The Israelites, fresh from their miraculous escape from Egypt, certainly did. The book of Exodus tells us, "Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went out to the wilderness of Shur. They walked three days in the wilderness and did not find water” (Exodus 15:22). But Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Exodus, sees something more in that simple phrase, "Moses led Israel." It wasn't just a geographical leading, but a reluctant one.

The text suggests the people weren't exactly willing to leave the sea. Why? Because even after witnessing the parting of the Red Sea, the drowning of the Egyptian army, and God's overwhelming protection, they were… ungrateful. The text interprets the phrase "Moses led Israel" to imply that they didn't want to go! Moses had to make them move on from the sea. The nerve!

How ungrateful were they? Well, Rabbi Sheshe son of Rabbi Abba saw the verse "Do you thus requite the Lord?" (Deuteronomy 32:6) and creatively interpreted it. He wrote the heh – ה – (a letter in the word "Do…the Lord" – הלה) slightly apart, suggesting it stood for its own word: "Alas!" – expressing sorrow. Alas, do you repay God this way? After everything? God split the sea into twelve paths, submerged the Egyptians, rescued the Israelites, and even gave them the Egyptians' silver and gold! Ginzberg, in Legends of the Jews, vividly recounts these miracles. God fed them for forty years, protected them from enemies, serpents, and scorpions, and illuminated their path with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, as we read in Exodus 13:21. And yet...

According to Shemot Rabbah, they forgot all these miracles. They even carried Mikha's idol with them across the sea! And, even worse, they spoke contentiously toward God. The text cites II Samuel 7:23: “Whom You redeemed for You from Egypt, nations and their gods.” The rabbis interpret this verse to mean that God took from Egypt not only Israel but also "its gods," referring to Mikha's idol. The audacity!

Psalm 106:7 says, “They were defiant at the sea, in the Red Sea.” Why the repetition? The Midrash asks. The rabbis explain that they were defiant at the sea because they didn't want to descend into it. Only the tribe of Judah, with their characteristic courage, jumped in first, sanctifying God's name.

But the defiance continued in the Red Sea! The ground was muddy, like mortar – "homer" in Hebrew. Reuben complained to Simeon that Egypt was bad enough when they were forced to make mortar. Now, even in the sea, they couldn’t escape the mortar! (Habakkuk 3:15). It was as if they were determined to find something to complain about, even in the midst of a miracle.

Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta offers a powerful thought. If the mightiest is below and the weakest above, the one above will win. How much more so when God, the mightiest of the mighty, is above, and we, mere mortals, are below? Shouldn't we understand our place and submit to Him?

Rabbi Taḥalifa of Caesarea, quoting Rabbi Pila, brings it down to a personal level. Think about how many miracles God performs for you every single day, miracles you don't even notice. Like saliva, which allows us to swallow our food without scratching our throats. We take it for granted!

The text concludes by emphasizing that after all these miracles, the Israelites still refused God. Psalm 106:7 is quoted again: "They were defiant at the sea, in the Red Sea." At that moment, the angel of the sea became enraged and wanted to destroy them, but God rebuked the sea and the waters dried up (Nahum 1:4; Psalms 106:9). Seeing all this, Moses led them away from the sin at the sea. That's why it says, "Moses led Israel."

So, what's the takeaway? Perhaps it's a reminder to appreciate the miracles in our own lives, both big and small. To recognize the hand of God in our daily existence. And to be a little less like those ungrateful Israelites at the Red Sea. After all, how often do we forget the blessings we've been given and focus instead on what we lack? How often do we need a Moses to lead us away from our own "sins at the sea?" It's a question worth pondering.