As Heard from Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L
The Song of the Sea is read from the Torah every year when the weekly Perashah is read, and it is read on the seventh day of Pesach, and it is recited daily in our prayers; and so it shall be until forever. The spectacle of the splitting of the Sea of Suf gave an impetus to Israel and causes them to go forward until the end of time.
The episode of the splitting of the Sea of Suf afforded one of the most stupendous spectacles in history. The mighty waters which Israel had feared more than they feared Pharaoh, now parted and piled up to shield them like crystal walls on both sides of the uncovered sea-bottom; and Israel, protected by the walls of water against the darts and javelins of Egypt, marched across on the dry path. It was a never to be forgotten day of G-d. All of Nature was in turmoil because its Master was marching with his children.
The pillar of cloud which preceded them now moved back to intervene between Israel and Egypt. At the end of the night, fire and cloud descended upon the pursuing army which was now in the middle of the sea-road, whereas Israel had gained the opposite shore. The chariot wheels of Egypt burned off. Now they exhorted each other to flee for their lives, for they saw that G-d was fighting against them for Israel; but it was too late. The trap was sprung; G-d bade Moses stretch out his arm to send the mighty walls toppling down upon the pursuers, who sank to the bottom like lead, while Israel stood on the shore electrified by the spectacle.
The sea which had threatened Israel with a worse fate then Pharaoh’s wrath, had rescued them from their enemy; and it now washed up on the shore a huge wealth of booty. “And the waters were for them a wall on their right and on their left.” (14:22) “A wall” means that the waters protected them from the arrows of the enemy. The sons of Israel had feared the waters no less than they had feared the enemy. but now they saw that Hashem had caused the waters to become their protector. This is an important part of Hashem’s plan, whereby He demonstrates that He alone controls men’s fate, by causing the salvation to come from what seemed to be the peril itself.
The daughter of the oppressor Pharoah was the one that rescued Moshe who defeated the oppressor. The feared vice-regent of Egypt who cast terror upon the sons of Jacob turned out to be none other than Yosef who was the savior of his family afterward. Egypt, the land of Israel’s degradation and servitude, became the place where the nation increased at a rate never afterward equalled. Joseph was put into great peril, in the jail “where the king’s prisoners are bound” (Bereshit 39:20), in order to interpret the dreams of the king’s prisoners and thereby he became the vice-regent.
The Sea that had appeared as an obstacle and a threat to Israel at Yam Suf, became the savior that engulfed the enemy. The Sea which had threatened Israel with a worse fate that Pharoah’s wrath, had rescued them from their enemy; and now it washed up on the shore a hugh wealth of booty. Hashem had thereby instilled in us the great awareness and serenity which is Bitachon in Hashem. By demonstrating that Hashem is in control and that He can turn our foe, the Sea, into our friend who destroys our enemy, the Egyptians.
Quoted from “A Nation is Born” and “Behold a People” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L
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