Rabbi Levi said: The waters said to one another: ‘Let us go and fulfill the command of the Holy One blessed be He.’ That is what is written: “The rivers raise, Lord; the rivers raise their voices. [The rivers boost their towering waves [dokhyam]]” (Psalms 93:3). Rabbi Levi said: [They exclaimed:] ‘Via the sea [derekh yam], via the sea.’ Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: ‘To such-and-such place [dukhta], to such-and-such corner, such-and-such waves.’
Rav Huna said: ‘To this sea [hadakh yama], to this sea.’ Rabbi Yehoshua bar Ḥanina said: ‘To water channels [dukhsa yam], to water channels.’ Rabbi Elazar said: The sea absorbed them, just as you say: “Have you entered into the depths of the sea?” (Job 38:16) – within the boundaries of the sea. The Rabbis say: [The waters exclaimed:] ‘We are pressed down [dokhim], receive us.
We are broken [medukhanim], receive us.’ Rabbi Yehoshua ben Rabbi Neḥemya said: The water would ascend mountains and descend depths until it reached the ocean. That is what is written: “They rose to the mountains, descended [in the valleys to the place You established for them]” (Psalms 104:8). What place did You establish for them?
This is the ocean. Rabbi Abahu expounded: The ocean is higher than the entire world, and the whole world in its entirety drinks from its water.