בבא בתרא פח

A רב של פורים gave a דרשה about קריעת ים סוף and said the following: “Our חכמים tell us that the רבונו של עולם is מקמץ בנסים. If so, why did He split the sea? He could have frozen it and the Jews could have walked over the ice. The answer is that they would have slid and slipped. If so, however, He could have had snow fall on the ice. He didn’t do so, however, because their footsteps would have been visible ולא היה מתקיים בהם: ועקבותיהם לא נודעו. But isn’t it true that ששים רבוא ישראל could have drunk up the sea and passed on the dry land? The answer is that had they done so, היה מתקיים בהם the saying that those who drink one כוס return two and if they had done so, they would have caused a flood. If so, why didn’t the Jews each return one cup to the sea and hold the other one in their hands? The answer is that they needed their hands to say שירה. But if that is so, why didn’t they say שירה with one hand and hold the cup with the other? The answer is אין מלאך אחד עושה שתי שליחות.”

06/10/2021