Mount Moriah And The Red Sea

Rabbi Avtolis the Elder said: A parable of a king who had a son who angered him, and he decreed against him a harsh decree, and the tutor was pleading on his behalf. He said to him: Are you asking anything of me except on behalf of my son? I have already been reconciled to my son. Rabbi says: He said to him, "Last evening you were saying, 'And since I came to Pharaoh' (Exodus 5:23), and now you stand and multiply prayer? 'Why do you cry out to Me?' (Exodus 14:15). Last evening they were saying, 'Is it because there are no graves?' (Exodus 14:11), and now you multiply prayer? 'Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward' (Exodus 14:15)" let them remove the matter from their heart. Rabbi says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: The faith with which Israel believed in Me is worthy that I should split the sea for them, for they did not say to Moses, "How shall we turn back?" so as not to break the heart of the little ones and the women who were with them; rather, they believed in Me and went after Moses. Rabbi Eliezer says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: There is a time to be brief and a time to be lengthy. My children dwell in distress, and the sea is closing in, and the enemy pursues, and you stand and multiply prayer? "Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward" (Exodus 14:15). Rabbi Joshua says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Israel need only journey, and that alone. "That they go forward" let them move their feet from the dry land into the sea, and you will see the miracles that I shall perform for them. Rabbi Meir says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Israel need not pray before Me. For if for Adam, who was a single one, I made dry land for his sake, as it is said, "Let the waters be gathered together from beneath the heavens" (Genesis 1:9), then for the sake of a holy congregation that is destined to say before Me, "This is my God and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2), how much more so! Rabbi Benayah says: By the merit of Abraham I split the sea for them, on account of what he did, as it is said, "And he split the wood for the burnt offering" (Genesis 22:3), and it says, "And the waters were split" (Exodus 14:21). Rabbi Akiva says: By the merit of Jacob I tear open the sea for them, as it is said, "And you shall break forth to the west and to the east" (Genesis 28:14). Rabbi Shimon says: I have already written concerning you, "In all My house he is faithful" (Numbers 12:7), and you are in My authority and the sea is in My authority. I have already made you treasurer over it, as it is said, "And you, lift up your staff" (Exodus 14:16).