Why Moses Forced Israel Away From the Jeweled Sea Shore

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Beshalach 16:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

Another interpretation [of "Then Moses had Israel journey"]: What is the meaning of "Then Moses had Israel journey"? That he made them journey against their will, not with their consent. How so? It is simply that when Israel went out from Egypt, Pharaoh went out to pursue them with all those multitudes, as it is said (Exodus 14:7): "And he took six hundred chosen chariots." What did he do? He arose and adorned all those horses with precious stones and pearls. When they came to the sea and the Holy One drowned them, all those precious stones and pearls floated up upon the shore of the sea, and they were cast about. And Israel went down every day and took from them, and they did not wish to move from there. When Moses saw this, he said to them: What do you think? That every day the sea will bring up for you precious stones and pearls? He arose and made them journey against their will.

Themes

ExodusMosesEgyptWealthMerkavah

Biblical References

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Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelThese Are the Words of Rabbi YehudahThe Mekhilta records a three-way dispute over the fate of Pharaoh himself at the splitting of the sea. Scripture says (Exodus 14:28) "And the waters returned anMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelThe Chariots of Pharaoh and His Host(Exodus 15:4) "the chariots of Pharaoh and his host." The Mekhilta draws from this line the principle the sages return to again and again: "As one measures, so Midrash TanchumaWhen You Go Out to War and You See Horse and Chariot, a People MoreWhen you go out to war and you see horse and chariot, a people more numerous than you (Deuteronomy 20:1): This is what is stated in the verse (Proverbs 21:31), Antiquities of the Jews (Josephus)The Ten Plagues That Broke EgyptSix hundred chariots. Fifty thousand horsemen. Two hundred thousand infantry. That was the army Pharaoh sent racing after the Hebrews barely three days after leMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelWhen God Told Moses in, See, I Have Made You an Overlord to PharaohWhen God told Moses in (Exodus 7:1), "See, I have made you an overlord to Pharaoh," a question immediately arose in the minds of the ancient rabbis. The verse sMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelMoses and Aaron Were Equal in Status Despite the Torah Listing Moses FirstThe Torah speaks "to Moses and to Aaron", in that order. Moses first, Aaron second. A natural reading would assume this reflects a hierarchy: Moses is the great