Yalkut Shimoni on Torah Reader

"For as you have seen Egypt today" (Exodus 14:13). In three places the Holy One, blessed be He, warned not to return to Egypt. So it is said here, "For as you have seen Egypt"; and it says, "And the LORD said to you, You shall not return that way again" (Deuteronomy 17:16); and it says, "by the way of which I said to you" and so on (Deuteronomy 28:68). In all three cases they returned, and in all three they fell. The first was in the days of Sennacherib, as it is said, "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help" (Isaiah 31:1). The second was in the days of Yohanan ben Kareah, as it is said, "And the sword which you fear" and so on. And the third was in the days of Trajan. In all three they returned, and in all three they fell. Israel formed into four factions at the sea. One said, Let us fall into the sea. One said, Let us return to Egypt. One said, Let us make war against them. And one said, Let us cry out against them. To the one that said, Let us fall into the sea, it was said, "Stand firm and see" (Exodus 14:13). To the one that said, Let us return to Egypt, it was said, "For as you have seen Egypt." To the one that said, Let us make war against them, it was said, "The LORD will fight" (Exodus 14:14). And to the one that said, Let us cry out against them, it was said, "And you shall hold your peace" (Exodus 14:14).

"The LORD will fight for you" (Exodus 14:14). Not for the moment alone but forever, as it is said, "The LORD will fight for you." Rabbi Meir says: "The LORD will fight for you" - if He does so when you are silent, how much more so when you offer praise and song of praise. Rabbi [Judah the Prince] says: "The LORD will fight for you" - the Omnipresent will perform for you miracles and mighty acts, and you will stand and be silent. Israel said to Moses, Moses our teacher, what are we to do? He said to them, You shall glorify and exalt and praise, and so forth. At that moment Israel opened their mouths and sang the song, "I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously" (Exodus 15:1).

"Why do you cry out to Me?" (Exodus 14:15). Moses said before Him: Master of the universe, to what am I to be compared? To a shepherd whose master handed him a flock and he was negligent with them; he led them up to the tops of crags and did not know how to bring them down. He wrapped himself in his garment and began to sit and wonder what would become of them. So too: if I come to return them to Egypt, there is Pharaoh and the Egyptians; if I lead them south, there is Baal-zephon; if I lead them north, there is Migdol; if I lead them east, there is the sea. Rabbi Yehoshua says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, My children are placed in distress, the sea closes them in and the enemy pursues, and you stand multiplying prayer? There is a time to be brief and a time to be lengthy. "O God, heal her now, I pray" (Numbers 12:13) - that is being brief. "And I fell down before the LORD as at the first, forty days" (Deuteronomy 9:18) - that is being lengthy. Rabbi Meir says: If for a single man, Adam, I made dry land, as it is said, "And God said, Let the waters be gathered" (Genesis 1:9), for this holy congregation shall I not make dry land? "Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward." Rabbi Yishmael says: For the merit of Jerusalem I split the sea for them, as it is said, "Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion, put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem," and it says, "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD... Are You not the One who dried up the sea... and made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?" (Isaiah 51:9-10).

Another interpretation: I am fulfilling for them the promise I made to their fathers, that for their merit I split the sea, as it is said, "And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth" and so on (Genesis 28:14). Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira says: I have already fulfilled the promise I made to their fathers, as it is said, "And He made the sea into dry land," and "the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea" (Exodus 14:21-22). Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai says: The sun and moon already bear witness, as it is said, "Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day... who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar, the LORD of hosts is His name" (Jeremiah 31:35). Rabbi Banaah says: For the merit of the commandment their father Abraham performed I split the sea for them, as it is said of Abraham, "And he split the wood for the burnt offering" (Genesis 22:3), and here it is said, "And the waters were split" (Exodus 14:21). Shimon the Timnite says: For the merit of circumcision I split the sea for them, as it is said, "If not for My covenant day and night" and so on (Jeremiah 33:25); you said, Go out and see which covenant operates by day and by night - you find none but circumcision. Rabbi [Abtolos] says: They told a parable. To what is the matter like? To one who grew angry with his son and beat him; a guardian came in to plead for him, and he said, Are you asking this of me only on account of my son? I have already been reconciled with him. So too the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, Why do you cry out to Me? I have already been reconciled with them; speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.

Another interpretation: "Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward." Last night you were saying, "Since I came to Pharaoh" (Exodus 5:23), and now you stand multiplying prayer? "Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward" - tell them to remove the words from their heart. Last night they were saying, "Is it because there were no graves in Egypt?" (Exodus 14:11), and now you multiply prayer? The sages say: For His name's sake He acted with them, as it is said, "For My own sake, for My own sake, will I do it" (Isaiah 48:11). What does Scripture teach by "who divided the water before them"? For what reason? "To make Himself an everlasting name" (Isaiah 63:12). Rabbi Judah the Prince says: Worthy is the faith with which they believed in Me that I should split the sea for them. Rabbi Eliezer ben Azariah says: For the merit of their father Abraham I split the sea for them, as it is said, "For He remembered His holy word, and Abraham His servant" (Psalms 105:42), and it says, "And He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen with singing" (Psalms 105:43). Rabbi Eliezer ben Azariah of Kefar Beitar says: For the merit of the tribes He split the sea for them, as it is said, "You pierced with his own staves... to Him who divided the Red Sea into parts" (Habakkuk 3:14; Psalms 136:13). Shemaiah says: Worthy is the faith with which Abraham believed that I should split the sea, as it is said, "And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). Abtalyon says: Worthy is the faith with which they believed in Me that I should split the sea, as it is said, "And the people believed" (Exodus 4:31). Shimon of Kitron says: For the merit of Joseph's bones I split the sea, as it is said, "And he fled outside" (Genesis 39:12), and it says, "The sea saw it and fled" (Psalms 114:3). Others say: Worthy is the faith with which they believed in Me that I should split the sea, for they did not say to Moses, How shall we go out into the wilderness with no provisions for the way? Rather they believed and followed Moses. Concerning them it is stated explicitly through Jeremiah the prophet, "Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying... I remember the devotion of your youth" (Jeremiah 2:2). What reward did they receive for this? "Israel is holiness to the LORD, the first of His harvest" (Jeremiah 2:3). Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: Already Mount Moriah had been uprooted from its place, with the altar of Isaac built upon it and the wood arranged upon it, and Isaac as though bound and laid upon the altar, and Abraham as though stretching out his hand and taking the knife to slaughter his son. The Omnipresent said to Moses: Moses, My children are placed in distress, the sea closes them in and the enemy pursues, and you stand lengthening your prayer? Moses said before Him, What am I to do? He said, "And you, lift up your rod" - you exalt and glorify and praise and give song to the One to whom kingship belongs.

"And you, lift up your rod" (Exodus 14:16). Ten miracles were performed for Israel at the sea. The waters were split and made into a kind of vault, as it is said, "You pierced with his own staves" (Habakkuk 3:14). It was divided into two, as it is said, "Stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it" (Exodus 14:16). It was made into dry land, as it is said, "And the children of Israel walked on dry land" (Exodus 14:22). It was made into a kind of clay, as it is said, "You trod the sea with Your horses, the clay" and so on (Habakkuk 3:15). It was made into crumbs upon crumbs, as it is said, "You broke the sea in pieces by Your strength" (Psalms 74:13). It was made into rocks upon rocks, as it is said, "the heads of the sea monsters upon the waters." It was made into slices upon slices, as it is said, "to Him who divided the Red Sea into parts" (Psalms 136:13). It was made into heaps upon heaps, as it is said, "And with the blast of Your nostrils the waters were heaped up" (Exodus 15:8). It was made like a wall, as it is said, "the floods stood upright like a wall" (Exodus 15:8). Sweet waters came forth for them out of the salt, as it is said, "And He brought streams out of the rock." The sea congealed from both parts and became a kind of glassy mass, as it is said, "the depths congealed" (Exodus 15:8).

"And the angel of God who went before the camp of Israel moved and went behind them" (Exodus 14:19). What does Scripture teach by "And the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them"? Rather, that very attribute of strict justice which had been stretched out against Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, turned it against the Egyptians. "And the angel of God moved." Rabbi Yehudah says: This is a verse rich in many places. They told a parable. To what is the matter like? To one who was walking on the road with his son walking before him. Bandits came to seize the boy, so he took him from before him and placed him behind him. A wolf came to take him from behind, so he took him and placed him upon his arms, as it is said, "I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them on his arms" (Hosea 11:3). The son began to suffer from the heat of the sun, so he spread his garment over him, as it is said, "He spread a cloud for a covering" (Psalms 105:39). He grew hungry, so he fed him bread, as it is said, "Behold, I will rain bread for you" (Exodus 16:4). He grew thirsty, so he gave him water to drink, as it is said, "And He brought streams out of the rock," and streams means nothing but living water. Rabbi Nathan asked Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai: Everywhere it says "the angel of the LORD," "the angel of the LORD said to her" (Genesis 16:7), "the angel of the LORD appeared" (Exodus 3:2), yet here it says "the angel of God." He said to him: "God" everywhere means nothing but justice. Scripture teaches that Israel stood in judgment at that hour, whether to be saved or to be lost with the Egyptians.

(Exodus 14:20) "And it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel, and there was the cloud and the darkness." The cloud was over Israel, and the darkness was over Egypt. Scripture tells us that Israel were in light while Egypt were in gloom. And so too in Egypt: "they did not see one another" (during the plague of darkness). And so you find regarding the time to come (Isaiah 60:1), "Arise, shine, for your light has come." Why? Because (Isaiah 60:2) "behold, darkness shall cover the earth," and so forth. And not only that, but whoever is set in gloom can see whoever is set in light. The Egyptians, who were set in gloom, could see Israel set in light, eating and drinking and rejoicing, and they hurled arrows and ballista-stones at them, but the cloud [shielded them], as it is said, "Fear not, Abram, I am a shield to you" (Genesis 15:1), and it is said (2 Samuel 22:3), "my shield and the horn of my salvation," and it says (2 Samuel 22:31), "He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him." "And the one did not come near the other all the night" (Exodus 14:20): Scripture tells us that an Egyptian who was standing could not sit, who was sitting could not stand, who was unloading could not load, who was loading could not unload, because there was substance in the gloom, as it is said (Exodus 10:21), "and let the darkness be felt."

Another interpretation of "and the one did not come near the other" (Exodus 14:20): neither did the camp of Egypt draw near to the camp of Israel, nor did the camp of Israel draw near to the camp of Egypt.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said: What is the meaning of that which is written, "and the one did not come near the other all the night" (Exodus 14:20)? The ministering angels sought to recite song before the Holy One, blessed be He. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: The works of My hands are drowning in the sea, and you would recite song before Me?

