We tend to focus on the big ones – the plagues, the splitting of the Red Sea – but Jewish tradition suggests the miraculous was woven into the very fabric of their experience. It wasn't just about grand spectacles, but also about the individual moments, the subtle shifts in power, and the lasting impact of those events.
Let’s look at a passage from Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal midrashim on the Book of Deuteronomy. The text delves into Deuteronomy 34:11: "In all the signs and the wonders which the L-rd sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all of his servants, and to all of his land." It seems straightforward, right? But the rabbis of the Talmud, masters of close reading, saw layers of meaning within each phrase.
The Sifrei points out the verse separates the beneficiaries of the miracles: "to Egypt": by itself; "to Pharaoh": by himself; "and to all of his servants": by themselves. This teaches us that the impact of the signs and wonders wasn't a monolithic experience. Each group, each individual, felt it differently. Egypt as a nation felt the blow of the plagues. Pharaoh, in his isolated position of power, faced a personal confrontation with the Divine. And his servants, the Egyptian people, each experienced the unfolding events in their own way. It’s a subtle but important reminder that even collective experiences are ultimately filtered through individual lenses.
The text continues, digging deeper into the "mighty hand" and "great awe" mentioned in the subsequent verse (Deut. 34:12). "And of all the mighty hand": This, Sifrei Devarim tells us, is a reference to the plague of the first-born. That final, devastating blow that finally broke Pharaoh's resistance. "And of all the great awe": This, the text says, is the splitting of the Red Sea, Yam Suf, a moment of sheer, overwhelming Divine power. Can you imagine witnessing that? The waters parting, creating a pathway to freedom, with walls of water towering on either side? It’s no wonder it inspired "great awe."
But the miracles didn't stop there. Rabbi Elazar expands the scope even further. He says, "In all the signs and the wonders": refers to those in Egypt and at the Red Sea. But what about Mount Sinai? What about the giving of the Torah, arguably the most pivotal moment in Jewish history? The Sifrei answers that we derive that from "and in all the strong hand." Sinai, then, is connected to the strength and power of the Divine Law.
And what about the desert, that long, arduous journey through the wilderness? R. Elazar says we derive that from "and in all the great awe." Even in the seemingly mundane moments, the daily grind of survival, the Divine presence inspired awe.
And finally, the breaking of the tablets, an act of profound disappointment and yet, ultimately, a necessary step in the covenantal relationship. Where do we derive that? The Sifrei points us to Deuteronomy 9:17, "and I broke them before your eyes," and then back to our original verse, "that Moses wrought before the eyes of all of Israel." Moses’ act of breaking the tablets was another instance of acting before the eyes of all Israel – an act that was meant to teach and inspire.
So, what does all this mean? It means that the Exodus wasn't just a single event, but a tapestry woven with countless threads of Divine intervention, each experienced differently by those who witnessed it. From the grand spectacles to the quiet moments of awe in the desert, it all contributed to the formation of a nation and the enduring legacy of the Jewish people. And it reminds us to look for the miracles in our own lives, not just in the spectacular events, but in the everyday moments where we glimpse the Divine hand at work.