying in her hand, and she would extend her hand and take an apple or a pomegranate from the sea and give it to him, as it is stated: “He led them through the depths, as through the wilderness” (Psalms 106:9); just as in the wilderness they lacked nothing, so too in the depths they lacked nothing. That is what Moses said: “These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing” (Deuteronomy 2:7). Nothing was lacking; all they had to do was mention something and it would be created before them. Rabbi Shimon says: Even speech was unnecessary, but rather anyone who thought something in his heart, it would be prepared, as it is stated: “They tried God in their hearts, asking food for their craving” (Psalms 78:18). Alternatively, “You have lacked nothing,” – that no thing [davar] was lacking in the world. But what was lacking? Repentance, as it is stated: “Take words [davar] with you and return to the Lord” (Hosea 14:3).
וְחִזַּקְתִּי אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, מָשָׁל לִשְׁנֵי אַתְלֵיטִים אֶחָד חַלָּשׁ וְאֶחָד גִּבּוֹר, נָצַח הַגִּבּוֹר לַחַלָּשׁ וְנָטַל עֲטָרָה בְרֹאשׁוֹ, מִי גָרַם לַגִּבּוֹר לִטֹּל הָעֲטָרָה לֹא הַחַלָּשׁ. כָּךְ מִי גָרַם לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִטֹּל שֶׁבַח וְכָבוֹד לֹא פַרְעֹה שֶׁנִּעֲרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלו, טו): וְנִעֵר פַּרְעֹה וְחֵילוֹ בְיַם סוּף, לְפִיכָךְ וְאִכָּבְדָה בְּפַרְעֹה. וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רָמַז לְאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְעָלְתָה, וְהָיוּ רוֹאִין מִלְחָמָה בַּיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
“I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh, and through his entire host, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, and so they did” (Exodus 14:4).
“I will harden Pharaoh's heart.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: This is analogous to two wrestlers, one weak and one strong. The strong one overcame the weak one and received a crown on his head. Who caused the strong one to receive the crown? Was it not the weak one? So, who caused the Holy One blessed be He to receive praise and glory; was it not Pharaoh, whom He tossed, as it is stated: “He tossed Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea” (Psalms 136:15)? That is why “I will be glorified through Pharaoh.”
“He removed the wheels of their chariot, and caused them to drive with difficulty. Egypt said: ‘Let us flee from before Israel, as the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt’” (Exodus 14:25).
“Egypt said: ‘Let us flee from before Israel.’” What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He indicated to the land of Egypt, and it was elevated. They would see the war at the sea, as it is stated: “Egypt8It does not say the Egyptians. It says “Egypt.” said: ‘Let us flee from before Israel.’”