(Exodus 14:21) "And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea." The sea began to stand against him. Moses said to it: Split, in the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, but it did not accept this upon itself. He showed it the staff, but it did not accept this upon itself. They offered a parable. To what is the matter comparable? To a king of flesh and blood who had two gardens, one within the other. He sold the inner one. The buyer came to enter it, but the keeper would not let him in. He spoke to him in the name of the king, but the keeper did not accept it; he showed him the signet ring, but he did not accept it, until the king himself proceeded and came. As soon as the king proceeded and came, the keeper began to flee. The buyer said to him: All day I have been speaking to you in the name of the king and you did not accept it, and now why do you flee? He said to him: It is not from before you that I flee, but from before the king. So too Moses came and stood at the sea and spoke in the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, but it did not accept it; he showed it the staff, but it did not accept it, until the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself upon it in His glory. As soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself upon it in His glory, the sea began to flee, as it is said, "The sea saw and fled" (Psalms 114:3). He said to it: All day I have been speaking to you in the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and you did not accept it, and now, "what ails you, O sea, that you flee?" (Psalms 114:5). It said to him: It is not from before you, son of Amram, but "from before the Lord, tremble, O earth" (Psalms 114:7).

"And the LORD drove back the sea with a fierce east wind" (Exodus 14:21): with the fiercest of the winds. And which is that? This is the east wind. And so you find that the Omnipresent exacted punishment from the generation of the Flood and from the men of Sodom only by means of the east wind, as it is said (Job 4:9), "By the breath of God they perish" - this is the generation of the Flood; "and by the wind of His anger they are consumed" - these are the men of Sodom. And so you find regarding the men of the Tower, that the Omnipresent exacted punishment from them only by means of the east wind, as it is said (Genesis 11:9), "and from there the LORD scattered them," and scattering is nothing other than the east wind, as it is said (Jeremiah 18:17), "like an east wind I will scatter them." And so you find regarding the Egyptians, that He exacted punishment from them only by means of the east wind, as it is said, "and the LORD drove the east wind." And so you find that the Holy One, blessed be He, will exact punishment from the wicked in Gehinnom in the time to come only by means of the east wind, as it is said (Isaiah 30:33), "for Topheth has long been prepared," and so forth; (Isaiah 27:8) "He removed them with His fierce blast on the day of the east wind." Here too you find "And the LORD drove back the sea with a fierce east wind," the fiercest of the winds, and which is that? This is the east wind. "And He made the sea into dry land" (Exodus 14:21): He made it like dry land. "And the waters were split" (Exodus 14:21): all the waters in the world were split. And from where do you say that even the waters in the wells and in the pits and in the caves and in the jug and in the cup and in the flask and in the barrel were split? Scripture teaches, "and the waters were split" - all the waters in the world. And from where do you say that even the upper and lower waters were split? As it is said (Psalms 77:17), "the waters saw You, O God, they were in anguish" - these are the upper; "the depths also trembled" - these are the lower. And so it says (Psalms 77:18), "the clouds poured out water, the skies thundered" - these are the upper; "Your arrows also flashed about" - these are the lower. (Psalms 42:8) "Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your channels." And it says (Habakkuk 3:10), "the deep gave forth its voice." And when they returned, all the waters in the world returned, as it is said (Exodus 14:28), "and the waters returned," and so forth: all the waters in the world returned.

(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.

"And the waters were a wall to them" (Exodus 14:22): He made them into a kind of wall. "On their right" - this is the mezuzah; "and on their left" - these are the tefillin.

"And the waters were a wall to them" (Exodus 14:22): When Israel went down into the sea, Gabriel went down with them and encircled them and guarded them like a wall. And he would proclaim within the waters, to the right: Take care with Israel, for they are destined to receive the Torah from the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He. And to the left he would say: Take care with these, for they are destined to lay tefillin on the left. And to the waters before them he would say: Take care with these, for they are destined to seal themselves before them in the covenant. And to those behind them he would say: Take care with these, for they are destined to display the knot of the tefillin and the corner of their fringes behind them.

Another interpretation of "and the waters were a wall to them" (Exodus 14:22): that Samael came down and said before Him, "Master of the world, did not Israel worship idols in Egypt? And yet You are performing miracles for them!" And he kept sounding his voice to the angelic prince of the sea, who was filled with wrath against them and sought to drown them. Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, answered him, "Fool of the world! Did they worship it knowingly? They worshiped it only out of the duress of their bondage and out of a deranged mind, and you would judge one who errs unwittingly as one who acts deliberately, and one under compulsion as one acting willingly?" When the prince of the sea heard this, that same wrath with which he had been filled against Israel he turned back upon the Egyptians, as it is said (Exodus 14:28), "And the waters returned" [returned upon the Egyptians] meaning that they turned away from Israel and back upon Egypt.

"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."

"And it came to pass in the morning watch" (Exodus 14:24). You find that the prayers of the righteous are heard in the morning. The morning of Abraham, as it is written, "And Abraham rose early in the morning" (Genesis 22:3). The morning of Samuel, as it is said, "And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning" (1 Samuel 15:12). The morning of the prophets who are destined to arise, as it is said, "O LORD, in the morning You will hear my voice" (Psalms 5:4). The morning of the World to Come, as it is said, "They are new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23).

Another interpretation: "And it came to pass in the morning watch" (Exodus 14:24), as the east grew light, as it is said, "And the LORD looked down upon the camp of Egypt" (Exodus 14:24). The Holy One, blessed be He, is called Healer of all who come into the world, as it is said, "For I am the LORD your healer" (Exodus 15:26); "Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed" (Jeremiah 17:14); "Return, O backsliding children, I will heal" (Jeremiah 3:22). Come and see: He healed Job with a storm-wind, and with a storm-wind He had struck him, as it is said, "Who crushes me with a tempest" (Job 9:17), and with a tempest He healed him, as it is said, "And the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind" (Job 38:1). With clouds the Holy One, blessed be He, exiled Israel, as it is said, "How has He covered with a cloud" (Lamentations 2:1), and with clouds He will redeem them, "Who are these that fly like a cloud" (Isaiah 60:8). When He scattered them, He scattered them only like doves, as it is said, "And those of them that escape shall escape and be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning, every one for his iniquity" (Ezekiel 7:16). And when He brings them back, He brings them back only like doves, as it is said, "And like doves to their windows" (Isaiah 60:8). When He blesses Israel, He blesses them only with looking down, as it is said, "Look down from Your holy habitation" (Deuteronomy 26:15). With looking down He redeemed us and took vengeance on Egypt, as it is said, "And the LORD looked down upon the camp of Egypt in a pillar of fire and cloud" (Exodus 14:24), for the pillar of cloud would come down and make the ground like mire, and the pillar of fire would make it boil, and the hooves of the horses slipped loose.

"And He turned aside the wheels of their chariots" (Exodus 14:25). Rabbi Yehudah says: from the heat of the fire above, the wheels below were burned, and the shafts and chariots ran on and rushed in against their will, for they were laden with silver and gold and precious stones and pearls, and so on. Rabbi Nehemiah says: from the sound of the thunder above, the axle-pins below were shaken loose, as it is said, "The voice of Your thunder" (Psalms 77:19), and the shafts ran on and rushed in against their will. In the ordinary way of the world, the chariots are drawn after the mules; now the chariots were dragging the mules. "And He drove them with difficulty" (Exodus 14:25). Rabbi Yehudah says: by the measure with which a person measures, it is measured back to him. They had said, "Let the labor be heavy" (Exodus 5:9), and with that same measure He measured out to them; therefore it is said, "And He drove them" and so on.

"Let me flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them" (Exodus 14:25). They said: He who performed miracles for them in Egypt is performing miracles for them at the sea. Rabbi Yose says: from where do you say that with the plagues by which these were struck at the sea, so were they struck in Egypt, and they could see one another, and so on? And it says, "My adversaries and my enemies" (Psalms 27:2); "And I will turn My hand against their adversaries" (Psalms 81:15); and it says, "The ten sons of Haman" (Esther 9), and so on; and it says, "To break Assyria in My land" (Isaiah 14:25); and it says, "And the envy of Ephraim shall depart" (Isaiah 11:13). Thus does this measure proceed through all the generations: "This is the counsel that is counseled upon all the earth" (Isaiah 14:26). Why? "For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who shall annul it?" (Isaiah 14:27). So it was not in Egypt alone, but with all who oppress them through all the generations. Therefore it is said, "For the LORD fights for them" against Egypt.

"And the LORD said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea" (Exodus 14:26). The sea will not stand against you. "And the waters shall return upon Egypt" (Exodus 14:26) - let the wheel turn back upon them and their wickedness return upon them, for by the very scheme by which Egypt thought to destroy Israel, by it I destroy them. They thought to destroy My children by water; I too will exact punishment from them only by water. "He dug a pit and hollowed it out... his mischief shall return upon his own head" (Psalms 7:16-17), and it says, "He who digs a pit shall fall into it" (Proverbs 26:27); and it says, "He who digs a pit shall fall into it, and whoever quarries stones shall be hurt by them" (Ecclesiastes 10:8-9). And so Solomon says, "From the fruit of a man's mouth he shall be satisfied with good" (Proverbs 12:14). And so Isaiah said, "According to their deeds, accordingly will He repay" (Isaiah 59:18), and it says, "And I will measure their former work" (Isaiah 65:7). And so Jeremiah said, "Great in counsel and mighty in deed" (Jeremiah 32:19), and it says, "Repay her according to her work" (Jeremiah 50:29). And so Jethro said to Moses, "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, for in the very thing in which they acted presumptuously" (Exodus 18:11) - I knew Him before, and now all the more, for His name is magnified in the world, that by the very scheme by which Egypt thought to destroy Israel, by that thing the Holy One, blessed be He, exacted punishment from them, as it is said, "for in the thing in which they acted presumptuously against them" (Exodus 18:11). "And the sea returned at the turning of the morning to its strength [le-eitano]" (Exodus 14:27). Rabbi Yochanan said: the Holy One, blessed be He, made a condition [tenai] with the sea that it should be split before Israel. This is what is written, "And the sea returned at the turning of the morning to its strength" - to its condition [li-tenao] that the Holy One, blessed be He, made with it. And it is written, "Let the waters be gathered" (Genesis 1:9) - let the waters wait [yekavvu] for Me, for what I am destined to do with them.

