The Israelites certainly did at the Red Sea. Pharaoh’s army was bearing down on them, and the sea was, well, a sea. So what were they supposed to do? Pray? Act? Just give up?
The Book of Exodus tells the story of this pivotal moment, but the Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, delved even deeper, exploring the nuances of the situation in Shemot Rabbah, the collection of Midrash on Exodus.
One particularly striking passage in Shemot Rabbah 21 opens with a parable. It speaks of a king whose son has angered him. The king is ready to unleash a harsh punishment, but the son's tutor intercedes. The king responds, "Why are you asking on behalf of my son? I have already reconciled with my son!"
Rabbi Avtolis the elder uses this parable to illuminate God's interaction with Moses at the Red Sea. Moses, remember, had expressed doubt, saying, "Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has harmed this people, and You did not rescue Your people" (Exodus 5:23). And the people themselves grumbled, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the wilderness?" (Exodus 14:11).
So, God asks Moses, essentially, "Why are you crying out to me now?"
The answer, according to the Rabbis, isn’t about endless prayer in that moment. Instead, God tells Moses, "Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth (veyisa’u)." In other words, "Have them remove (yasiu) a matter from their heart." What's that matter? Doubt!
Rabbi further elaborates on this, suggesting that God was so impressed by the faith the Israelites did have, that was enough to warrant splitting the sea. They didn’t question Moses when he told them to turn back toward the sea. They trusted.
Rabbi Eliezer adds a different perspective, highlighting the urgency of the situation. "There is a time to shorten [prayers] and a time to extend," God tells Moses. "My children are in a state of distress… and you are standing and extending your prayers? 'Speak to the children of Israel and have them set forth.'" Sometimes, action speaks louder than words, even sacred ones.
Rabbi Yehoshua takes this a step further: "Israel only needs to set forth. Let them set their legs forth from the dry land to the sea, and you will see the miracles that I will perform on their behalf." Talk about faith! Taking that first step, even when you can’t see the path forward, is key.
Rabbi Meir offers yet another fascinating angle. God says to Moses that Israel doesn't even need to pray. Drawing a parallel to the creation of dry land for Adam, the first human, God emphasizes that for a nation destined to proclaim, "This is my God and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2), surely a miracle is warranted.
Then, the Rabbis shift to the idea of ancestral merit, or zechut avot. Rabbi Benaya suggests that God will split the sea because of Abraham's actions, specifically his splitting of the wood (vayevaka) for the binding of Isaac (Genesis 22:3), connecting it to the splitting of the waters (vayibaku) in Exodus 14:21. Rabbi Akiva attributes it to Jacob, citing the promise that his descendants would "spread to the west and to the east" (Genesis 28:14).
Finally, Rabbi Shimon brings it back to Moses, reminding us that God had already declared, "In all My house he is trusted" (Numbers 12:7). Moses, as God's trusted agent, has the authority to command the sea, as it is stated: "Raise your staff."
So, what do we take away from this rich tapestry of interpretations? Perhaps it's that faith isn't just about prayer. It's about action, trust, and remembering the merits of those who came before us. It’s about recognizing that sometimes, the greatest miracle requires us to take that first step, even when the sea seems uncrossable. And maybe, just maybe, it's about knowing when to shorten the prayers and start moving forward.