Let’s dive into a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, specifically chapter 22, that explores exactly that idea.

The verse in question is God's command to Moses: "Extend your hand over the sea, and the waters will return upon Egypt, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen" (Exodus 14:26). But the Rabbis don’t just take this at face value. They ask: what’s the deeper symbolism here?

The text cleverly connects this verse to a seemingly unrelated one from the Song of Songs (2:15): "Catch for us foxes [shualim], little foxes, that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom." What do foxes have to do with the drowning of the Egyptian army?

Well, Shemot Rabbah draws a parallel. When the Bible wants to describe powerful, world-dominating kingdoms, it uses the imagery of beasts. As it says in Daniel 7:3, "Four great beasts arose from the sea." But Egypt? Egypt is likened to foxes.

Why foxes? Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon offers a compelling explanation: the Egyptians were sly, cunning. Like a fox constantly looking over its shoulder, they were always scheming. As it says in Exodus 1:10, "Let us be cunning with it."

Their plan, according to the Midrash, was particularly insidious. They thought: how can we enslave the Israelites in such a way that their God can't punish us in kind? If we kill them by the sword, God might bring a sword upon us. If by fire, fire upon us. But, they reasoned, God swore not to bring another flood. So, let's use water!

But the Holy One, blessed be He, sees right through their plan. “Wicked ones,” God essentially says, “I did swear not to bring another flood upon the world. But I can certainly bring you to the flood! I will drag each and every one of you to his flood.”

This idea is beautifully captured in Psalm 63:11: “They will be hurled [yagiruhu] to the sword [ḥarev]; they will be prey for the foxes.” The Shemot Rabbah connects the word yagiruhu (hurled) to garar (dragged), implying that God dragged the wicked Egyptians to their watery demise on the dry land [leḥarbo] of the sea. The Egyptians thought they were being clever, but they were walking right into their own trap.

And what about the foxes? Rabbi Berekhya offers a fascinating wordplay. The word shualim (foxes) is written slightly differently in the verse – sho’alyam, which can be interpreted as "the hollow of [sho’olo] the sea [yam]". The plague of the sea was destined for these "foxes," a punishment designed specifically for them.

Rabbi Yoḥanan of Tzippori adds a heartbreaking detail. He describes how the Egyptians would cruelly use Israelite babies to torment their mothers. They’d bring Egyptian babies into Israelite homes, pinch them to make them cry, and then cast the Israelite babies into the Nile. The midrash concludes that the verse "Catch for us foxes, little foxes..." refers to this specific wickedness, until our vineyard came into blossom, meaning until only the undeveloped grapes, or unborn babies, remained.

This, then, is why "the waters will return upon Egypt," as the punishment perfectly fits their crime. It's a chilling example of middah k'neged middah, measure for measure – the idea that divine justice often mirrors the actions of those being judged.

As Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law, says in Exodus 18:11, “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, as in the matter that they conspired against them.” He knew God before, but now he understands the depth of divine justice. God judged them with the very strategy they devised against Israel – "as in the matter that they conspired against them."

So, what’s the takeaway here? Perhaps it’s a reminder that even the most cunning plans cannot ultimately outsmart divine justice. Or maybe it’s a reflection on the enduring power of symbolism within Jewish tradition, how seemingly disparate verses can illuminate each other, revealing profound truths about human nature and the nature of God. Either way, the story of the drowning of the Egyptians is more than just a historical event; it’s a powerful lesson about the consequences of our choices and the ultimate triumph of justice.