בְּצֵ֣את יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם בֵּ֥ית יַ֝עֲקֹ֗ב מֵעַ֥ם לֹעֵֽז׃
אַז ישׂראל איז אַרױס פֿון מצרַיִם, דאָס הױז פֿון יעקבֿ פֿון אַ װילדשפּראַכיקן פֿאָלק,
Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael
As it is written (Psalms 114:1) "When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from the people of a foreign tongue, Judah was His holy one, Israel, His ruler," the Holy One Blessed be He hereby saying: "Let him who sanctified My name at the sea come and rule Israel." And the elders acknowledged to R. Tarfon (the truth of his derivation.)
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
And since the great Hallel, [which is the more important] is recited, why must we [on happy occasions] recite also the [ordinary] Hallel? Because it contains the following five things: The exodus from Egypt, the splitting of the Red Sea, the giving of the Torah to Israel, the resurrection of the dead, and the sufferings of the Messianic period. It contains the exodus from Egypt, as it is written (Ps. 114, 1) When Israel went forth out of Egypt; the splitting of the Red Sea, as it is written (Ib. ib., 3) The sea beheld it, and fled; the giving of the Torah, as it is written (Ib. ib., 6) Ye mountains, that ye skip like wethers. Ye hills like lambs; the resurrection of the dead, as it is written (Ib. 116, 9) I will walk before the Lord in the land of life; and the suffering during the Messianic period, as it is written (Ib. 115, 1) Not for our sake, O Lord, not for our sake, etc. Upon which R. Jochanan said: "This refers to the subjugation in exile," and, according to others, R. Jochanan said that this refers to the time of the war of Gog and Magog. R. Nachman b. Isaac said: "Because it contains the saving of the righteous souls from Gehenna [it is recited on a holiday], as it is said (Ib. 116, 4) I beseech thee, O Lord, release my soul [from Gehenna]." Hezekiah said: "Because in it is mentioned that the righteous (Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah) were thrown into the fiery furnace and came out alive." Not for our sake, Lord, was said by Chananiah; But unto Thy name give glory, was said by Mishael; iud For the sake of Thy kindness, for the sake of Thy truth, was said by Azariah; but they all said the next passage, Wherefore should the nations say, where now is their God. And when they came out from the furnace, Chananiah said (Ib. 117) Praise God, all ye nations; Mishael said, Praise Him, all ye peoples; and Azariah said, For His mercy is great towards us. And the truth of the Lord endureth forever, was said by all three. And according to some, 'Gabriel said the passage. And the truth of the Lord, etc.; for at the time when Nimrod, the wicked, had cast Abraham, our patriarch, into the fiery furnace, Gabriel said unto the Holy One, praised be He! "Sovereign of the Universe, let me, I pray thee, go down, and cool the furnace, and deliver that righteous one from that fiery furnace." Then the Holy One, praised be He! said unto him: "I am One in my world, and he is one in his. It behooves that He who is one should deliver him who is one." But as the Holy One, praised be He! doth not deprive any creature of reward, He said to Gabriel: "For this, thy good intention, thou wilt be privileged to rescue three of his grand-children"; as R. Simon, of Shiloh, expounded: "At the time when Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked, cast Chenaniah, Mishael and Azariah into the fiery furnace Yurkami, the chief of the hail, said unto the Holy One, praised be He! "Sovereign of the Universe, let me, I pray thee, go down and cool off the fiery furnace, and rescue these righteous men.' Whereupon Gabriel interposed and said: 'The greatness of the Holy One, praised be He! will not be demonstrated in such a way, for thou art the chief of hail, and everybody knows that water quencheth fire; but I, the chief of fire, will go down and cool the flames within (Ib. b) and intensify it without [so as to consume the executioners], and thus will I perform a miracle within a miracle.' Then the Holy One, praised be He! said to him: 'Go down.' Upon which Gabriel said, 'Verily, the truth of the Lord endureth forever.'" R. Nathan said: The verse, Verily the truth of the Lord endureth forever, was said by the fish in the sea, as R. Huna said: "The Israelites of that generation [that went out of Egypt] were wanting in faith [of God] and as Raba, the son of Mari, expounded: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ps. 106, 7) But they rebelled at the sea, even at the Red Sea; nevertheless he helped them for His name's sake. It is intended to teach us that [at the time when God divided the Red Sea and Israel passed through and the Egyptians were drowned] the Israelites rebelled and said: 'Just as we ascend from this side so do the Egyptians ascend from another side.' Whereupon the Holy One, praised be He! said to the angel of the sea: 'Spit them out upon the dry land.' 'Sovereign of the Universe,' the angel of the sea pleaded before Him, 'can there be found a servant to whom his master gave a present and who should later take it back from him?' 'Instead of this I shall give you one and a half,' the Lord said to him. The angel of the sea continued: 'Sovereign of the Universe! is it possible for a servant to summon his master before a court of justice?' 'The river Kishon shall guarantee for it,' was the Lord's reply. Immediately all of them were spit out and thrown upon the dry land. When Israel came to the place they saw them all dead and thus the passage becomes clear (Ex. 14, 30) And Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the shore of the sea. And how was it that the sea got one and a half in return? In connection with the incident of Pharaoh it is written (Gen. 14, 6) Six hundred chosen chariots, with that of Sissera, it is written (Jud. 40) Nine hundred iron chariots. And when Sissera came upon the Israelites with iron chariots, the Holy One, praised be He! sent forth upon them the stars in their paths, as it is written (Ib. 5) From heaven have fought the stars in their paths, etc. As soon as the stars descended upon them, the iron chariots became hot and they went to the river Kishon to cool themselves [where they were consequently drowned]. Then said the Holy One, praised be He! to the river Kishon, 'Go and pay off thy guarantee which thou hast secured to the sea.' Instantly they were swept out by the river Kishon and thrown into the sea, as it is said (Jud. 5, 21) The stream of Kishon swept them away, that ancient stream. What is meant by That ancient stream? The stream that became a surety from olden times. In that moment the fish broke forth and said 'Verily the truth of the Lord endureth forever.' "
Shemot Rabbah
“Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went out to the wilderness of Shur. They walked three days in the wilderness and did not find water” (Exodus 15:22).
“Moses led Israel,”1The verse implies that the people did not travel willingly and therefore Moses had to direct them to move onward from the sea. that is what is written: “Do you thus requite the Lord?” (Deuteronomy 32:6). Rabbi Sheshe son of Rabbi Abba would write the heh below it and the lamed above it, as though to say: Alas, do you thus requite the Lord?2The heh in the word “do…the Lord [הלה']” appears slightly distinct from the rest of the word, implying that it stood for its own word, alas [hoy]. After all the miracles that He performed on your behalf; that He split the sea into twelve portions, and He submerged the Egyptians into the sea, and one of His hands was submerging them and one of His hands was rescuing you, as it is stated: “Your right hand, Lord, is glorious in strength; Your right hand, Lord, [smashes an enemy]” (Exodus 15:6). He took you up from the sea and gave you their silver and gold, as well as everything that was on their horses that were adorned with silver and gold. He fed you for forty years and did not leave you for even one moment. How many enemies came against you, but He did not allow you to flee, but rather He toppled them before you and protected you. It was not only from your enemies, but also from serpents and scorpions. He illuminated before you, as it is stated: “The Lord went before them by day [in a pillar of cloud…and by night in a pillar of fire, to illuminate for them]” (Exodus 13:21). You forgot all the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on your behalf. Mikha’s idol was crossing the sea with you, and you abandoned matters of Torah and fixated on other matters. “Is it to the Lord that you do this?”
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai said: Not only did Mikha’s idol cross with them, but they spoke contentiously toward God, as it is stated: “Whom You redeemed for You from Egypt, nations and their gods” (II Samuel 7:23).3This verse is generally understood to refer to what God did to other nations and their gods on behalf of Israel. It is interpreted here to mean that God took from Egypt Israel and its gods, a reference to the idol of Mikha.
Likewise, it says: “They were defiant at the sea, in the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7). Why twice?4Why “at the sea” and again “in the Red Sea.” Rather, at the sea they were defiant in that they did not wish to descend, were it not for the tribe of Judah that leapt first and sanctified the name of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “When Israel went out of Egypt…Judah became His holy one” (Psalms 114:1–2). From where is it derived that they were defiant while in the Red Sea? When they descended into the sea [the ground] was full of mortar, as it had been until then wet from the water, so it was like mortar, as it is stated: “You trampled the sea with Your horses, the roiling [ḥomer]5The word ḥomer can also be vocalized ḥemar, mortar. of mighty waters” (Habakkuk 3:15). Reuben was saying to Simeon: In Egypt “with mortar,” at the sea there is mortar. In Egypt, “with mortar and with bricks” (Exodus 1:14); at the sea: “The roiling [ḥomer] of mighty waters.” That is, “they were defiant at the sea, in the Red Sea.” After all these miracles, you repay Me with evil?
“Do you thus requite the Lord, vile and unwise people?” (Deuteronomy 32:6). It is regarding the generation of Jeremiah that he said this verse. “Vile [naval]…people,” who were rendered carcasses [nevelot], as it is stated: “They gave the carcasses of Your servants to birds of the heavens” (Psalms 79:2). Why? Because they were unwise, as it is stated: “Vile and unwise people.” Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: If the mightiest of the mighty is below, and the weakest of the weak is above, [the one above] will emerge victorious, and more so if the mighty is above and the weak is below. How much more so when the Holy One blessed be He, the mightiest of the mighty, is above, and you, flesh and blood, are below, must you not understand?6You must understand that you must submit to Him. You are a “vile and unwise people.”
“Is He not your Father, your Master [kanekha]?” (Deuteronomy 32:6). If you merit it, your father; just as a son is petulant with his father and he performs his will, so you are petulant before Him, and He performs your will.
Another matter, if He is your Father, why your Master; if He is your Master, why your Father? Rather, when Israel performs the will of the Omnipresent, He has mercy on them like a father on his sons. When they do not perform His will, He subjugates them like a slave. Just as a slave, whether he likes it or not, serves his master against his will, so too, you will perform the will of the Omnipresent against your will, whether you like it or not.
Rabbi Taḥalifa of Caesarea says in the name of Rabbi Pila: Come and see how many miracles the Holy One blessed be He performs for a person, but he does not know. Were one to eat bread as is, it would descend to his innards and scratch them. But the Holy One blessed be He created a water source in his throat7Rabbi Pila interprets the term “your Master [kanekha]” as an allusion to the esophagus [kaneh]. The simple fact that one has saliva, which aids in swallowing food, is a great gift that God provided humanity, which they do not even recognize as such (Maharzu). that causes the bread to descend in peace. “He made you, and He established you [vayekhonenekha]” (Deuteronomy 32:6). He made you with everything that you need. After all this, “is it to the Lord that you do this,” you go and speak superfluous matters?
Another matter, “is it to the Lord that you do this?” He said to them: After He performed all these miracles on your behalf, you refuse Him? As it is written: “They were defiant at the sea, in the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7); “at the sea,” on the seashore; “in the Red Sea,” in its plain sense. At that moment, the angel of the sea became filled with rage and sought to wash them away, until the Holy One blessed be He rebuked it and the water dried, as it is stated: “He rebukes the sea and dries it” (Nahum 1:4). And it says: “He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried” (Psalms 106:9). When Moses saw this, he led them from the sin at the sea. That is why it is stated: “Moses led Israel.”
“Moses led Israel,”1The verse implies that the people did not travel willingly and therefore Moses had to direct them to move onward from the sea. that is what is written: “Do you thus requite the Lord?” (Deuteronomy 32:6). Rabbi Sheshe son of Rabbi Abba would write the heh below it and the lamed above it, as though to say: Alas, do you thus requite the Lord?2The heh in the word “do…the Lord [הלה']” appears slightly distinct from the rest of the word, implying that it stood for its own word, alas [hoy]. After all the miracles that He performed on your behalf; that He split the sea into twelve portions, and He submerged the Egyptians into the sea, and one of His hands was submerging them and one of His hands was rescuing you, as it is stated: “Your right hand, Lord, is glorious in strength; Your right hand, Lord, [smashes an enemy]” (Exodus 15:6). He took you up from the sea and gave you their silver and gold, as well as everything that was on their horses that were adorned with silver and gold. He fed you for forty years and did not leave you for even one moment. How many enemies came against you, but He did not allow you to flee, but rather He toppled them before you and protected you. It was not only from your enemies, but also from serpents and scorpions. He illuminated before you, as it is stated: “The Lord went before them by day [in a pillar of cloud…and by night in a pillar of fire, to illuminate for them]” (Exodus 13:21). You forgot all the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on your behalf. Mikha’s idol was crossing the sea with you, and you abandoned matters of Torah and fixated on other matters. “Is it to the Lord that you do this?”
