Daf 49a (דַּף מ״ט ע״א)

And at that time (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא), the dominion of Egypt ruled over all other nations (שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם שָׁלִיט עַל כָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין). Once the strength of Egypt was broken (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְבַּר חֵילָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), the strength of the other nations was broken (אִתְּבַר חֵילָא דִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין). From where do we know this (מְנָלָן)? As it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “Then were the chiefs of Edom dismayed” (Exodus 15) (אָז נִבְהֲלוּ אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם וְגו׳). And it is written: “The peoples heard, they trembled…” (וּכְתִיב: שָׁמְעוּ עַמִּים יִרְגָּזוּן וְגו׳).

Because all of them were connected in the service of Egypt (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ אֲחִידָן בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), and attached to Egypt for their support (וַאֲחִידָן בְּמִצְרַיִם לְסִיּוּעָא דִּילְהוֹן). And at that time (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא), they all sought to support Egypt, to strengthen it (כֻּלְּהוּ בָּעָאן לְסִיּוּעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם לְאִתַּתְקְפָא). And because of this (וְעַל דָּא), once they heard of the mighty deeds that Kudsha Berikh Hu performed in Egypt (כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁמְעוּ גְּבוּרָן דְּעָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם), their hands weakened (רָפוּ יְדֵיהוֹן), and they could not stand (וְלָא יָכִילוּ לְמֵיקָם), and they all trembled (וְאִזְדַּעֲזָעוּ כֻּלְּהוּ), and their dominions were broken-those who depended on them (וְאִתְּבָּרוּ מִשּׁוּלְטָנַתְהוֹן), i.e., those linked to their rule. Surely, when their upper power was broken (וַדַּאי כַּד אִתְּבַר חֵילָא דִּילְהוֹן לְעֵילָּא), the power of all those attached to it was broken (אִתְּבַר חֵילָא דְּכָל אִינּוּן דַּאֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ).

Once the upper force was broken (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְבַּר חֵילָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ לְעֵילָּא), all those below were broken (כָּל הָנֵי דִּלְתַתָּא אִתְּבָּרוּ), because of that force which was first broken (בְּגִין הַאי חֵילָא דְּאִתְבַּר בְּקַדְמִיתָא). And because of this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), it is written: “And He removed the wheels of their chariots” (וַיָּסַר אֵת אֹפַן מַרְכְּבוֹתָיו כְּתִיב). “And He led them with heaviness” (וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ בִּכְבֵדוּת), for once that power was broken, they could no longer move (דְּהָא כַּד דָּא אִתְּבַר לָא הֲווֹ אַזְלִין).

Come and see that it is so (תָּא חֲזֵי דְּהָכִי הוּא), for it is not written “He removed the wheels of his chariot” in plural or singular-“wheels of their chariot” or “wheel of his chariot”-but rather (דְּלָא כְּתִיב וַיָּסַר אֵת אוֹפַנִּי מַרְכְּבוֹתָיו אוֹ אוֹפַן מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ) only “He removed the wheel of their chariots” (אֶלָּא וַיָּסַר אֵת אוֹפַן מַרְכְּבוֹתָיו). Because of this force (בְּגִין הַאי חֵילָא), to which they were all clinging (דְּכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ מִתְדַבְּקָן בֵּיהּ). Thus were they called (הֲכִי אַקְרוֹן).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (ר׳ יִצְחָק אָמַר): at the time when Yisrael approached the sea (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקָרִיבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְיַמָּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu called to the great appointed one over the sea (קָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לַמְמָנָא רַבְרְבָא דְּעַל יַמָּא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): when I created the world (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּעֲבָדִית אֲנָא עָלְמָא), I appointed you over the sea (מָנִיתִי לָךְ עַל יַמָּא), and I made a condition with the sea (וּתְנַאי אִית לִי עַל יַמָּא), that its waters would split before My children (דִּי יִבְזַע מֵימוֹי מִקָּמֵי בָּנַי). Now the time has come (הַשְׁתָּא מָטָא עִדָנָא), that My children should pass through the sea (דְּיָעַבְרוּן בָּנַי בְּגוֹ יַמָּא). Afterwards, what is written (לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב): “And the sea returned toward morning to its strength” (וַיָּשָׁב הַיָּם לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר לְאֵיתָנוֹ) (Exodus 14). What is “to its strength” (מַהִי לְאֵיתָנוֹ)? To its original condition that it had with Kudsha Berikh Hu when He created the world (לִתְנָאוֹ דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּד בָּרָא עָלְמָא).

And Yisrael were standing by the sea (וַהֲווּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁרָאן עַל יַמָּא), and they saw (וַהֲווּ יִשְׂרָאֵל חָמָאן): the waves of the sea rising and falling (גַּלְגַּלֵּי יַמָּא סַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין). They lifted their eyes (זָקְפוּ עֵינַיְיהוּ), and saw Pharaoh and his multitudes (וְחָמוּ לְפַרְעֹה וּלְאוּכְלוֹסִין דִּילֵיהּ), they were afraid and cried out (דְּחִילוּ וְצָעֲקוּ). And it has already been said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר): “The sea saw…” (הַיָּם רָאָה) (Psalms 114). What did the sea see (מָה חָמָא יַמָּא)? It saw the coffin of Yosef (אֲרוֹנָא דְּיוֹסֵף קָא חָמָא), and it fled before him (וְעָרַק מִקָּמֵיהּ). Why? Because it is written: “And he fled and went outside” (Bereshit 39) (מַאי טַעְמָא: דִּכְתִּיב: וַיָּנָס וַיֵּצֵא הַחוּצָה). Therefore: “The sea saw and fled” (וְעַל דָּא: הַיָּם רָאָה וַיָּנוֹס). And it is written: “And He removed the wheels of their chariots” (וּכְתִיב: וַיָּסַר אֶת אוֹפַן מַרְכְּבוֹתָיו וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 14). “It was driven away because of Yisrael” (אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). Why? Because they saw the land of Egypt as if it were consumed by fire (מַאי טַעֲמָא: בְּגִין דְּחָמוּ אַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם כְּאִלּוּ אִתּוֹקַד בְּנוּרָא). Then they said: “It was driven away because of Yisrael” (כְּדֵין אָמְרוּ: אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל).