Midras Ulangan 9:1: Devarim Rabbah & Sifrei Devarim

“Hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today, to come to take possession from nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified to the heavens” (Deuteronomy 9:1).
“Hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today” – halakha: A person of Israel who drinks water to [quench] his thirst, recites: ‘Blessed…by whose word all things came to be [shehakol nihya bidevaro].’ Rabbi Tarfon says: [The proper text of the blessing is:] ‘Who creates the many forms of life and their needs [boreh nefashot rabot veḥesronam].’ The Rabbis say: Come and see: All the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on behalf of Israel, He performed only through water.¹⁷That is why a blessing is recited on water. How so? When Israel was still in Egypt, He performed miracles for them on the Nile. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The Egyptians and Israelites would come to drink water from the river [during the plague of blood,] and an Egyptian would drink blood and an Israelite would drink water. And when Israel departed from Egypt He performed miracles on their behalf only by means of water. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The sea saw and fled” (Psalms 114:3). What did it see? Rabbi Nehorai said: It saw the ineffable Name inscribed on the staff, and it split. Rabbi Neḥemya said: As it were, it saw the hand of the Holy One blessed be He, and it split, as it is stated: “The waters saw You and were frightened” (Psalms 77:17). They came to Mara when they ascended from the sea, and the water was bitter. He performed miracles there on their behalf. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The Lord showed him a tree [and he cast it into the waters and the waters sweetened]” (Exodus 15:25). At the rock, He performed miracles on their behalf with the water. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “And speak to the rock…[and it will provide its water]” (Numbers 20:8). At the well, He performed miracles on their behalf and they recited song, as it is stated: “Then Israel sang” (Numbers 21:17). Moses said to [the Israelites]: ‘Know that all the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on behalf of Israel, He performed only through water. When you cross the Jordan to take possession of the Land, there too, He is destined to perform miracles on your behalf with the water of the Jordan.’

Another matter, “hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today” – this is what the verse said: “God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us of the deeds You did in their days” (Psalms 44:2). What is “with our ears”? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: We heard what You said to Moses at the bush. You said to Moses at the bush: ‘It is revealed and foreseen before Me that they are destined to anger Me; nevertheless, I will redeem them.’ From where is it derived that the Holy One blessed be He said this to him? As it is written: “I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt…[as I know its pain]” (Exodus 3:7). What is “as I know its pain”? The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I know what pain they are destined to cause [Me by saying, of the golden calf]: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). Nevertheless, “I have descended to rescue them from the land of Egypt”’ (Exodus 3:8). These are the conditions that You stipulated with Moses. Just as You stipulated with him, so “we have heard with our ears.” What is “our fathers have told us”? This is Moses, who is called father of all the prophets. “You, with Your hand, drove out nations, and planted them” (Psalms 44:3). [Moses] said to them: ‘From what He did to the two Emorite kings, who were great, you know what He will do to the thirty-one kings when you cross the Jordan.’ That is, “hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today.”

Another matter, “hear, Israel” – what did he see that led him to say here: “hear, Israel”? The Rabbis say: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who betrothed a noblewoman with two precious stones. She lost one of them. The king said to her: ‘You lost one, take care of the other.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He sanctified Israel with: “We will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). They lost “we will perform” when they crafted the calf. Moses said to them: ‘You lost “we will perform,” take care of “we will heed [nishma].”’ That is “hear [shema], Israel.”