Who Plunged First Into the Sea and Won the Reward

"And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry land" (Exodus 14:22). Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Judah differ. Rabbi Meir says: When the tribes came and stood at the sea, this one said, "I will go down," and that one said, "I will go down." While they were contending with one another, the tribe of Benjamin sprang forward and fell into the waves of the sea, as it is said, There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them [rodem] (Psalms 68:28) -- do not read "ruling them" [rodem] but "went down to the sea" [rad yam]. The princes of Judah began to pelt them with stones, as it is said, The princes of Judah pelted them (Psalms 68:28). He told a parable. To what is this like? To a king of flesh and blood who had two sons, one older and one younger. He said to the older, "Will you wake me at the third hour?" and to the younger, "Will you wake me at sunrise?" The younger came and woke him at sunrise, and the older would not allow it. The one said, "He told me only the third hour"; the other said, "He told me only sunrise." While they contended, their father awoke and said, "Both of you intended only my honor; I too will not withhold your reward." What reward did the tribe of Benjamin receive? The Divine Presence rested in his portion, as it is said, And He dwells between his shoulders (Deuteronomy 33:12). What reward did the tribe of Judah receive? He took the kingship, as it is said, The princes of Judah pelted them -- and "pelting" means nothing but kingship, as it is said, Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel in purple (Daniel 5:29). "The princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali" (Psalms 68:28). Scripture tells that just as miracles were done for Israel through the tribes of Judah and Benjamin at the sea, so miracles were done for Israel through the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali in the days of Deborah and Barak, as it is said, She sent and called Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh-Naphtali... and take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun (Judges 4:6,10). And it says, Zebulun is a people that jeopardized its life to the death, and Naphtali, on the heights of the field (Judges 5:18). Rabbi Judah says: When the tribes came and stood at the sea, this one said, "I will go down," and that one said, "I will go down," as it is said, Ephraim surrounds Me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit (Hosea 12:1). Nahshon son of Amminadab sprang forward and fell into the waves of the sea, as it is said, And Judah still rules with God (Hosea 12:1) -- do not read "rules with" [rad im] but "went down to the sea" [rad yam]. Of him it is expounded in the tradition, Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck; I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold; let not the flood of water sweep over me (Psalms 69:2-3,16). At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "My beloved is sinking in the sea, and you stand multiplying prayer before Me? Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they journey on. And you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and split it." What did the tribes say at the sea? "The sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands established" (Exodus 15:17). At that hour the Holy One said, "He who sanctified My name at the sea, let him rule over Israel." And once Rabbi Tarfon and his disciples were sitting in the vineyard at Yavneh. Rabbi Tarfon said to the disciples, "One who drinks water for his thirst, what blessing does he say?" They said to him, "Let our teacher instruct us." He said to them, "Who creates many living beings and their needs." They said to him, "You have taught us, our teacher." He said to them, "Behold, it says, And they sat down to eat bread, and they lifted their eyes and saw, and behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:25)" -- to make known how far the merit of the righteous reaches, for had Joseph gone down to Egypt with Arabs, they would have killed him with their foul smell; but the Holy One arranged for him sacks full of spices, and the wind blowing through them, because of the foul smell of the Arabs. He said to them, "By what merit did Judah take the kingship? If because he said, She is more righteous than I (Genesis 38:26), is one confession enough to atone for one act? If because he said, What profit is it if we kill our brother? (Genesis 37:26), is one rescue enough to atone for the selling? If because he said, For your servant became surety for the lad (Genesis 44:32) -- but a surety must pay in every case." They said to him, "Let our teacher instruct us." He said to them, "When the tribes came and stood at the sea, this one said, I will go down, and that one said, I will go down -- Nahshon son of Amminadab sprang forward," and so on, as written above. "And the waters were a wall for them." He made them like a kind of wall. "On their right and on their left" -- on their right by the merit of the Torah they were destined to receive at the right, as it is said, At His right hand was a fiery law for them (Deuteronomy 33:2); and on their left, this is prayer.