"Hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today..." It's a powerful opening line from Deuteronomy (9:1), isn't it? A promise, a challenge, a moment of immense transition. But what does it really mean?

Our sages, ever eager to unpack the layers of meaning within Torah, find echoes of this crossing everywhere. Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, uses this verse as a springboard to explore a profound connection between Israel's redemption and... water.

Now, you might be thinking, "Water? What's so special about water?" Well, let's dive in. The text begins with a seemingly unrelated halakha, a point of Jewish law. It discusses the proper blessing to recite after drinking water. Most of us say, "Blessed...by whose word all things came to be – shehakol nihya bidevaro." But Rabbi Tarfon suggests a different version: "Who creates the many forms of life and their needs – boreh nefashot rabot veḥesronam." What's the connection?

The Rabbis then explain: “Come and see: All the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on behalf of Israel, He performed only through water.” That's quite a statement! The text emphasizes that the miracles performed on behalf of the Israelites were done through water. This is why, the Rabbis suggest, we recite a blessing over water.

Consider the Exodus from Egypt. As Rabbi Yitzḥak points out, even during the plague of blood, the Egyptians drank blood while the Israelites drank water. It was a stark visual representation of divine favor. Then there's the parting of the Red Sea. What made the sea split? Rabbi Nehorai says it was the ineffable Name of God inscribed on Moses' staff. Rabbi Neḥemya suggests it was the very hand of God, as Psalm 77:17 says: “The waters saw You and were frightened.” According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, Moses lifted his staff at God's command, the east wind blew all night, and the sea became dry land.

And the miracles didn't stop there. At Mara, the bitter water was made sweet. As we find in Exodus 15:25, God showed Moses a tree to cast into the waters. At the rock, water flowed forth to quench the Israelites' thirst, as Numbers 20:8 commands: “And speak to the rock…and it will provide its water.” And at the well, the people sang a song of gratitude (Numbers 21:17).

So, what’s the takeaway? Moses, in this midrash, is reminding the Israelites that the same God who performed miracles through water in the past will continue to do so when they cross the Jordan to take possession of the Land. The crossing of the Jordan, therefore, isn't just a physical act; it's a symbolic one, a continuation of the miraculous journey begun in Egypt.

This isn't just about water, of course. It's about recognizing God's presence in the everyday, in the very things that sustain us. It’s about seeing the miraculous in the mundane. Next time you take a sip of water, remember this story. Remember the journey from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the sweetness at Mara, and the promise of miracles to come. Maybe, just maybe, you'll taste something a little bit more than just water.