Мидраш к Шмот 14:15

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:'

And lift thou up thy rod (Exod. 14:16). Ten miracles were performed in their behalf at the sea. The sea was split asunder for them, and became a kind of vault, as it is said: Thou hast struck through with his own rods the heads, etc. (Hab. 3:14). It was divided into twelve paths, as it is said: And stretch out thy hand over the sea and divide it (Exod. 14:16). It was turned into dry land, as it is said: And the children of Israel walked upon dry land the midst of the sea (ibid., v. 29). It was converted into a kind of clay, as is said: Thou hast trodden the sea with thy horses, the mud of mighty waters (Hab. 3:15). The water was made into pieces, as it is said: Thou didst break the sea into pieces by Thy strength (Ps. 74:13). It was changed into rocks, as is said: Thou didst shatter the heads of the sea monsters in the waters (ibid.). It was torn asunder, as it is said: To him who divided the Red Sea asunder (ibid. 136:13). It was piled up into stacks, as it is said: And with the blast of Thy nostrils, the waters were piled up (Exod. 15:8). It was made into a heap, as is said: Stood upright like a heap (ibid.). Barrels of sweet water flowed out of the salt water for them, and the sea congealed and became like a glass vessel, as it is said: The deeps were congealed (ibid.).

An idolater asked Rabban Gamliel, "Why was the Holy One, Blessed be He revealed to Moses in the Burning Bush?" Rabban Gamliel replied to him, "If God had been revealed in a carob tree or a fig tree, you would have asked me the same thing, and I could not send you away without an answer. This teaches you that there is no place in the world devoid of the Shekhinah."