That feeling, that's what we're diving into today, looking at a passage from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus.

The passage opens with a quote from Psalms: "The Lord is known, He executed justice" (Psalms 9:17). The text immediately tells us this refers to the Egyptians, and how God brought justice upon them in Egypt and at the Red Sea. But the how of that justice? That's where it gets interesting.

Rabbi Yehoshua offers a fascinating calculation. He says the Egyptians suffered ten plagues delivered with "one finger," referencing the magicians' admission: "It is the finger of God" (Exodus 8:15). But at the sea? They were afflicted with fifty plagues! How do we get to fifty? Rabbi Yehoshua points to the verse describing how "Israel saw the great power [hayad hagedola]" (Exodus 14:31). Hayad hagedola literally means "the great hand." And a hand, of course, has five fingers. Five fingers times the original ten plagues equals fifty. It’s a striking image, isn't it? This idea of God's power escalating. We even see a similar idea with Job, who laments "the hand of God has touched me" (Job 19:21), implying a significant affliction, in his case, also likened to fifty plagues.

Then, Rabbi Eliezer chimes in, taking it even further. He argues the Egyptians suffered forty plagues in Egypt and a staggering two hundred at the sea! His reasoning? Each plague came as four-fold, referencing Psalm 78:47 and 78:49, which describe hail destroying their vines, and God sending "burning anger; rage, fury, trouble, a band of evil angels." Rabbi Eliezer breaks down these terms: "Rage" is one, "fury" is two, "trouble" is three, and "a band of evil angels" is four. So, with the "finger" in Egypt, they suffered forty plagues, and with the "hand" at the sea, two hundred. A truly terrifying escalation.

The text then circles back to the idea of recognition, of God making Himself known. "Egypt will know that I am the Lord," (Exodus 14:18), the text reminds us, "when I impose punishment upon Pharaoh." There's a powerful sense of divine retribution at play here.

And speaking of retribution, the passage notes how Pharaoh’s own wickedness boomeranged back on him. He decreed, "Every son that is born [you shall cast him into the Nile]" (Exodus 1:22). And what happened to him? "He tossed Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea" (Psalms 136:15). It's a classic case of middah k’neged middah, measure for measure – the punishment fitting the crime.

Finally, the passage delves into the meaning of "Higayon Selah" (Psalms 9:17). What does it mean? The text interprets it as the Israelites understanding their duty was to sing songs and praises to God forever. "Selah," we're told, means forever. It’s a moment of profound realization after witnessing God’s power and justice.

And in a beautiful final note, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi points out that the verse says "Then Moses sang [yashir]" in the singular, not "they sang [yashiru]" in the plural. He understands this to mean that Moses first sang the song, and then the Israelites joined in at the sea. It’s a powerful image of leadership and communal response to divine deliverance.

So, what are we left with? A vivid picture of divine justice, escalating consequences, and the importance of remembering and praising God's actions. It makes you think about the times in your own life when you've witnessed justice, big or small. And maybe, just maybe, it inspires you to sing a song of your own.