שמות, פרק י״ד, פסוק ט״ז

The moment of greatest despair at the edge of the Red Sea transforms into the ultimate turning point of salvation. God's instructions to Moses outline the physical actions needed to trigger the miracle, yet they also demand immense spiritual strength and faith from the people. The primary approach among commentators offers a surprising interpretation of the command regarding Moses' staff: rather than raising it, Moses is actually instructed to remove it and put it away [כלי יקר, הטור הארוך, רבנו בחיי, מלבי״ם, חזקוני, שפתי כהן]. Following the ten plagues, a misconception had grown among the Egyptians and even some Israelites that Moses' power stemmed from the staff itself, as if it were a magical tool. Therefore, at the very climax of the sea splitting, God tells Moses to set the staff aside and act without it. This proves that salvation comes exclusively from God, guiding the people toward pure and complete faith. Conversely, another perspective understands the instruction literally. Moses, having set his staff down to pray, is now told to pick it up again [העמק דבר] to serve as a visible sign that the sea is about to split by God's will [קאסוטו, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Following the instruction regarding the staff, Moses is told to stretch out his hand. Using the entire hand symbolizes God's great hand acting upon the sea, a deliberate contrast to the plagues in Egypt, which were described merely as the finger of God [כלי יקר]. Others see a division of purpose between the two actions: the staff is meant to stir the east wind that would dry the sea, while the hand is meant to split the waters themselves [ספורנו]. Another approach suggests that the hand represents a hidden miracle—the gradual drying of the sea by the wind—while the staff represents a sudden, revealed miracle. God prepared both possibilities, making them entirely dependent on the Israelites' faith. Only after the people jumped into the water with absolute devotion was the revealed miracle activated [העמק דבר].

The physical parting of the water involves more than just dividing the sea. The action is rooted in the concept of a valley. Naturally, the sea floor was a deep, steep slope. The core of the miracle involved raising the ocean floor to make it level with the shoreline, creating a straight, comfortable walking path, while the waters froze into solid walls on either side [הכתב והקבלה, מלבי״ם, ביאור יש״ר]. This dramatic suspension of nature was made possible by a condition God established with the waters during the six days of Creation [הדר זקנים]. Furthermore, it was triggered in the merit of Abraham, who split the wood for the offering at the Binding of Isaac [קיצור בעל הטורים].

The final stage of the miracle involves the people walking into the midst of the sea on dry ground. This simultaneous experience of sea and dry land highlights the ultimate test of their faith. The sea did not instantly turn into a dry path. The Israelites were required to march directly into the raging waters. Only when they waded in with absolute faith, allowing the water to reach their very noses, did the sea finally transform into dry land beneath their feet [צרור המור, ביאור שטיינזלץ, שפתי כהן]. As for their actual route, the path did not cross the sea from one shore to the opposite side. Instead, it formed a semi-circle along the same coastline. This route was specifically designed to help them slip away from the Egyptian army closing in from behind, allowing the Israelites to safely continue on their journey [העמק דבר, פרדס יוסף].