The moment the Israelites stepped into the crashing waves marked the undeniable climax of their departure from Egypt. The laws of nature were suspended, transforming a terrifying abyss into a route of salvation. Interestingly, this journey was not necessarily a straight line from one shore to the opposite side. It may have been a semi-circular route that began and ended on the very same side of the desert, where advancing even a short distance into the parted waters constituted walking through the sea [חזקוני, אבן עזרא].
As the people advanced, they experienced a profound double miracle. The waters did not merely split; the deep, muddy ocean floor miraculously elevated to match the level of the coastline. Instead of descending into a dark, steep abyss, the Israelites walked along a straight and comfortable path [הכתב והקבלה, מלבי״ם]. The thick slime and mud of the seabed froze instantly, forming a solid, dry surface [ספורנו, אור החיים]. Far from a barren wasteland, this newly exposed ground immediately sprouted lush grass, vegetation, and even fruit-bearing trees. This miraculous growth served a dual purpose: it calmed the anxious Israelites and simultaneously deceived the pursuing Egyptians, leading them to believe they were charging across a normal field rather than the floor of the sea [ביאור יש״ר, הדר זקנים, רבנו בחיי].
The order in which these events unfolded reveals the immense faith demanded of the people. The sea did not part instantly; it only split after the Israelites waded into the water until it reached their noses [רבנו בחיי]. This created a natural division among the people. The faithful stepped directly into the waters before any clear path existed, and only then did the dry land appear before them. Conversely, those lacking faith refused to step forward until they could already see the dry ground with their own eyes [כלי יקר, פרדס יוסף].
As they walked, the water formed towering walls on their right and their left. Commentators offer different perspectives on the physical nature of these barriers. One approach suggests that the displaced water literally froze, turning into massive walls of solid ice [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם]. Another perspective argues that the walls were not physically solid. Instead, a fierce eastern wind suspended the natural flow of the water, holding it up in the air like storm waves frozen in time without spilling over [שד״ל, אור החיים]. Regardless of their physical composition, these towering walls served as an essential strategic shield. They prevented the Egyptian army from flanking the Israelite camp from the sides and proved beyond any doubt that this was a divine intervention, not merely a natural low tide [העמק דבר]. As the Israelites advanced, the pillar of fire that followed behind them melted the frozen walls in their wake. This severed any possibility of retreat and caused the massive waters to crash down upon the pursuing Egyptians [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם].
On a spiritual level, the nature of these walls responded directly to the inner state of the people. For the righteous who leaped into the sea with absolute faith, the waters served as a protective fortress. However, for those who lacked faith or rebelled during the crossing, the protective walls transformed conceptually into walls of anger, with strict divine judgment hovering just above them [כלי יקר]. The protection they received was anchored in the merit of the Commandments they were destined to fulfill. They were shielded on their right by the merit of the Torah, on their left by the Tefillin, in front of them by the covenant of Circumcision, and behind them by the fringes of the Tzitzit.
Within this miraculous corridor, the sea did not just open into a single passage. Twelve distinct paths were carved out, providing a dedicated route for each individual tribe. To prevent feelings of isolation or panic in the depths of the sea, the walls separating these paths were formed with transparent windows. This allowed the tribes to see one another as they crossed, ensuring a profound sense of unity and calm throughout their miraculous journey [רבנו בחיי, הדר זקנים, שפתי כהן, צאינה וראינה].