"To split the Sea of Reeds into sections. Ten miracles were performed for our ancestors at the sea. It was split and became like a wall, as it is said (Habakkuk 3:14) 'You pierced with his own spears the head of his warriors.' It was divided into two as it is said (Exodus 14:16) 'And you shall stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it.'
It became dry land as it is said (Exodus 15:19) 'And the children of Israel went on dry land.' It became like clay as it is said (Habakkuk 3:15) 'You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters.' It became scattered as it is said (Psalm 74:13) 'You split open the sea by your strength.' It became like rocks as it is said (ibid.) 'You crushed the heads of Leviathan, and gave him as food to the creatures of the desert.'
It became divided into sections as it is said, 'To split the Sea of Reeds into sections.' It became mounded up as it is said (Exodus 15:8) 'And by the blast of your nostrils, the waters were piled up.' It became like a flask as it is said 'They stood up like a flask.' (Exodus 15:8) Sweet water came out for them from salty water as it is said (Psalm 78:16) 'And he brought forth streams from a rock.'
The water froze in two parts and became like glass balls as it is said (Exodus 15:8) 'The depths congealed in the heart of the sea.' To split the Sea of Reeds into sections. And it is written (Psalm 145:15-16) 'The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.'
A mortal king who goes to war cannot feed his soldiers nor supply their needs, but the one who spoke and the world came into being is not so. As it is said (Exodus 15:3) 'The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.' He waged war against Egypt. His name is the One who feeds and sustains all His creatures.
As it is said 'To split the Sea of Reeds into sections.' And it is written (Psalm 145:15-16) 'The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.' Rabbi Samuel bar Nahmani said, 'It is difficult to provide sustenance from redemption, for redemption is by means of an agent, as it is said (Genesis 48:16) 'The angel who redeemed me.'
But sustenance is provided by the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said (Psalm 23:1) 'The Lord is my shepherd.'" Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said, "More than the splitting of the Red Sea, it is written (Psalms 136:13) 'who split the Red Sea into parts, for His kindness is eternal,' and it is juxtaposed with (Psalms 145:15) 'The eyes of all look to You with hope, and You give them their food at the proper time.'
The school of Elijah taught that once I was traveling from place to place, and I found a man who had a scripture but not a Mishnah in his possession. Rabbi said to me, 'I have one teaching to tell you, but I am afraid you may hold me accountable for it.' I replied, 'Heaven forbid! If you ask me something about the Torah, I will not hesitate to answer.'
Rabbi asked me, 'Why is it written, 'You give them their food at the proper time,' and it is also written, 'He gives food to every living creature' (Psalms 136:25)? Does a person not prepare his food for himself?' I answered, 'This is a matter of common decency which one does on his own, and the Holy One, blessed be He, blesses the work of his hands, as it is written (Deuteronomy 14:29), 'so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings.'
Rabbi said to me, 'Could a person sit idle and neglect the study of Torah?' I replied, 'That is the first foolishness that I have heard from you.' Rabbi said to me, 'My son, I will answer you with a parable: go and learn from the fool. When wisdom is taken away from him, he cannot support himself even for an hour.
Similarly, when people are deprived of knowledge, they are like animals and birds, and the Holy One, blessed be He, provides sustenance for all living beings.'"