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 (rabbinic interpretive commentary) 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.
“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). “Moses led Israel,”1The verse implies that the people did not travel willingly and therefore Moses had to direct them to move onward from the sea. that is what is written: “Do you thus requite the Lord?” (Deuteronomy 32:6). Rabbi Sheshe son of Rabbi Abba would write the heh below it and the lamed above it, as though to say: Alas, do you thus requite the Lord?2The heh in the word “do…the Lord [הלה']” appears slightly distinct from the rest of the word, implying that it stood for its own word, alas [hoy]. After all the miracles that He performed on your behalf; that He split the sea into twelve portions, and He submerged the Egyptians into the sea, and one of His hands was submerging them and one of His hands was rescuing you, as it is stated: “Your right hand, Lord, is glorious in strength; Your right hand, Lord, [smashes an enemy]” (Exodus 15:6). He took you up from the sea and gave you their silver and gold, as well as everything that was on their horses that were adorned with silver and gold. He fed you for forty years and did not leave you for even one moment. How many enemies came against you, but He did not allow you to flee, but rather He toppled them before you and protected you. It was not only from your enemies, but also from serpents and scorpions. He illuminated before you, as it is stated: “The Lord went before them by day [in a pillar of cloud…and by night in a pillar of fire, to illuminate for them]” (Exodus 13:21). You forgot all the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on your behalf. Mikha’s idol was crossing the sea with you, and you abandoned matters of Torah and fixated on other matters. “Is it to the Lord that you do this?” Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai said: Not only did Mikha’s idol cross with them, but they spoke contentiously toward God, as it is stated: “Whom You redeemed for You from Egypt, nations and their gods” (II Samuel 7:23).3This verse is generally understood to refer to what God did to other nations and their gods on behalf of Israel. It is interpreted here to mean that God took from Egypt Israel and its gods, a reference to the idol of Mikha. Likewise, it says: “They were defiant at the sea, in the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7). Why twice?4Why “at the sea” and again “in the Red Sea.” Rather, at the sea they were defiant in that they did not wish to descend, were it not for the tribe of Judah that leapt first and sanctified the name of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “When Israel went out of Egypt…Judah became His holy one” (Psalms 114:1–2). From where is it derived that they were defiant while in the Red Sea? When they descended into the sea [the ground] was full of mortar, as it had been until then wet from the water, so it was like mortar, as it is stated: “You trampled the sea with Your horses, the roiling [ḥomer]5The word ḥomer can also be vocalized ḥemar, mortar. of mighty waters” (Habakkuk 3:15). Reuben was saying to Simeon: In Egypt “with mortar,” at the sea there is mortar. In Egypt, “with mortar and with bricks” (Exodus 1:14); at the sea: “The roiling [ḥomer] of mighty waters.” That is, “they were defiant at the sea, in the Red Sea.” After all these miracles, you repay Me with evil? “Do you thus requite the Lord, vile and unwise people?” (Deuteronomy 32:6). It is regarding the generation of Jeremiah that he said this verse. “Vile [naval]…people,” who were rendered carcasses [nevelot], as it is stated: “They gave the carcasses of Your servants to birds of the heavens” (Psalms 79:2). Why? Because they were unwise, as it is stated: “Vile and unwise people.” Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: If the mightiest of the mighty is below, and the weakest of the weak is above, [the one above] will emerge victorious, and more so if the mighty is above and the weak is below. How much more so when the Holy One blessed be He, the mightiest of the mighty, is above, and you, flesh and blood, are below, must you not understand?6You must understand that you must submit to Him. You are a “vile and unwise people.” “Is He not your Father, your Master [kanekha]?” (Deuteronomy 32:6). If you merit it, your father; just as a son is petulant with his father and he performs his will, so you are petulant before Him, and He performs your will. Another matter, if He is your Father, why your Master; if He is your Master, why your Father? Rather, when Israel performs the will of the Omnipresent, He has mercy on them like a father on his sons. When they do not perform His will, He subjugates them like a slave. Just as a slave, whether he likes it or not, serves his master against his will, so too, you will perform the will of the Omnipresent against your will, whether you like it or not. Rabbi Taḥalifa of Caesarea says in the name of Rabbi Pila: Come and see how many miracles the Holy One blessed be He performs for a person, but he does not know. Were one to eat bread as is, it would descend to his innards and scratch them. But the Holy One blessed be He created a water source in his throat7Rabbi Pila interprets the term “your Master [kanekha]” as an allusion to the esophagus [kaneh]. The simple fact that one has saliva, which aids in swallowing food, is a great gift that God provided humanity, which they do not even recognize as such (Maharzu). that causes the bread to descend in peace. “He made you, and He established you [vayekhonenekha]” (Deuteronomy 32:6). He made you with everything that you need. After all this, “is it to the Lord that you do this,” you go and speak superfluous matters? Another matter, “is it to the Lord that you do this?” He said to them: After He performed all these miracles on your behalf, you refuse Him? As it is written: “They were defiant at the sea, in the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7); “at the sea,” on the seashore; “in the Red Sea,” in its plain sense. At that moment, the angel of the sea became filled with rage and sought to wash them away, until the Holy One blessed be He rebuked it and the water dried, as it is stated: “He rebukes the sea and dries it” (Nahum 1:4). And it says: “He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried” (Psalms 106:9). When Moses saw this, he led them from the sin at the sea. That is why it is stated: “Moses led Israel.”
