Seeing Miracles

Our Rabbis taught: R. Yossi the Galilean taught: At the time the Israelites ascended from the Red Sea, they desired to sing a Song; and how did they sing the song? The toddler lay upon his mother's knees and the baby suckled at his mother's breast; when they beheld the Shechinah, the toddler raised his neck and the suckling released the nipple from his mouth, and they exclaimed: This is my God and I will Praise Him; as it is said: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou established strength. R. Meir used to say: Whence is it that even the embryos in their mothers' womb uttered a song? As it is said, "In congregations bless God the Lord, from the womb of Israel."

Whence is it derived that even the embryos in their mothers' womb sang the song at the Red Sea? As it is said, "In congregations bless God the Lord, from the womb of Israel."

(1) And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and encamped in Rephidim; and there was no water for the people to drink. (2) Wherefore the people strove with Moses, and said: ‘Give us water that we may drink.’ And Moses said unto them: ‘Why strive ye with me? wherefore do ye try the LORD?’ (3) And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said: ‘Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?’ (4) And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying: ‘What shall I do unto this people? they are almost ready to stone me.’

And how do we know that they complained at the Red Sea? When they descended into the water it was full of mud that, until this point, had been moist from the water...Reuven would say to Shimon: In Egypt we had mud, in the sea we have mud. In Egypt we had clay and bricks, and in the sea we have clay and great waters. This is, "but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea." And after all these miracles you all are going to cause me evil.

(7) Our fathers in Egypt gave no heed unto Thy wonders; they remembered not the multitude of Thy mercies; but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.