Rabbi Yirmeyah ben Elazar said: not with the sea alone did the Holy One, blessed be He, make a condition, but with everything created during the six days of creation. This is what is written, "My hands stretched out the heavens, and all their host I commanded" (Isaiah 45:12). I commanded the sea to split before Israel. I commanded the heavens and the earth to be silent before Moses, as it is said, "Give ear, O heavens" (Deuteronomy 32:1). I commanded the sun and the moon to stand still before Joshua, as it is said, "Sun, stand still upon Gibeon, and moon in the valley of Aijalon" (Joshua 10:12). I commanded the ravens to feed Elijah, as it is said, "And I have commanded the ravens to feed you there" (1 Kings 17:4). I commanded the heavens to open before Ezekiel. I commanded the fish to vomit out Jonah, as it is said, "And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah" (Jonah 2:11). "And the sea returned at the turning of the morning to its strength [le-eitano]." Eitano means nothing but its might, as it is said, "Firm [eitan] is your dwelling place" (Numbers 24:21). Rabbi Natan says: eitan means nothing but a term of hardness, as it is said, "It is an enduring [eitan] nation" (Jeremiah 5:15). "And the Egyptians fled toward it" (Exodus 14:27). This teaches that wherever an Egyptian fled, the sea ran against him. They told a parable: to what is the matter like? To a dove that fled from a hawk and entered a hall. The king opened the eastern window; it went out and flew off. The hawk entered after it, and the king shut all the windows in its face and began to shoot arrows at it. So when the last of Israel came up from the sea, the last of Egypt went down into the midst of the sea, and the ministering angels began to hurl at them arrows and hailstones, fire and brimstone, as it is said, "And I will enter into judgment with him with pestilence and with blood, and an overflowing rain and great hailstones" (Ezekiel 38:22). "And the LORD overthrew [va-yena'er] the Egyptians" - like a man who shakes out a pot: the bottom goes up to the top and the top goes down to the bottom.

Another interpretation of "And He shook out [va-yena'er]": He handed these over into the hands of tender angels [mal'akhim ne'arim] and these over into the hands of cruel angels, as it is said, "And a cruel messenger shall be sent against him" (Proverbs 17:11); "Their soul dies in youth [ba-no'ar]" (Job 36:14), and so on.

"And the waters will came back and cover the chariot and the horsemen" (Exodus 14:26) And even Par'oh, according to Rabi Yehuda, as it says "the chariots of Phar'oh and his army" (15:4). Rabi Natan says Par'oh was the exception, since we have this verse about him: "maybe for this I made you stand up"(Exodus 9:16). And there are those who say that at the end Par'oh went down and drowned, as it says "and the horse of Par'oh came" (Exodus 15:19). "And the children of Israel went into the sea in dry ground" - the angels of service were astounded, saying: 'the children of Israel, idolaters that they are, are coming on dry land?!' And from where do we know that even the sea was filled with rage from Above? Because the text says "and the waters were like rage to them" [since the vav is missing to the word chomah, wall, it can be read as chema, rage; so you can re-read the verse as "the water was like anger on their right and on their left"]. And what caused them to be saved from their right and their left? From the right, it was Torah, which they would receive later on, as it says "From His right, [He gave] a fiery law to them". And left? This is tefilin.

Another interpretation: "on their right" - this is the mezuzah; "and on their left" - this is tefillin. Rabbi Pappus expounded: "To my mare among Pharaoh's chariots" (Song of Songs 1:9) - Pharaoh rode upon a male horse; as it were, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to him upon a male horse, as it is said, "You trod the sea with Your horses" (Habakkuk 3:15). Pharaoh rode upon a female horse; as it were, He revealed Himself to him upon a female horse, as it is said, "To my mare among Pharaoh's chariots" (Song of Songs 1:9). Rabbi Akiva said to him: Enough for you, Pappus! It is written "to my mare." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Just as I rejoiced over Egypt to destroy them, so was I poised to rejoice over Israel to destroy them. And what caused them to be saved? By the merit of "on their right and on their left" - by the merit of the Torah that they are destined to receive from the right, as it is said, "From His right hand a fiery law for them" (Deuteronomy 33:2); and "on their left" - this is tefillin, and so on, as above.

"And the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of Egypt" (Exodus 14:30). This is like a bird that is held in a person's hand: if he presses his hand down just a little, the bird is immediately strangled in his grip. As it is said, "Our soul has escaped like a bird from the fowlers' snare; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth" (Psalms 124:6-7). And it is like a person who draws out the fetus from the womb of a cow. As it is said, "Or has any god ventured" (Deuteronomy 4:34) - for the verse need not say "from the midst of a nation," except to teach that it was like a person who draws out the fetus from the womb of a cow. As it is said, "and the LORD took you and brought you out" (and so forth).

"And Israel saw the Egyptians dead" (Exodus 14:30). For four reasons Israel saw the Egyptians dead: so that Israel would not say, "Just as we have come up on this side, so too have the Egyptians come up on that side"; and so that the Egyptians would not be saying, "Just as we are lost in the sea, so too are Israel lost in the sea"; and so that Israel would take the spoil, for the Egyptians were laden with silver and gold and precious stones and pearls; and so that Israel would set their eyes upon them and recognize them and rebuke them. As it is said, "I will rebuke you and set the case before your eyes" (Psalms 50:21), and, "My enemy will see it, and shame will cover her" (Micah 7:10). "And Israel saw the Egyptians." It does not say "dead" in the plural but "dead" in the singular - dead and yet not dead [i.e. on the point of death]. This is like the matter of which it is said, "And it came to pass, as her soul was departing, for she died" (Genesis 35:18). And was she truly dead at that moment? Rather, dying and not yet dead.

"And Israel saw the great hand" (Exodus 14:31) - severe deaths, deaths stranger than one another. Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: From where do you say that the Egyptians were struck in Egypt with ten plagues, and so forth. Rabbi Eliezer says: From where do you derive that every single plague that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon the Egyptians in Egypt consisted of four plagues, and so forth. Rabbi Akiva says: From where that every single plague consisted of five plagues, and so forth. "And the people feared the LORD." Beforehand they were not in awe of the LORD, but here, "and the people feared the LORD." "And they believed in the LORD and in Moses His servant." If they believed in Moses, all the more so in the LORD. Then why does Scripture say "and in Moses"? To teach you that whoever believes in the shepherd of Israel is as one who believes in the One who spoke and the world came into being. Similarly you say, "And the people spoke against God and against Moses" (Numbers 21:5). If they spoke against God, all the more so against Moses - to teach you that whoever speaks against the shepherd of Israel is as one who speaks against the One who spoke and the world came into being.

"And they believed in the LORD" - as the reward for the faith with which they believed, the Holy Spirit rested upon them and they sang the song: "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang" (Exodus 15:1). Rabbi Nehemiah says: From where do you say that whoever takes upon himself a single commandment in faith is worthy that the Holy Spirit rest upon him? For so we find with our fathers, that as a reward for the faith with which they believed, and so forth. You find that our father Abraham inherited this world and the world to come only by the merit of the faith with which he believed, as it is said, "And he believed in the LORD" (Genesis 15:6). And so you find that our fathers were redeemed from Egypt only by the merit of the faith with which they believed, as it is said, "and the people believed" (Exodus 4:31). And so it says, "The LORD preserves the faithful" (Psalms 31:24). "And Israel saw the Egyptians dead." What were they doing? Each and every one of Israel would take his dog and go and set his foot on the neck of an Egyptian, and he would say to his dog, "Eat from this hand that enslaved me, eat from these arms that had no pity on me." Know that it is so, for so it is written, "that your foot may be dipped in blood, that the tongue of your dogs may have its portion from the enemies" (Psalms 68:24). Israel said: You have done all these miracles for us; we too will not be ingrates. And what is there for us to say? Songs and praises, and so forth - "Then Moses sang." They recall the faith of the fathers: "and Aaron and Hur held up his hands" (Exodus 17:12); "This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter it" (Psalms 118:20). Of the masters of faith, what does it say? "Open the gates, that a righteous nation that keeps faith may enter" (Isaiah 26:2). Through this gate all the masters of faith enter. And so it says, "It is good to give thanks to the LORD" (Psalms 92:2). What caused them to come to this joy? Only the reward of the faith with which their fathers believed in this world, which is all nights; therefore it says, "to declare Your kindness in the morning." And so Jehoshaphat says to the people, "Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper" (2 Chronicles 20:20). And it is written, "Are not Your eyes upon faithfulness?" (Jeremiah 5:3); "and the righteous shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4); "they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:23). And so you find that the exiles will be gathered in only as the reward of faith, as it is said, "With Me from Lebanon, my bride" (Song of Songs 4:8); "And I will betroth you to Me forever, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness" (Hosea 2:21-22). Behold, how great is the faith before the One who spoke and the world came into being, that as the reward of the faith with which they believed, the Holy Spirit rested upon them and they sang the song, as it is said, "and they believed in the LORD and in Moses His servant; then Moses sang." And so it says, "Then they believed His words; they sang His praise" (Psalms 106:12).

Another interpretation: "And the LORD saved that day." But were Israel in the hand of Egypt? Rather, at the hour Israel went out from Egypt, Uzza, the heavenly prince of Egypt, opened before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said before Him: Master of the universe, this nation that You are bringing out of Egypt - I have a legal claim against it. Let Michael, their prince, come and plead before You against me. At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Michael: Come and plead with him. Uzza, the prince of Egypt, opened and said before Him: Master of the universe, You decreed upon this nation that they be enslaved under the hand of my nation four hundred years, as it is said, "and they shall serve them, and they shall afflict them" (Genesis 15:13), and they have served among them only eighty-six years from the time Miriam was born, and their time to go out has not yet come. Rather, grant me permission and I will return them under the hand of my nation until four hundred years; as You endure, so does Your oath endure. At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, told Michael to give him an answer. Immediately Michael was silent. At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, answered and said to Uzza: I can argue the merit of My children. Were they made liable to servitude except on account of one word that Abraham My beloved spoke before Me when he said, "Whereby shall I know that I will inherit it?" (Genesis 15:8), and I said to him, "Know surely that your seed will be a stranger" (Genesis 15:13)? Did I say "in the land of Egypt"? I said "in a land not theirs." And it is already revealed and known that from the time Isaac was born they became strangers, and the four hundred years are already complete. You have no claim to enslave My children at all. At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, saved Israel; therefore it is said, "And the LORD saved that day," and so forth. "And Israel saw the great hand." At the hour the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to drown the Egyptians, Uzza, the prince of Egypt, stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said before Him: Master of the universe, You are called righteous and upright, and there is before You no injustice, no favoritism, and no taking of bribes - why do You wish to drown Egypt? Did they drown any of Your children, or kill any of them? Because they enslaved them, do You wish to drown them? They have already received their wage - all their silver and all their gold. At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, gathered all the retinue of heaven and said to them: Judge between Me and Uzza, the prince of Egypt. At first I brought famine upon them and set up for them Joseph, who by his wisdom understood, and they all became his slaves. And in the end My children came as strangers and they enslaved them with harsh servitude, until their outcry rose before Me. And I sent them Moses and Aaron My servants, and they said to their king, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews," and all the kings of east and west were sitting before him, and he began to boast before them and said, "Who is the LORD?" (Exodus 5:2) - one who had brought no tribute all those years, in the manner of every deity - "I do not know the LORD" (Exodus 5:2); rather, wait and I will search in my books whether His name is written with me. He searched and did not find it. Moses and Aaron answered and said to him: He created heaven and earth, and He forms the fetus in its mother's womb, and He makes the winds blow and brings down the rains and makes the dew sprout and grows trees and grasses and kills and gives life; the soul of every living thing is in His hand. He answered My messengers: There is no god in the world that does these deeds; I created myself and my river the Nile, as it is said, "My river is my own, and I made myself" (Ezekiel 29:3). He answered and said to his sages: Have you ever heard of this god? They said to him: We have heard that He is a son of sages, a son of the kings of old, as it is said, "How can you say to Pharaoh, I am a son of sages" (Isaiah 19:11), and so forth. He answered My messengers, "I do not know" (Exodus 5:2). Since he denied Me, I sent upon him ten plagues, and it availed nothing, and still he denied Me, and he added to enslave My children; and after I made known to him My power and My might, he sent them out against his will, and now he has pursued them to bring them back to servitude. One who does such a thing and did not understand - is he not fit that I drown him in the sea, he and all his host? All the retinue of heaven answered Him: The judgment is with You; do as You desire. At that hour Uzza answered and said: Master of the universe, I know within myself that they are guilty, but sit upon them with the attribute of mercy. At that hour Gabriel stood and took a mold of clay and stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said: Master of the universe, did Your children not labor in servitude as harsh as this - have mercy upon them? Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, turned and sat upon them with the attribute of judgment, and He turned back and drowned them in the sea; therefore it is said, "And Israel saw the great hand."

