יהושע, פרק ג׳, פסוק י״ז

The crossing of the Jordan River represents a defining moment where the laws of nature are suspended to allow the Israelites to enter the land. At the center of this event are the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, whose physical presence within the riverbed serves as the anchor for the entire miracle. Regarding their exact location, there is a view that the priests stood near the bank of the Jordan [רש״י]. Another perspective clarifies that they waited on the western side of the river and did not leave until everyone had finished crossing [מצודת דוד]. The primary approach among commentators is that their stance was firm, permanent, and prepared in advance [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Additionally, some note that the priests stood directly facing one another [רש״י].

The miracle of the crossing unfolds in several layers. The priests and the people stood and crossed on completely dry ground. Naturally, even when the waters of a river are suddenly stopped, the riverbed remains muddy and filled with puddles. However, an additional miracle occurred here: the earth dried completely, allowing for a stable walk [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The upper waters of the river were held back and did not flow downward as long as the priests remained in their positions, waiting until the whole nation completed the passage [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The way this miracle happened sparks a philosophical discussion. One approach attempted to link the stopping of the water to natural causes, such as a strong wind or condensed air blocking the flow. However, this explanation is rejected in favor of the view that God directly changed the laws of nature. Because the downward flow of water is not a permanent, unchangeable trait but rather the result of external air pressure, God simply canceled the physical force that pushes the water down. As a result, the water stood like a wall without any physical barrier or wind holding it back. This is proven by the fact that the priests standing nearby did not feel any unusual natural forces, only the miraculous stopping of the water itself [מלבי״ם].