Midrash su Salmi 114:2

What was the action with which Juda sancitified the Holy Name? We are taught: that R. Maier would say: "When Israel stood on the banks of the Red Sea, [ready to cross it] the tribes quarreled with one another, one said: 'I will go first in the sea,' and another said: 'I will go first in the Red Sea.' Whereupon (Fol. 36) The tribe of Benjamin went first into the Sea, as it is said (Ps. 68, 28) There Benjamin, the youngest leadeth them on. Do not read Rodem (leadeth them on), but read it Rad' yam, (entered the sea). Then the princes of Juda commenced to fight them, as it is said (Ib.) The princes of Juda quarrelled with them. Therefore, was Benjamin, the righteous, rewarded that he became the host of the Shechina, as it is said (Deut. 33, 12) And between his shoulders will He dwell" R. Juda then said to him: "The fact was not so but, as follows, one tribe said: 'I do not want to enter the Red Sea first;' and another one said: 'I do not want to enter the Red Sea first.' However, Nachshon, the son of Aminadab, jumped into the Red Sea first, as it is said (Hos. 12, 1) With lies hath Ephraim encompassed me about, and with deceit the house of Israel; but Juda yet ruleth with God and is faithful to the Holy One. Concerning him it is expressed in the Scriptures, (Ps. 69, 2) Save me, O God! for the waters are come even to threaten my life… Let not the flood of water overflow me and let not the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit close its mouth upon me. At that moment Moses was prolonging in prayer, whereupon the Holy One, praised be He, said to him: 'My beloved ones are in the sea and thou art standing before me.' Moses said: 'Sovereign of the Universe, what shall I do?' He said to him: (Ex. 14, 15) Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward and lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and divide it, etc. Therefore was Juda rewarded that he became the ruler over Israel, as it is said (Ps. 114, 2) Juda became his sanctuary, Israel his domination. Because the sea beheld it and fled:'

[(Gen. 38:1:) THAT JUDAH WENT AWAY.] This text is related (to Mal. 2:11): JUDAH HAS BEEN FAITHLESS, AND AN ABOMINATION HAS BEEN DONE IN ISRAEL.¹⁸Gen. R. 85:1. What is the meaning of JUDAH HAS BEEN FAITHLESS? Judah had been deceitful. < It is > just as you say (in Mal. 2:14): < FOR THE LORD IS A WITNESS BETWEEN YOU (Judah) AND THE WIFE OF YOUR YOUTH >, WITH WHOM YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHLESS. Thus it says: Judah was deceitful. Over what was he deceitful? (Mal. 2:11, cont.:) FOR JUDAH HAS PROFANED THE SANCTUARY OF THE LORD. See (ibid., cont.): HE HAS MARRIED THE DAUGHTER OF A FOREIGN GOD. Now it says elsewhere (in Ps. 114:2): JUDAH WAS HIS SANCTUARY, while it says here (in Mal. 2:11): FOR JUDAH HAS PROFANED < THE SANCTUARY OF THE LORD >. See (ibid., cont.): HE HAS MARRIED THE DAUGHTER OF A FOREIGN GOD.

Rabbi 'Aḳiba said: The Israelites advanced to enter the Reed Sea, but they turned backwards, fearing lest the waters would come over them. The tribe of Judah sanctified His great Name, and entered the sea first, and under the dominion of the hand likewise of the sons of Judah (did all Israel enter the sea after them), as it is said, "Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion" (Ps. 114:2). The Egyptians desired to follow after Israel, but they turned backwards, fearing lest the waters would return over them. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He appeared before them like a man riding on the back of a mare, as it is said, "To a steed in Pharaoh's chariots" (Cant. 1:9). The horse on which Pharaoh rode saw the mare (of God), and it neighed and ran and entered the sea after it.

When Israel went out of Egypt, Moses said ‘Judah became His -holy one, Israel, His dominion’ (Psalms 114:2); and when Israel went out of Jerusalem, Jeremiah said ‘“Away! Unclean!” people shouted at them, “Away! Away!”’ (Lamentations 4:15)

When Israel went out of Egypt, Moses said ‘the sea saw them and fled, the Jordan turned backward’ (Psalms 114:2); and when Israel went out of Jerusalem, Jeremiah said ‘by the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept’ (Psalms 137:1)