Walking into the Waters

The waters stretched before them, vast and impassable. Behind them, clouds of dust rose on the horizon—Pharaoh’s chariots in pursuit, the thunder of hooves growing louder. The taste of freedom, so sweet just days before as they left Egypt, now turned bitter with fear. Trapped between the sea and their former slave masters, the Israelites faced what seemed an impossible choice: return to bondage or drown in the depths.

Then came the miracle. Moses stretched his staff over the waters as God commanded, and a strong east wind began to blow. The sea parted before their eyes, its waters rising like walls on either side, revealing a path of dry land through the depths. As the Israelites crossed to safety, the Egyptian forces followed in pursuit—only to be consumed when the waters crashed back together, sealing their fate and securing Israel’s deliverance.

It is this dramatic moment—the Splitting of the Sea—that we commemorate on the seventh day of Passover. While the first night’s seder celebrates our liberation from Egyptian bondage, this final day marks something equally profound: the miraculous splitting of the Sea, when the newly freed Israelites faced their first test of faith.

The scene is dramatically portrayed in Exodus. The Israelites, barely a week into their freedom, find themselves trapped between Pharaoh’s advancing army and the impassable waters of the sea. No logical escape route exists. As panic spreads through the camp, Moses reassures the people:

Yet moments later, God’s instruction seems to contradict this passive approach:

This apparent contradiction reveals a profound spiritual principle: divine redemption often requires human initiative.

According to tradition, it was at this crucial moment that Nachshon son of Amminadab, a prince of the tribe of Judah, took that first brave step into the waters. The sages describe how he waded in deeper and deeper—up to his knees, his waist, his shoulders—until the water reached his nostrils. Only then, when human faith had been demonstrated through action, did the waters part.

This story teaches us that miracles don’t always precede faith; sometimes faith must come first. God wants us to trust Him even before He performs miracles for us.

What followed this act of faith was not merely a physical salvation but an unparalleled spiritual experience. The Sages tells us that at the Splitting of the Sea, “even the simplest maidservant saw a level of divine revelation greater than that of the prophet Ezekiel.” This statement is extraordinary when we consider that Ezekiel’s mystical visions of the Divine Chariot are among the most profound in the entire Bible. The implication is clear: at the sea, every single person—regardless of social status, education, or spiritual sensitivity—experienced direct, unmistakable divine revelation.

This explains why the crossing of the sea marks the true completion of the Exodus. Physical freedom had been granted when they left Egypt, but psychological freedom—the deep, experiential knowledge that they were truly under God’s protection—came only at the sea.

The response to this revelation was immediate and profound. The Torah tells us:

This spontaneous outpouring became known as “The Song of the Sea” (Shirat HaYam), a text so sacred that it is included in Jewish daily prayers. Indeed, the medieval commentator Rashi suggests that this communal expression of joy and gratitude is the very reason for celebrating the seventh day of Passover.

Why would this warrant celebration? According to the Talmud, song is the ultimate expression of joy. The Splitting of the Sea was not just another miracle—it was the moment when the Jewish people finally felt secure enough, relieved enough, and grateful enough to break into song. From this perspective, what we celebrate on the seventh day is not just the miracle itself but the human capacity to recognize divine intervention and respond with gratitude.

This understanding transforms how we might approach the seventh day of Passover in our own lives. Rather than simply commemorating an ancient miracle, we can use this day to reflect on moments when we’ve faced our own “seas”—situations where moving forward seemed impossible, yet somehow a path emerged. We can ask ourselves:

When have I needed to take that first brave step, like Nachshon, before seeing a solution? Where in my life have I experienced moments of clarity that changed my understanding of my place in the universe? How have I expressed gratitude for unexpected paths forward?

The seventh day of Passover reminds us that redemption is rarely a single event. Rather, it unfolds as a dialogue between human action, divine response. This ancient story offers a timeless message: sometimes we must walk into the waters before they part. And when they do, we must respond with joy and gratitude.

In our own challenging times—when Jewish communities worldwide face rising antisemitism, when hostages remain in captivity, when discord and violence seem to dominate headlines—this message takes on renewed urgency. The waters before us may seem vast and impassable. The way forward unclear. Yet the miracle at the sea reminds us that even in our darkest moments, faith can illuminate unexpected paths.

As we observe this final day of Passover, let us remember that faith is not passive waiting but active moving forward. And when we do take those steps—even into seemingly impassable waters—we open ourselves to revelations that might surpass anything we could imagine. As the prophet Isaiah reassured us:

The miracle at the sea reminds us that our story, like the Exodus itself, doesn’t end with liberation from oppression. It continues through challenges that test our faith, through moments of divine revelation that transform our understanding, and through songs of gratitude that express our deepest joy. In celebrating this day, we affirm our belief that even when the path forward seems impossible, we need only take that first brave step.

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The World Zionist Congress determines how nearly $1 billion is allocated annually to support Israel and global Jewish communities. In our post-October 7th world, Israel365 Action stands against a Palestinian state in Judea & Samaria and affirms the Jewish people’s right to their Biblical homeland. Help shape Israel’s future! 

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