Midras Yesaya 63:14: Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Midrash Tehillim

(Lev. 25:18, 23:) SO YOU SHALL CARRY OUT MY STATUTES…. [BUT THE LAND MAY NOT BE SOLD PERMANENTLY.] The Holy One said to him: Similarly I sold my people and returned again to reinstate them, as stated (Jer. 3:14:) TURN BACK, FAITHLESS CHILDREN, SAYS THE LORD; FOR I AM A MASTER TO YOU. It is also written (in Is. 52:3): [FOR] THUS SAYS THE LORD: YOU WERE SOLD FOR FREE, AND YOU SHALL BE REDEEMED FOR NO MONEY. You shall therefore not sell the land absolutely, since it is stated (in Lev. 25:23): BUT THE LAND MAY NOT BE SOLD PERMANENTLY, FOR THE LAND BELONGS TO ME. The land of Israel is dear to me because I have made it holier than all the < other > lands. You yourself know, when the land of Israel was distributed to the tribes, it did not pass from tribe to tribe. Rather [it was distributed] to each tribe separately. You yourself know. So look at how many lawsuits the daughters of Zelophehad brought, so that their inheritance would not pass from one tribe to another. Moreover the Holy One gave thanks for their words, as stated (in Numb. 27:7): THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD SPEAK WHAT IS RIGHT…. (Numb. 36:9:) THUS NO INHERITANCE SHALL BE TRANSFERRED FROM ONE TRIBE TO ANOTHER. Therefore, if a redeemer is found for it, fine; but if not, whoever takes it acquires it until the Jubilee. Then on the Jubilee he releases it. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 25:41): THEN HE SHALL DEPART {IN THE JUBILEE} [FROM YOU], HE AND HIS CHILDREN WITH HIM. The Holy One said: When the year of the redemption draws near, I will redeem you, as stated (in Is. 63:4): FOR A DAY OF VENGEANCE WAS IN MY HEART, BUT THERE CAME MY YEAR OF REDEMPTION.

"To the conductor, a wise psalm of the sons of Korah. God, we have heard with our ears. This is what the scripture says (Isaiah 63:12), 'He led them with the right hand of Moses, etc.' From here we learn that when the Israelites left Egypt, they did not have any deeds that would redeem them, and it was not because of their ancestors that the sea was split, but rather to make a name for God. Similarly, it says (Ibid. 14), 'As the cattle go down into the valley.' And when they were redeemed from Egypt, Moses told them that they were not redeemed because of their own deeds, but rather so that they could tell their children and give glory to God among the nations. As it says (Psalm 96:1), 'Sing unto the Lord a new song.' (Ibid. 3), 'Declare His glory among the nations.' And the sons of Korah said to our ancestors, 'Tell us,' but they themselves also recount how they left Egypt. And what is the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, that His children recount His glory among the nations? It is that they prophesied about the generations. The sons of Korah said to our ancestors, 'You did it, not us, what benefit do we have in what you did for our ancestors?' And when do we benefit? When you do a sign with me for good (Psalm 86:17), 'Do a sign with me for good.' The patriarchs worked a great deed in the days of Abraham, as it says (Genesis 15:15), 'And he divided himself against them by night.' Similarly, in the wilderness, the children did a deed for themselves and for their own desire, not for us. And it says (Psalm 47:3), 'God has chosen for us our inheritance.' "

Another thing regarding the exodus of Israel from Egypt. See what is written (Deuteronomy 4:34): "Or has God ever tried to go and take a nation for Himself from the midst of another nation?" Rabbi Chiya said in the name of Rabbi Yirmiya: This can be compared to a warrior who goes out to battle, either to conquer or to be victorious. Therefore it is said (in the same verse): "in battles." Rabbi Abba Bar Acha said in the name of Rabbi Chanin: What is "a nation from the midst of another nation"? It is like a person who removes a fetus from the belly of an animal. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, took Israel out of Egypt, as it is said: "a nation from the midst of another nation." This is similar to what is said (Leviticus 1:3): "And he shall bring it close," and (Exodus 7:5): "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord." We learn from here the difficulty of being cast off. How do we know that they were cast off? As it is said (Deuteronomy 4:20): "He took you out of the iron crucible." It is like a person who takes gold from a furnace without tongs or a scoop. So it was with Israel. Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Simon: What is meant by "from the midst of another nation"? They were absorbed within their bellies, as it is said (Psalm 124:3): "They would have swallowed us alive." And if a person wishes to darken the matter and not mention Egypt in that context, behold, it says (Psalm 124:2): "If the Lord had not been for us when men rose up against us." And "men" refer to none other than Egypt, as it is said (Isaiah 31:3): "And Egypt is man and not God." And the Holy One, blessed be He, performed ten miracles for them at the sea. One is that He made walls upon walls, and there was not a wall that did not have a tower, and there was not a tower that did not have a guard, and the ministering angels guarded Israel so that they would not be harmed. Moses said to them, "Come and cross." They said to him, "How can we cross between these walls, as it is said (Exodus 14:22-29), 'And the waters were a wall unto them?'" The sea froze and rose up, filling all its depths. Just as a person floats with both arms, one up and one down, so too did God freeze the heart of the sea and fill all its depths. Then they made the water into the form of arched bricks, as it is said (Habakkuk 3:14), "You pierced with his own arrows the head of his warriors." Moses said to them, "Come and cross." They said, "When the waters were two below and one above, we could not cross, and now that they are two above and one below, how much less can we cross?" Then they made the water into the form of flat bricks, as it is said (Zechariah 2:8), "For he that touches you touches the apple of his eye." And there is no "apple" but bricks, as it is said (Zechariah 2:9), "And I will shake my hand over them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants." Then they took sweet water out of the salty water and drank it, as it is said (Psalm 78:16), "And he brought streams also out of the rock." Then they made the water into the form of clay, as it is said (Habakkuk 3:15), "Thou didst walk through the sea with thy horses, through the heap of great waters." Then they made the water into the form of columns, as it is said (Exodus 15:8), "The floods stood upright as a heap." Like a heap of straw between two piles. Then they made the water into the form of separate drops, as it is said (Psalm 74:13), "Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength." Then they made the water into the form of valleys and caused grass to grow, and Israel grazed therein, as it is said (Isaiah 33:9), "The land mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits."