And in that moment of desperation, Moses, their leader, turned to God. But what happened next is more surprising than you might think.

The Book of Exodus, or Shemot in Hebrew, is filled with incredible moments. And the rabbinic commentary on Exodus, Shemot Rabbah, digs even deeper, offering layers of interpretation that reveal the profound relationship between God and humanity. One particularly striking passage in Shemot Rabbah 21 explores the moment when God tells Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me?”

It’s a question that seems almost…harsh, doesn't it? Here are the Israelites, facing certain doom, and God's response is, essentially, "What's with all the complaining?" But the Rabbis, in their wisdom, see something far more nuanced at play.

“You will decree a matter, and it will be established for you” (Job 22:28), the text reminds us. Rabbi Levi picks up on this idea, suggesting that the relationship between God and Moses wasn't a one-way street. It wasn't just God commanding and Moses obeying. Instead, it was a dynamic, reciprocal relationship.

The Rabbis illustrate this point with a fascinating interpretation of Numbers 36:2. The descendants of Joseph say to Moses, "The Lord commanded [tziva] my lord…and my lord was commanded [tzuva] by the Lord…" The Midrash cleverly reads the passive form tzuva, "was commanded," as if it were the active form, tziva—"Moses commanded God, as it were." Can you imagine? Moses "commanding" God? It sounds audacious, almost blasphemous!

But the point isn't about power or control. It's about the profound level of trust and partnership that existed between them. Just as God speaks to Moses, Moses speaks to God. As we find in Numbers 27:15-16, "The Lord spoke to Moses" and then "Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: 'Let the Lord, God of the spirits, appoint…'"

So, back to that moment at the Red Sea. Why does God tell Moses to stop crying out? Because Moses had the power within him to act, to decree. He had become so close to God that his words carried a divine weight.

Rabbi Yehoshua offers a beautiful analogy: Imagine the beloved of a king who comes to him with a problem. The king doesn't want tears; he wants action. He says, "Why are you crying out? Decree, and I will do it!" So too, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: "Why are you crying out to Me? Speak, and I will do it."

Moses, in that moment, wasn't just a leader begging for a miracle. He was a partner with God, capable of initiating divine action through his own faith and his own words. The Zohar, that foundational text of Jewish mysticism, echoes this sentiment throughout its teachings.

What does this mean for us? Perhaps it's a reminder that we, too, have a voice, a power, and a responsibility in shaping our own lives and the world around us. We might not be Moses, but we are all capable of partnering with the Divine in our own way.

Next time you find yourself in a seemingly impossible situation, remember Moses at the Red Sea. Remember that sometimes, the answer isn't just to cry out, but to speak, to act, to decree the reality you wish to see. And trust that you, too, have the power to move mountains – or perhaps, even part the sea.