מדרש אויף משלי 3:23

(Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” From where did He call him? From the tent of meeting. May His name be blessed forever, because He left the upper world and chose to dwell below in the tabernacle out of love for Israel. Solomon said (in I Kings 8:27), “For will God really dwell on the earth; even the heavens and the heavens above the heavens cannot contain You?” Is there a potter who yearns for a clay pot, as it were? (Jer. 10:16) “For He has formed everything.” However, out of love (according to Ps. 84:3), “My soul longs for and even pines for [the courts of the Lord].” And so it says (in Lev. 1:1), “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses [and spoke unto him] from the tent of meeting.” Moses was great. See what is written (in Gen. 1:5), “And God called the light day.” There is a "calling" for the one (in Gen. 1:5), and there is a "calling" for the other (in Lev. 1:1). Who is greater, the captor or the captive? You must say, “The [captor] (captive).”¹⁵See ‘Etz Yosef here on Tan., Vayikra 1:4. Cf. Gen. R. 78:1; M. Pss. 91:6; 104:3; Sifre, Deut. 11:21 (47); also Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Neziqin 18. See what is written. “And God called the light day.” Now there is no light but Torah, as stated (in Prov. 6:23), “For the commandment is a lamp, and Torah is a light.” Moses captured the Torah, as stated (of him at Sinai in Ps. 68:19), “You ascended on high; you captured a captive.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “In this world I have made you head over all Israel; but in the world to come,¹⁶This formula normally ends a parashah. Perhaps the fact that the next section jumps to vs. 7 encourages the midrash to use the formula here. when the righteous come to receive their reward, you will come at the head of them all.” It is so stated (in Deut. 33:21), “and he came at the head of the people….”¹⁷This translation is required by the midrash.

Another matter, “then Moses…sang” – that is what is written: “She opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue” (Proverbs 31:26). From the day that the Holy One blessed be He created the world until Israel stood at the sea, we do not find a person who sang a song to the Holy One blessed be He other than Israel. He created Adam, the first man, and he did not recite song. He rescued Abraham from the fiery furnace and from the kings, and he did not recite song. Likewise, [He rescued] Isaac from the knife and he did not recite song. Likewise, [He rescued] Jacob from the angel, from Esau, and from the residents of Shekhem, and he did not recite song. When Israel came to the sea and it was split for them, they immediately sang a song before the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang.” That is, “she opens her mouth with wisdom.” The Holy One blessed be He said: “I have been waiting for [people such as] these [to recite song].” Az means nothing other than rejoicing, as it is stated: “Then [az] our mouth will be filled with laughter” (Psalms 126:2).
Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi said: What did Israel see, that led them to recite song with az? They said: ‘Initially, this sea was dry land, and the generation of Enosh arose and incensed Him with az, as it is stated: “Then [az] they began profaning the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26). The Holy One blessed be He rendered it [dry land] sea and exacted retribution against them, as it is stated: “Who calls the waters of the sea and pours them on the face of the earth” (Amos 5:8; 9:6). Now it was sea, and it was transformed to dry land on our behalf, as it is stated: “The children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:29). We will laud him with az because he transformed the sea into dry land; that is, “then Moses and the children of Israel sang.” Az means nothing other than security, as it is stated: “Then [az] you shall walk on your path securely” (Proverbs 3:23).

“Jacob departed from Beersheba, and went to Ḥaran” (Genesis 28:10) – Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Huna bar Pappa began: “Then you will walk on your way securely…. When you lie down, you will not be afraid” (Proverbs 3:23–24). “Then you will walk on your way securely” – this is Jacob, as it is written: “Jacob departed.” “When you lie down, you will not be afraid” – of Esau and Laban. “You will lie down and your sleep will be sweet” (Proverbs 3:24) – “and lay down in that place” (Genesis 28:11).