The sea splits, a nation escapes slavery... but according to some traditions, the heavenly hosts weren't exactly thrilled. to Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 238, a collection of rabbinic teachings, to unpack this a bit. We all remember the verse from Exodus 14:26, "And the waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen." But what about Pharaoh himself? Did he meet his end in the churning waters?
Rabbi Yehuda believes Pharaoh was indeed swallowed by the sea, citing Exodus 15:4: "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea." But Rabbi Natan offers a different perspective. He suggests Pharaoh might have been an exception, pointing to Exodus 9:16, where God says, "maybe for this I made you stand up." This implies a unique purpose for Pharaoh, perhaps one that extended beyond the Red Sea debacle. And then, there's another opinion that says Pharaoh did ultimately drown, supported by the verse "and the horse of Pharaoh came" (Exodus 15:19). The debate continues!
But here's where it gets even more interesting. The Yalkut Shimoni asks us to consider the reaction of the "angels of service" – the celestial beings who witness everything. "The children of Israel went into the sea on dry ground," and the angels, according to this tradition, were astounded, even indignant. "The children of Israel, idolaters that they are, are coming on dry land?!" from their perspective. These angels, pure and devoted, are watching a nation that has, at times, strayed from the path. And yet, they're being granted this miraculous escape. It raises some serious questions about divine justice and mercy, doesn't it?
And the sea itself? According to the text, it wasn't just passively obeying God's command. It was filled with rage! How do we know? Well, the text says, "and the waters were like chomah to them," which usually means "wall." But, as the Yalkut Shimoni points out, the Hebrew word chomah (wall) is spelled almost identically to chema (rage). The only difference is a missing vav, a Hebrew letter. So, we can re-read the verse as "the water was like anger on their right and on their left."
So, what saved the Israelites from this watery rage? The Yalkut Shimoni offers a beautiful answer: Torah and tefilin. From the right, they were protected by the Torah, which they would soon receive at Mount Sinai, as it says, "From His right, [He gave] a fiery law to them." (Deuteronomy 33:2). And from the left? Tefilin, the phylacteries worn on the arm as a reminder of God's commandments.
These physical and spiritual acts, the future commitment to Torah and the present act of wearing tefilin, served as a shield against the raging waters, a testament to the enduring covenant between God and the people of Israel. What a powerful image!
It leaves you wondering, doesn't it? About the complexities of divine judgment, the role of angels as witnesses, and the power of our own commitments to protect us, even in the face of overwhelming odds. What "raging sea" are you facing today, and what tools – spiritual, intellectual, or practical – will you use to navigate it?