בראשית, פרק א׳, פסוק י׳

At this stage of creation, the world transitions from a formless mixture into a reality of clear boundaries, where every element receives its proper place, essence, and unique identity. When God names the dry land and the gathered waters, He is not merely assigning titles. Rather, He is establishing their purpose and granting independent existence to what was previously hidden beneath the water. This act of naming also serves as a command, setting strict borders that the land must not exceed [אור החיים, קאסוטו, ביאור שטיינזלץ, רש״ר הירש], while preparing the ground for its future role of bringing forth fruit [רקנאטי].

By assigning the name of earth specifically to the dry land, God focuses and limits the concept. At the very beginning of creation, this term encompassed all physical elements beneath the heavens, including water, wind, and soil. Now, the identity is reserved strictly for the dry, exposed surface [רמב״ן, רשב״ם, מלבי״ם, ביאור יש״ר]. The ultimate goal of this separation is to prepare the world for its central purpose: to become a suitable habitat for humanity, to allow diverse cultures to flourish, and to serve as the foundation for revealing the Divine presence in the world [ספורנו, רמב״ן, מלבי״ם, חומש קה״ת].

Regarding the gathered waters, many commentators note that the term used for seas does not actually describe the water itself. Instead, it refers to the seabed, the deep trenches, and the vast receptacles where the water is contained [רמב״ן, רד״ק, רבנו בחיי, תולדות יצחק]. A natural question arises as to why the waters are referred to in the plural as seas, given that they were previously described as gathering into a single place. One approach suggests that this is a poetic expression, or that despite the waters being interconnected, there are practically many distinct oceans and seas dividing the continents [קאסוטו, רמב״ן, תולדות יצחק, אבן עזרא, רש״ר הירש]. Another primary approach explains that the plural reflects a qualitative difference in the waters. Although they share a single source, the waters change depending on the soil and region they occupy. Each marine environment develops its own unique nature, composition, and quality, to the extent that fish from different regions possess entirely different tastes [רש״י, מזרחי, לבוש האורה, מחוקקי יהודה].

Additionally, the specific terminology used for the gathering of the waters carries a legal significance. It establishes a distinction in the laws of ritual purity between stationary seawater, which functions as a gathered pool, and naturally flowing spring water, which is considered living water [תורה תמימה, דברי דוד].

With the separation of the water and the dry land complete, a proper, functioning order is established in the world. This brings the work of separating the waters, which began on the previous day, to its conclusion. Although breaking apart the original mixture of water and earth might appear as the destruction of the world's initial form, God sees it as good. It is only through this division that the rain cycle, plant growth, and the sustaining of life become possible, allowing the world to move toward its ultimate, perfected purpose [שד״ל, רמב״ן, מלבי״ם, אור החיים, ביאור שטיינזלץ, רש״ר הירש].