וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ לַיַּבָּשָׁה֙ אֶ֔רֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵ֥ה הַמַּ֖יִם קָרָ֣א יַמִּ֑ים וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃
Dieu nomma le sol la Terre, et l’agglomération des eaux, il la nomma les Mers. Et Dieu considéra que c’était bien.
Sifra
2) "All that have fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers — those may you eat': "in the seas (yamim)": This is the Great Sea (the Mediterranean), as it is written (Bereshith 1:10): "And the (great) ingathering of the waters, He called yamim." "and in the nechalim": These are the rivers, as it is written (Bereshith 2:10): "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden." This tells me only of oceans and rivers, that flow (both) in the dry season and in the rainy season. Whence do I derive for inclusion other waters, and other rivers, that flow in the rainy season but not in the dry season, until you include water in holes? From (the repetition of) "in the waters" (Bereshith 11:8, Bereshith 11:9).
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
THE GATHERING OF THE WATERS
ON the third day all the earth was flat like a plain and the waters covered the surface of all the earth. When the word of the Almighty was uttered, "Let the waters be gathered together" (Gen. 1:9), the mountains and hills arose from the ends of the earth and they were scattered over the surface of all the earth, and valleys were formed over the inner parts of the earth; and the waters were rolled together and gathered into the valleys, as it is said, "And the gathering together of the waters he called seas" (Gen. 1:10). Forthwith the waters became proud and they arose to cover the earth as at first, when the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked them || and subdued them, and placed them beneath the soles of His feet, and measured them with the hollow of His hand that they should neither decrease nor increase. He made the sand as the boundary of the sea, just like a man who makes a fence for his vineyard. When they rise and see the sand before them they return to their former place, as it is said, "Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea?" (Jer. 5:22).
ON the third day all the earth was flat like a plain and the waters covered the surface of all the earth. When the word of the Almighty was uttered, "Let the waters be gathered together" (Gen. 1:9), the mountains and hills arose from the ends of the earth and they were scattered over the surface of all the earth, and valleys were formed over the inner parts of the earth; and the waters were rolled together and gathered into the valleys, as it is said, "And the gathering together of the waters he called seas" (Gen. 1:10). Forthwith the waters became proud and they arose to cover the earth as at first, when the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked them || and subdued them, and placed them beneath the soles of His feet, and measured them with the hollow of His hand that they should neither decrease nor increase. He made the sand as the boundary of the sea, just like a man who makes a fence for his vineyard. When they rise and see the sand before them they return to their former place, as it is said, "Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea?" (Jer. 5:22).
Bereshit Rabbah
“God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering of the waters He called Seas, and God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:10).
“God called the dry land Earth [eretz].” Why was it called eretz? It is because it hastened [ratzeta] to perform the will of its Maker.11By beginning to expand. Rabbi Natan in the name of Rabbi Aḥa, and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “I am God Almighty [shadai]” (Genesis 17:1) – I am the One who [she] said to the heavens and the earth: Enough [dai]. Had it not been so, they would have continually stretched out until now.
“And the gathering of the waters He called Seas” – Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥalafta said: Is it not only one sea?12“The gathering of waters” is in the singular, indicating that the verse is referring to one body of water. Why does the verse state “Seas”? However, the taste of a fish that comes up in Akko is not similar to one that comes up in Sidon or one that comes up in Spain.13Even in a single body of water (the Mediterranean), there are several distinct sections.
“God called the dry land Earth [eretz].” Why was it called eretz? It is because it hastened [ratzeta] to perform the will of its Maker.11By beginning to expand. Rabbi Natan in the name of Rabbi Aḥa, and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “I am God Almighty [shadai]” (Genesis 17:1) – I am the One who [she] said to the heavens and the earth: Enough [dai]. Had it not been so, they would have continually stretched out until now.
“And the gathering of the waters He called Seas” – Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥalafta said: Is it not only one sea?12“The gathering of waters” is in the singular, indicating that the verse is referring to one body of water. Why does the verse state “Seas”? However, the taste of a fish that comes up in Akko is not similar to one that comes up in Sidon or one that comes up in Spain.13Even in a single body of water (the Mediterranean), there are several distinct sections.