At some point in life, everyone faces a personal Red Sea.
It might not look like a forbidding body of water or entail being chased by Pharaoh and his army through the desert. But we have all known that feeling of being trapped, whether in a job, a relationship, or some other tricky situation, torn between the fear of going back and the anxiety induced by the obstacles in front of us.
On the seventh day of Passover, that is exactly where our ancestors the Israelites found themselves: stuck between the sea and the Egyptian chariots bearing down on them. That experience, and the divine deliverance which followed, made a lasting impression on the Jewish psyche, carving into our collective consciousness a sense of faith and resilience that continues to guide our people thousands of years later.
What is true of the nation is no less relevant for the individual, and the incident at the Red Sea contains within it some important lessons for us all.
The important lessons of splitting the Red Sea
The rabbinic literature about the splitting of the Red Sea is particularly rich, filled with human insights that are starkly relevant for our lives in the 21st century.
Indeed, upon reading them, they seem less like age-old commentary and more akin to timeless wisdom.
Take, for example, the story about Nachshon ben Aminadav, a prince from the tribe of Judah, which is related in the Talmud (Sota 37a), as well as several midrashim.
When the people of Israel stood frozen in fear at the edge of the Red Sea, hesitant to jump into the waters, Nachshon alone walked forward. Step by step, he advanced deeper. Only then did the sea split, allowing the Israelites to escape.
There’s something deeply relatable here. When we find ourselves in what appears to be an impossible quandary, we all want the path to open before we take any risk. But sometimes it works the other way around. Sometimes, just as at the sea, the miracle doesn’t come until you seize the moment and take the plunge, guided by faith in the creator.
Another midrash, in Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer (42), says that the Red Sea didn’t split into one path but into 12, creating a route for each of the tribes of Israel. Each one had their own lane, their unique way to move forward toward their goal.
The midrash also notes that transparent walls of water formed between each of the paths, and the people could see one another as they crossed.
When a person is struggling, it is, of course, easy and all too natural to compare yourself to others.
But the midrash reminds us that perhaps your path is supposed to look different. Maybe your timing, your detours on your route through life are still taking you toward something redemptive, like the 12 different paths that cut through the Red Sea.
The lesson isn’t just that there are many paths but that we need to trust that the path God has chosen for us is the one that will get us where we need to go.
Another particularly beautiful midrash, in Genesis Rabbah (87), tells us that the sea didn’t part just for Moses or the masses but for the bones of Joseph.
Why? The midrash explains that when the wife of Potiphar, Joseph’s master, sought to seduce him, Joseph resisted temptation and held firm to his values. Regardless of his position in life, whether as a prisoner in an Egyptian dungeon or as viceroy to Pharaoh, Joseph stayed true to himself and to his identity as a Jew. And in that moment at the sea, centuries later, it was Joseph’s integrity that moved nature itself.
It’s a striking idea that the midrash is conveying: The moral choices we make, even when no one is watching, really do matter. They might open doors for us and our descendants, even in ways we never expect.
Another poetic midrash, in the Mechilta de Rabbi Yishmael (tractate Vayehi Beshalach 5), says that when the Red Sea split, every drop of water in the world split, too. Wells, rivers, and even the water found in cups and jars were all divided.
In other words, the miracle didn’t just happen at the banks of the Red Sea. Its ripple effect was felt everywhere.
This midrash contains a powerful lesson: When a person breaks free and emerges from the challenges he faces, it does not only affect him. It touches the people around him. His transformation can pave the way for others as well.
CLEARLY, THE account of the splitting of the Red Sea is far more than just the story of a miracle. It can serve as a blueprint for how we, both as a people and as individuals, might move forward when we find ourselves immobilized, whether by fear, anxiety, or circumstances.
Like Nachshon ben Aminadav, we must not be afraid to take the first step, even if the water hasn’t moved yet. Like each of the 12 tribes, we must not fear trusting our own route, even if it appears different from the rest.
And we should never underestimate the quiet power of integrity which can literally alter the natural course of events.
We all face Red Seas in one form or another. But the good news is that just as God parted the waters for our forefathers when they left Egypt, He can part them for us as well, if only we heed His call.
The writer served as deputy communications director under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.