"Then Moses sang" (Exodus 15:1). This is what Scripture says: "I waited and waited for the LORD" (Psalms 40:2). Rabbi Pinchas the Priest said in the name of Rabbi Chama: If you have hoped and it has not come, hope again. David said, "Hope in the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage, and hope in the LORD" (Psalms 27:14) - if your hope has come, well and good; and if not, hope again. David said, "I waited and waited for the LORD" (Psalms 40:2), "and He brought me up out of the pit of tumult, out of the miry clay" (Psalms 40:3) - out of the clay of bricks; "and He set my feet upon a rock" - for He gave me the spoil of Egypt and the spoil of the sea; "He established my steps and put a new song in my mouth" (Psalms 40:3-4). "Then Moses sang." What is the meaning of "then"? The Holy One, blessed be He, made the dry land into a sea for the generation of Enosh, as it is said, "then it was begun to call upon the name of the LORD" (Genesis 4:26). And for us He made the sea into dry land; with "then" we praise Him.

Another interpretation: Why did Moses say [the Song] with the word "then" (az)? With "then" (me-az) I made my complaint before the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "and from then (u-me-az) that I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has dealt ill with this people" (Exodus 5:23). With the very tongue with which I sinned, with that same tongue I will set things right and praise You.

Another interpretation: Alef is one, zayin is seven; behold, eight [the word az being spelled alef-zayin]. Moses said: By the merit of circumcision, which was given for the eighth day, the sea was split; with "then" (az) let us praise. Rabbi Levi said: "To Him who divided the Sea of Reeds into parts (li-gezarim)" (Psalms 136:13) - for so in the Aramaic tongue they call the circumcised "the cut ones" (gezurin). By the merit of circumcision the sea was split.

There is a "then" referring to the past, and there is a "then" referring to the future. "Then began men to call upon the name of the LORD" (Genesis 4:26); "then she said, A bridegroom of blood" (Exodus 4:26); "then sang Israel" (Numbers 21:17); "then sang Moses"; "then spoke Joshua"; "then David said" (1 Chronicles 15:2); "then Solomon said" - these refer to the past. And there is a "then" referring to the time to come: "then you shall see and be radiant" (Isaiah 60:5); "then shall your light break forth like the dawn" (Isaiah 58:8); "then shall the lame leap"; "then shall the eyes of the blind be opened" (Isaiah 58:5); "then shall the virgin rejoice" (Jeremiah 31:12); "then was our mouth filled with laughter; then they said among the nations" (Psalms 126:2) - these refer to the time to come.

Rabbi Akiva said: At the hour when Israel said "then sang Moses," the Holy One, blessed be He, put on a robe of glory upon which were engraved all the instances of "then" in the Torah: "then shall the virgin rejoice"; "then shall the lame leap like a deer" (Isaiah 35:6); "then shall the eyes of the blind be opened"; "then spoke Joshua" (Joshua 10:13); "then you shall see and be radiant" (Isaiah 60:5); "you have declared the LORD this day, and the LORD has declared you this day." But once they sinned, He tore it again, as it is said, "He has carried out His word" (Lamentations 2:17). And the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to restore it, as it is said, "then was our mouth filled with laughter" (Psalms 126:2). The rabbis say: All of Moses's dealings were only with "then." The saving of his life was with "then": "so He let him alone; then she said, A bridegroom of blood" (Exodus 4:26). His complaint was with "then": "and ever since I came to Pharaoh." His song was with "then": "then sang Moses." Even the setting apart of the cities was with "then": "then Moses set apart three cities" (Deuteronomy 4:41).

It is taught: Rabbi Meir says: From where do we learn the resurrection of the dead from the Torah? As it is said, "then sang Moses" - it does not say "sang" but "will sing"; therefore, the resurrection of the dead is from the Torah. Likewise you say, "then Joshua will build an altar" - it does not say "built" but "will build"; from here, the resurrection of the dead is from the Torah. On that day Rabbi Akiva expounded: "then Moses and the children of Israel sang" - since Scripture has no need to say "saying," it teaches that Israel were answering after Moses for each and every matter, as one recites the Hallel. Rabbi Nehemiah says: as one recites the Shema, and not as one recites the Hallel. Rabbi Akiva expounded: When Israel came up from the sea, they set their hearts to recite a song. And how did they recite it? Like a leader who reads out the Hallel and they answer after him with the chapter-openings: Moses said "I will sing to the LORD" and they said "I will sing to the LORD"; Moses said "for He is highly exalted" and they said "I will sing to the LORD," and so on. Rabbi Nehemiah says: like a scribe who leads the Shema in the synagogue, who opens first and they answer after him what he says. Rabbi Yose the Galilean expounded: When Israel came up from the sea, they set their hearts to recite a song. And how did they recite it? A babe lying on its mother's knees and an infant nursing at its mother's breast - when they saw the Divine Presence, the babe raised its neck and the infant let the breast drop from its mouth, and they said, "This is my God and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2), as it is said, "out of the mouth of babes and sucklings You have founded strength" (Psalms 8:3). Rabbi Meir would say: From where do we learn that even the embryos in their mothers' wombs recited the song at the sea? As it is said, "in assemblies bless God, the Lord, you who are from the fountain of Israel."