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai said: Not only did Mikha’s idol cross with them, but they spoke contentiously toward God, as it is stated: “Whom You redeemed for You from Egypt, nations and their gods” (II Samuel 7:23).3This verse is generally understood to refer to what God did to other nations and their gods on behalf of Israel. It is interpreted here to mean that God took from Egypt Israel and its gods, a reference to the idol of Mikha.
Likewise, it says: “They were defiant at the sea, in the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7). Why twice?4Why “at the sea” and again “in the Red Sea.” Rather, at the sea they were defiant in that they did not wish to descend, were it not for the tribe of Judah that leapt first and sanctified the name of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “When Israel went out of Egypt…Judah became His holy one” (Psalms 114:1–2). From where is it derived that they were defiant while in the Red Sea? When they descended into the sea [the ground] was full of mortar, as it had been until then wet from the water, so it was like mortar, as it is stated: “You trampled the sea with Your horses, the roiling [ḥomer]5The word ḥomer can also be vocalized ḥemar, mortar. of mighty waters” (Habakkuk 3:15). Reuben was saying to Simeon: In Egypt “with mortar,” at the sea there is mortar. In Egypt, “with mortar and with bricks” (Exodus 1:14); at the sea: “The roiling [ḥomer] of mighty waters.” That is, “they were defiant at the sea, in the Red Sea.” After all these miracles, you repay Me with evil?
“Do you thus requite the Lord, vile and unwise people?” (Deuteronomy 32:6). It is regarding the generation of Jeremiah that he said this verse. “Vile [naval]…people,” who were rendered carcasses [nevelot], as it is stated: “They gave the carcasses of Your servants to birds of the heavens” (Psalms 79:2). Why? Because they were unwise, as it is stated: “Vile and unwise people.” Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: If the mightiest of the mighty is below, and the weakest of the weak is above, [the one above] will emerge victorious, and more so if the mighty is above and the weak is below. How much more so when the Holy One blessed be He, the mightiest of the mighty, is above, and you, flesh and blood, are below, must you not understand?6You must understand that you must submit to Him. You are a “vile and unwise people.”
“Is He not your Father, your Master [kanekha]?” (Deuteronomy 32:6). If you merit it, your father; just as a son is petulant with his father and he performs his will, so you are petulant before Him, and He performs your will.
Another matter, if He is your Father, why your Master; if He is your Master, why your Father? Rather, when Israel performs the will of the Omnipresent, He has mercy on them like a father on his sons. When they do not perform His will, He subjugates them like a slave. Just as a slave, whether he likes it or not, serves his master against his will, so too, you will perform the will of the Omnipresent against your will, whether you like it or not.
Rabbi Taḥalifa of Caesarea says in the name of Rabbi Pila: Come and see how many miracles the Holy One blessed be He performs for a person, but he does not know. Were one to eat bread as is, it would descend to his innards and scratch them. But the Holy One blessed be He created a water source in his throat7Rabbi Pila interprets the term “your Master [kanekha]” as an allusion to the esophagus [kaneh]. The simple fact that one has saliva, which aids in swallowing food, is a great gift that God provided humanity, which they do not even recognize as such (Maharzu). that causes the bread to descend in peace. “He made you, and He established you [vayekhonenekha]” (Deuteronomy 32:6). He made you with everything that you need. After all this, “is it to the Lord that you do this,” you go and speak superfluous matters?
Another matter, “is it to the Lord that you do this?” He said to them: After He performed all these miracles on your behalf, you refuse Him? As it is written: “They were defiant at the sea, in the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7); “at the sea,” on the seashore; “in the Red Sea,” in its plain sense. At that moment, the angel of the sea became filled with rage and sought to wash them away, until the Holy One blessed be He rebuked it and the water dried, as it is stated: “He rebukes the sea and dries it” (Nahum 1:4). And it says: “He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried” (Psalms 106:9). When Moses saw this, he led them from the sin at the sea. That is why it is stated: “Moses led Israel.”