The Splitting of the Sea Within: How Faith and Action Turn Life’s Trials Into Miracles

The splitting of the Red Sea, like the entire Torah, has relevance to our daily lives. Every person sometimes feels that the desert is closing in on them. Difficulties pursue them, and there seems to be nowhere to escape.

A person is required to cross their own personal sea of trials. These trials can be routine, daily, or out of the ordinary, and they can be challenging to overcome.

Returning Toward Egypt

On the third day after their departure, while accompanied by a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire, the Holy One commanded the Children of Israel to turn back toward Egypt: “Speak to the Children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pi Hachirot, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Tzephon; opposite it shall you encamp by the sea” (Shemot 14:2).

“Pi Hachirot” is Pitom, according to Rashi, the city that the Israelites built for Pharaoh during their slavery: “And they built storage cities for Pharaoh, Pitom and Raamses” (Shemot 1:11).

It seems astonishing. After finally leaving Egypt, they are instructed to return to the city of their bondage, and God informs them in advance that He will harden Pharaoh’s heart and that Pharaoh will pursue them.

What is the purpose of this return?

Passive Redemption and a New Stage

We can approach this question through the words of the Sfat Emet on this portion.

Throughout the Ten Plagues of Egypt, the Children of Israel were not required to make any significant effort to be saved from the plagues, with the exception of the Paschal offering and placing the blood on the doorposts before the plague of the firstborn. Relatively speaking, the Israelites sat safely in their homes while the plagues raged in Egypt, as the Torah repeatedly notes that God distinguished between Israel and Egypt.

The Israelites were like an infant lovingly cared for by its mother, completely passive.

It is true that only twenty percent of the people left Egypt, and those who did not believe in God died during the plague of darkness. Still, relatively little active effort was demanded of the Israelites in order to be spared from the plagues.

Here, before the splitting of the Red Sea, God introduces a new process. He wants the Children of Israel to become, as it were, partners in the redemption.

Entering Danger Through Trust

God demands that the Israelites take a practical, courageous, and bold step that will strengthen their trust. They must knowingly enter the lion’s mouth, return to the city of their slavery, and seemingly provoke Pharaoh.

They are required to act against logic. They must run into the arms of the enemy and place themselves in the hands of the one who sought to kill them. They return toward Egypt knowing that God Himself declared in advance, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and he will pursue them” (Shemot 14:4).

The Israelites fulfilled the will of the Creator: “And they did so” (Shemot 14:4). Rashi explains that Scripture praises them for listening to Moshe and not saying, “How can we draw near to our pursuer? We must flee.” Instead, they said, “We have only the words of the son of Amram.”

This was the first time the Israelites knowingly placed themselves in danger out of trust and expectation that God would perform a miracle for them.

When Pharaoh pursued them and they found themselves standing before the Red Sea, this was the first time the Israelites truly felt threatened. For the first time, the danger seemed to reach them directly, and they were required to act by entering the sea.

Indeed, only after they entered the sea by divine command did the sea split.

The Teaching of the Or HaChaim

We can deepen this idea with the remarkable words of the Or HaChaim.

At the moment when the Israelites were trapped, with death looming before them, the Egyptians behind them determined to kill them and the sea before them threatening to drown them, what could they do? Quite simply, they cried out to God.

Moshe cried out to God, and God responded: “Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the Children of Israel and let them journey” (Shemot 14:15).

This seems puzzling. Was Moshe not doing the most legitimate thing possible, praying and crying out to God? What did God expect from Moshe and the Israelites at that critical moment other than prayer?

The Or HaChaim offers a profound explanation. He writes that since the Attribute of Justice was prosecuting against Israel, even though God desired to act with kindness, mercy could not prevail due to their spiritual state. Therefore God said to Moshe, “Why do you cry out to Me,” meaning that the matter does not depend solely on divine intervention. Even though God desires to perform a miracle, the Attribute of Justice stands in opposition, and mercy alone cannot overcome it.

What then is the solution? “Speak to the Children of Israel and let them journey.” This is the counsel to strengthen kindness and mercy. The Israelites must intensify their faith with all their hearts and move toward the sea before it splits, relying on their trust that God will perform a miracle. Through this, mercy will prevail.

The Or HaChaim concludes that the power of trust and faith is great enough to tilt the scales toward goodness. This is exactly what happened. The first righteous one was Nachshon son of Aminadav, who entered the sea until the water reached his throat, and the sea did not split until he cried out that the waters had reached his soul.

When Trust Must Become Action

There are times when God, as it were, says, “The matter does not depend on Me alone.” The Attribute of Justice blocks mercy, and the only solution is powerful trust expressed through concrete action.

We do not know the calculations of Heaven, but the Or HaChaim illustrates that at times we are required to bring our trust in God down into the realm of action.

That is what the Children of Israel did, and the sea fled before them.

Our Personal Sea

Let us return to ourselves. Many times we feel that we have been redeemed and that we have escaped, only to discover that it is not yet final. Like the Israelites, we suddenly find ourselves returning to the city of our bondage.

We must know that there are times when freedom comes only if we jump into the sea and take a practical step. There are situations in which God expects from us, in addition to prayer, a bold and courageous action that strengthens the Attribute of Mercy, as the Or HaChaim teaches.

Every person knows their own trials and inner world. Every person must identify their personal sea and simply jump into it. Yes, to be Nachshon. To trust deeply and to act.

If the leap is genuine and aligned with the will of the Creator, mercy will prevail and the sea will split.