Michael and Gabriel Drown Egypt's Sorcerers at Dawn

"And it came to pass in the morning watch that the LORD looked down" (Exodus 14:24). In the night Gabriel wished to slay the Egyptians. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Wait for them until that hour at which their forefather acted on My behalf, as it is said, 'And Abraham rose early in the morning' (Genesis 22:3)." When Gabriel heard this, he did not touch them all that night, as it is said (Exodus 14:20), "and the one did not come near the other." The Egyptians were performing acts of sorcery and rising up out of the sea. The sea said, "This deposit that the Holy One, blessed be He, entrusted to me, how can I let it go?" Immediately the waters were running after each and every Egyptian and dragging them down into the sea, as it is said, "and the Egyptians were fleeing" etc. (Exodus 14:27) it does not say "toward them" but "toward it" [toward the encounter] of each and every Egyptian. There were two sorcerers in Egypt, Yochani and Mamre, and they made themselves wings by sorcery and flew up into the air and suspended themselves at the height of the world. Gabriel said, "In the greatness of Your majesty You overthrow those who rise against You" (Exodus 15:7). Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Michael, "Go and execute judgment upon them." Michael seized them by the locks of their heads and dashed them upon the surface of the waters, as it is written (Psalms 74:13), "You broke the sea apart by Your strength; You shattered the heads of the sea monsters upon the waters."