Hard to See the Water, Hard to Change Your Life

Parshat B'Shalach

by Rabbi Avi Billet

They traveled from the Sea of Reeds, and they went out to the Shur Wilderness, and they walked for three days in the wilderness and they did not find water. And they came to Marah, and they were unable to drink water from Marah, for they were bitter… (15:22-23)

Today we are going to ask two questions, leaving one unanswered, while learning a lesson from the second.

First: Where was the Yam Suf - Sea of Reeds – and the splitting of the sea (note how it’s not a ‘crossing of the sea’)?
Second: Is this the three day journey of which Moshe spoke?

The first question is wrought with controversy. Targum Yonatan notes the view that the sea split into twelve “lanes” to allow for each tribe to go through at the same time. With 3 million people going through the sea, this would maximize the efficiency while minimizing the amount of time it would take to get to the other side of the sea-walls.