Benjamin Leaps In First and Judah Earns the Kingship

(Exodus 14:22) "And the children of Israel came into the midst of the sea on dry land." Rabbi Meir says one thing; Rabbi Yehuda says another. Rabbi Meir says: When the tribes stood at the sea, this one said "I will go down" and that one said "I will go down." While they stood there and quarreled, the tribe of Benjamin sprang forward and went down into the sea first, as it is said (Psalms 68:28), "There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them" (rodem) - do not read it rodem [ruling them], but rad yam [he went down into the sea]. The princes of Judah began to pelt them with stones, as it is said (Psalms 68:28), "the princes of Judah pelted them" (rigmatam). A parable: to what is the matter comparable? To a king of flesh and blood who had two sons, one older and one younger. He said to the younger, "Wake me at sunrise," and he said to the older, "Wake me at the third hour." The younger came to wake him at sunrise, but the older would not let him, saying, "He told me only at the third hour." And the younger said, "He told me only at sunrise." While they stood and quarreled, their father awoke and said to them: My sons, both of you intended only my honor; I too will not withhold your reward. So too, what reward did the tribe of Benjamin receive for going down into the sea first? It merited that the Divine Presence rested in Benjamin's portion, as it is said, "Benjamin is a ravening wolf" (Genesis 49:27), and it says (Deuteronomy 33:12), "Of Benjamin he said, the beloved of the LORD," and so forth. And what reward did the tribe of Judah receive? It merited the kingship, as it is said, "the princes of Judah pelted them" (rigmatam), and rigmah means nothing other than kingship, as it is said (Daniel 5:29), "Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple," and it says (Zechariah 7:2), "and Regem-melech and his men"; and it says (Psalms 68:28), "the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali" - this teaches that just as miracles were performed for Israel at the sea by the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, so were miracles performed for them by Zebulun and Naphtali in the days of Deborah and Barak, as it is said (Judges 4:6-7), "And she sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam... and I will draw out to you, to the brook Kishon, Sisera," and it says (Judges 5:18), "Zebulun is a people that jeopardized its life to the death," and so forth. Rabbi Yehuda says: When Israel stood at the sea, this one said "I will not go down" and that one said "I will not go down," as it is said (Hosea 12:1), "Ephraim surrounded Me with falsehood," and so forth. While they stood and took counsel, Nachshon son of Amminadab sprang forward and fell into the waves of the sea. Of him it says (Psalms 69:2-3), "Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my soul; I am sunk in deep mire, let not the flood of waters sweep over me." At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Moses, My beloved, they are sinking in the water, and the sea is closing in, and the foe is pursuing, and you stand and prolong your prayer! He said to Him: And what should I do? He said to him, "And you, lift up your staff" (Exodus 14:16). And what did Moses and Israel say at the sea? (Exodus 15:18) "The LORD shall reign forever and ever." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: He who crowned Me first at the sea, I will make him king over Israel. Now Rabbi Tarfon and the elders were once sitting in the shade of a dovecote at Yavneh, and this question was asked before them: What is the meaning of that which is written (Genesis 37:25), "and their camels were bearing gum, balm, and ladanum"? To make known the merit of the righteous, how far it assists them: for had this beloved one [Joseph] gone down with Arabs, they would have killed him with the stench of the camels and the stench of the tar; rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, arranged for him sacks full of spices and every good thing, so that he should not die from the stench of the camels and the tar. They said to him: Teach us, our master, one who drinks water to quench his thirst, how does he bless? He said to them: "who creates many living beings and what they lack." They said to him: Teach us, our master, by what merit did Judah merit the kingship? He said to them: You say. They said to him: By the merit that he said, "What profit is it if we slay our brother" (Genesis 37:26), and so forth. He said to them: That is enough only to atone for the selling. They said to him: If so, by the merit that he said (Genesis 38:26), "she is more righteous than I." He said to them: That is enough only to atone for the relations. They said to him: If so, by the merit that he said (Genesis 44:33), "let your servant remain instead of the lad." He said to them: We have found that a guarantor pays in every case. They said to him: Our master, teach us by what merit. He said to them: When Israel stood at the sea, and so forth.