וַיִּגְעַ֣ר בְּיַם־ס֭וּף וַֽיֶּחֱרָ֑ב וַיּוֹלִיכֵ֥ם בַּ֝תְּהֹמ֗וֹת כַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
און ער האָט אָנגעשריִען אױפֿן ים-סוף, און ער איז געװאָרן טרוקן, און ער האָט זײ געפֿירט דורך די תּהומען װי דורך אַ סטעפּ.
Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael
(Exodus 13:18) "And G–d led the people circuitously by way of the desert to the Red Sea": in order to perform miracles and mighty acts with the manna and the quail and the well. R. Eliezer says: "way" — in order to weary them, viz. (Psalms 102:24) "He drained my strength on the way; He shortened my days." "the desert" — in order to purify them, viz. (Devarim 8:15) "Who led you through the great and awesome desert." "the Red Sea" — in order to try them, viz. (Psalms 106:7) "Our fathers in Egypt did not absorb Your wonders. They did not remember the abundance of Your lovingkindness, and they rebelled at the sea, at the Red Sea." R. Yehoshua says: "way" — in order to give them the Torah, of which it is written (Devarim 5:30) "In all the way that the L–rd your G–d has commanded you shall you go," and (Mishlei 6:23) "For a mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah is light, and the way of life." "the desert" — in order to feed them the manna, viz. (Devarim 8:16) "who fed you manna in the desert, etc." "the Red Sea" — in order to perform for them miracles and wonders, as it is written (Psalms 106:21-22) "They forgot the G–d who saved them, who wrought great deeds in Egypt, wonders in the land of Cham, awesome acts at the Red Sea," and (Ibid. 9) "And He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up, and He led them through the depths as through a desert."
Ruth Rabbah
“The name of the man was Elimelekh, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Maḥlon and Khilyon, Efratites of Bethlehem in Judah. They came to the field of Moav, and they were there” (Ruth 1:2).
“The name of the man was Elimelekh” – once trouble came, you went and abandoned them. “A man from Bethlehem of Judah” (Ruth 1:1) – that is what the verse says: “Our oxen [alufeinu]14The word aluf can also mean leader. The midrash is reading the verse to refer to Elimelekh as a leader of the people. are laden [mesubalim]; [there is no breach, none have gone out; there is no outcry in our plazas]” (Psalms 144:14). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: It is not written here: Bearing [sovelim],15As in, the leaders bear the burdens of the people. but rather: “Are laden [mesubalim].” When the lesser bear the burden [sovelim] of the greater, “there is no breach [peretz]” – there is no outbreak [pirtza] of plague, as you say: “A plague broke out among them” (Psalms 106:29). “None have gone out [yotzet]” (Psalms 144:14) – there is no emergence of a plague, as you say: “Fire emerged [vatetzeh] from before the Lord” (Leviticus 9:24). “There is no outcry” (Psalms 144:14) – there is no outcry of plague, as you say: “All Israel that were around them fled at their cry” (Numbers 16:34).16This verse appears in the story of Koraḥ, which concludes with a plague (Numbers 16–17). Reish Lakish reverses the order of the verse: When the greater tolerate17He reads alufeinu mesubalim to mean, ‘our leaders bear [tolerate].’ the lesser there is no breach of exile, as it is written: “Through breaches they will go out” (Amos 4:3). “None have gone out” – to exile, as it is written: “Cast them from before Me and let them go out” (Jeremiah 15:1). “There is no outcry” – of exile, as it is written: “Behold the sound of the outcry of the daughter of my people” (Jeremiah 8:19), and it is written: “And the outcry of Jerusalem has risen up” (Jeremiah 14:2). Rabbi Luliani said: When the lesser heed the greater, but the greater do not bear the burden of the lesser, about them Scripture states: “The Lord will enter into judgment” (Isaiah 3:14). “The name of the man was Elimelekh” – when trouble came, you [Elimelekh] went and abandoned them: “A man from Bethlehem of Judah went” (Ruth 1:1).
“The name of the man was Elimelekh” – once trouble came, you went and abandoned them. “A man from Bethlehem of Judah” (Ruth 1:1) – that is what the verse says: “Our oxen [alufeinu]14The word aluf can also mean leader. The midrash is reading the verse to refer to Elimelekh as a leader of the people. are laden [mesubalim]; [there is no breach, none have gone out; there is no outcry in our plazas]” (Psalms 144:14). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: It is not written here: Bearing [sovelim],15As in, the leaders bear the burdens of the people. but rather: “Are laden [mesubalim].” When the lesser bear the burden [sovelim] of the greater, “there is no breach [peretz]” – there is no outbreak [pirtza] of plague, as you say: “A plague broke out among them” (Psalms 106:29). “None have gone out [yotzet]” (Psalms 144:14) – there is no emergence of a plague, as you say: “Fire emerged [vatetzeh] from before the Lord” (Leviticus 9:24). “There is no outcry” (Psalms 144:14) – there is no outcry of plague, as you say: “All Israel that were around them fled at their cry” (Numbers 16:34).16This verse appears in the story of Koraḥ, which concludes with a plague (Numbers 16–17). Reish Lakish reverses the order of the verse: When the greater tolerate17He reads alufeinu mesubalim to mean, ‘our leaders bear [tolerate].’ the lesser there is no breach of exile, as it is written: “Through breaches they will go out” (Amos 4:3). “None have gone out” – to exile, as it is written: “Cast them from before Me and let them go out” (Jeremiah 15:1). “There is no outcry” – of exile, as it is written: “Behold the sound of the outcry of the daughter of my people” (Jeremiah 8:19), and it is written: “And the outcry of Jerusalem has risen up” (Jeremiah 14:2). Rabbi Luliani said: When the lesser heed the greater, but the greater do not bear the burden of the lesser, about them Scripture states: “The Lord will enter into judgment” (Isaiah 3:14). “The name of the man was Elimelekh” – when trouble came, you [Elimelekh] went and abandoned them: “A man from Bethlehem of Judah went” (Ruth 1:1).
Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael
Variantly: "Who is like You among the mighty, O L–rd": Who is like You in the miracles and wonders that You wrought for us upon the sea, viz. (Psalms 106:22) "… awesome deeds upon the Red Sea" — (Ibid. 9) "He roared at the Red Sea and it dried up."