The Merit that Saved Us From The Sea

The miracle of the parting of the Red Sea was indeed a remarkable event. The Torah highlights that the Jews were walking ביבשה בתוך הים, on dry land within the sea. Some Rishonim note that as the Jews were crossing, the sea began to revert to its natural state even while they were still in the water. From a bird’s eye view, one would see half the sea returned to normal while the other half remained split, forming walls for the Jewish people: והמים להם חומה.

This phrase, והמים להם חומה, appears twice in the narrative. The Midrash explains that this repetition emphasizes a crucial moment when the Jews were crossing the sea with the Egyptians in hot pursuit. The heavenly prosecutor demanded that both nations of idol worshipers be treated equally, implying that justice required both to be destroyed.

In response, the angel Gabriel argued on behalf of the Jewish people, proclaiming:

והיה מכריז על הים ואומר למים שבימינם הזהרו בישראל שעתידין לקבל התורה שנתנה בימינו של הקב״ה שנאמר מימינו אש דת למו חזר ואמר למים שבשמאלם הזהרו בישראל שעתידין להניח תפילין בשמאל חזר ואמר למים שלאחריהם הזהרו בישראל שעתידים להתעטף בציצית מאחוריהם והמים שומעין דבריו ועומדין חומות

Gabriel’s argument was based on the future potential of the Jewish people. He urged the waters to stand still in recognition of the Torah they would receive, the tefillin they would wear, and the tzitzit they would wrap themselves in.

The Da’at Zekeinim highlights that the reference to tzitzit specifically pertains to the עטיפת בטלית, where the strings are behind us. This detail is significant because it underscores the importance of the act of wrapping oneself in the tallit, which plays a role in our protection.

But what is the significance of the עטיפה (wrapping) when we put on the tallit? While the mitzvah of tzitzit is fulfilled by wearing strings on the four corners of a garment, there is also the view of the Geonim that tzitzit should cover our face as well. Though we do not follow this practice strictly, we acknowledge their perspective by briefly covering our head with the tallit before wearing it in the usual manner.

This act of עטיפה, serves as a זכות for us strictly because it acknowledges how, when possible, we will go out of our to fulfill the valid views of Geonim and Rishonim even when we do not paskun like there position. It is why we in our shul light our Channukah candles by shkiya and keep them lit until half hour after tziet, to acknowledge that we would like to fulfill as many positions of the Rishonim as possible. And it is that drive to serve God even according to positions that we do not paskun like that prevented the water from drowning us while it drowned the Egyptians.