"Moses and the children of Israel" - Moses was equal to Israel and Israel equal to Moses at the hour when they recited the song. Another interpretation: "Moses and the children of Israel" tells that Moses recited the song over against all Israel, for the whole world is Yours and You have no people but Israel, as it is said, "this people I formed for Myself" (Isaiah 43:21). And so it says, "sixty are the queens" (Song of Songs 6:8) - these are the six hundred thousand from twenty years old and upward; "and eighty concubines" - these are the eighty myriads from twenty years old and downward; "and maidens without number" - these are the little ones who cannot be counted. Even so, "one is my dove, my perfect one" - this is Moses, who is weighed against them all. And once Rabbi was sitting and expounding that a single woman in Egypt bore six hundred thousand. A certain disciple spoke up before him and said: Rabbi, which is greater, the world or the righteous one? He said to him: The righteous one. Why? He said to him: Because when Jochebed, the mother of Moses, bore Moses, he was weighed against them all. And where do we find that he is weighed against them all? As it is said, "which Moses and the children of Israel commanded" (Numbers 26:4), and it says "then sang Moses and the children of Israel," and "there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses." "And they spoke, saying" - what is "saying"? It is to declare to the generations the miracles that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed with Israel.

Another interpretation of "then sang": At the hour when Israel were encamped at the sea, the ministering angels came to praise the Holy One, blessed be He, but He did not allow them, as it is said, "and the one did not come near the other" (Exodus 14:20), and it says "and one called to the other." To what were they like? To a king whose son was taken captive; he put on vengeance against his enemies, went and brought him back, and people came to recite a hymn to him. He said to them: When I am redeeming my son, you praise me? So too Israel were set in distress at the sea, and the ministering angels came to praise the Holy One, blessed be He, and He rebuked them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: My children are set in distress, and you praise Me? Once they came up from the sea, Israel and the ministering angels both sought to recite the song. Rabbi Avin the Levite said: To what is the matter like? To a king who went down to battle and was victorious, and his son and his servants came with a crown in their hands to set upon the king's head. They came to the king and said to him: Your son and your servants are standing with a crown in their hands; who shall enter first? He said to them: Fools of the world, my servant before my son? Let my son enter first. So when Israel came up from the sea, Israel and the ministering angels came to recite the song, and the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the ministering angels: Let Israel be first, as it is said, "then sang Moses." Then the women and the ministering angels were standing, each wondering who should praise first. Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba said: The Master of Peace made peace between them, as it is said, "the singers went before, the players on instruments after" (Psalms 68:26) - "the singers went before," these are Israel; "after," these are the angels; "in the midst of maidens playing timbrels," these are the women. Rabbi Levi said: Heaven forbid, I will not accept this; rather the women praised first, as it is written "in the midst of maidens playing timbrels" - the maidens were in the middle. The ministering angels began to complain, saying: It is not enough that the men went before us, but even the women? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: By your lives, yes.

"This song" - is there only one song? Are there not ten songs? The first in Egypt, as it is said, "you shall have a song as in the night when a feast is hallowed" (Isaiah 30:29). The second, recited at the sea, as it is said, "then sang Moses." The third, recited at the well, as it is said, "then sang Israel." And the one Moses recited, as it is said, "and it came to pass when Moses had finished writing" (Deuteronomy 31:24). And the one Joshua recited, "then spoke Joshua" (Joshua 10:12). And the one Deborah and Barak recited, "and Deborah sang." And the one David recited, "and David spoke to the LORD," "a psalm, a song at the dedication of the house" (Psalms 30:1). And the one Solomon recited, "then Solomon said" (1 Kings 8:12). And the one Jehoshaphat recited, "as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the LORD, for His mercy endures forever" - why is this thanksgiving different from all others, that in all of them it says "for He is good" and here it does not say "for He is good"? It teaches that, as it were, there was no rejoicing on high at the destruction of the wicked, and all the more so at the loss of a single righteous one, who is weighed against the whole world, as it is said, "the righteous is the foundation of the world" (Proverbs 10:25). The tenth is for the time to come, as it is said, "sing to the LORD a new song, His praise from the ends of the earth," and it says, "sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the assembly of the faithful" (Psalms 149:1). All the songs that have passed are called by a feminine term, for just as the female gives birth, so the deliverances that passed had subjugation after them. But the deliverance that is to come is called by a masculine term, as it is said, "ask now and see whether a male can give birth" (Jeremiah 30:6); just as the male does not give birth, so the deliverance to come has no subjugation after it, as it is said, "Israel is saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation." "This song to the LORD" - to the LORD they recited it, and not to flesh and blood, as it is said, "the women came out of all the cities of Israel singing, Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands" (1 Samuel 18:6-7); but here they recited it to the LORD and not to flesh and blood.