There is a Jewish principle that whenever a unique word is repeated in the Torah it
means there is a connection between the two events.
One of the most interesting places in the Bible where this principle occurs is in the
story of the splitting of the sea.
Imagine for a moment - you were there with the Jewish people at the moment when the sea split in
front of them.
Imagine.
The Egyptians were chasing after you and the sea is in front of you.
And there is literally nowhere to run.
And at the moment where all seems lost, the sea suddenly splits before your eyes.
What kind of reaction do you think you'd have?
I mean you’d probably just be like – “wow”.
After all, this is considered to be one of the greatest miracles recorded in the Bible.
But have you ever actually asked yourself – what is it that constitutes a miracle?
What makes something miraculous for us?
For us, something miraculous, something incredible, is when nature does something very unusual
– when physical nature doesn’t follow its nature.
THAT is a miracle in our eyes.
Now hold that thought for a moment and have a look at this:
It says something very interesting about the splitting of the sea in the Psalms – something
which we recite in the Hallel Prayer.
In describing the sea splitting it says that the sea saw and “fled” – “vayanos”.
Now that’s a rather peculiar way of describing the event.
What does it mean that the sea “fled?”
Well you know there actually happens to be one other place in the entire Bible where
this word “fled” – “vayanos” appears.
It’s in the story of Joseph.
When Joseph was sent down to Egypt by his brothers, he became a slave for the aristocrat,
Potiphar.
And Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him.
Now one thing you need to know about Joseph is that he was a very, very good looking guy
– the Torah commentaries say he was actually so good looking that women would throw their
jewellery at him just so he would look at them.
I mean personally I actually can kind of relate to this a little bit but that’s not the
point.
So one day the house was empty and Potiphar’s wife was putting immense pressure on Joseph
to have an affair with her.
The temptation to give in was reaching a boiling point.
And the verse says, “She caught him by his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me!’
She gets right to the point.
And he left his garment in her hand and fled – vayanos - and went outside”.
Again we have this word “vayanos” – Joseph fled.
So why is the splitting sea described as ‘fleeing’ the same way Joseph is described as ‘fleeing’?
What’s the connection?
Well we explained before that in our eyes a miracle occurs when physical nature doesn’t
follow its nature.
But have you ever considered, what makes something miraculous in the eyes of God?
What makes something miraculous in the eyes of heaven?
What makes God say “wow!
That is awesome!”
The manipulation of nature is not impressive for God; that’s easy business for Him!
In the eyes of Heaven, a miracle isn’t when physical
nature goes against its nature.
It’s when human beings go against their nature.
And that is exactly what Joseph did.
Just as the sea ‘fled,’ going against its normative physical nature and creating
a miracle, so too when Joseph ‘fled’ from Potiphar’s wife, he went against his nature
and created a human miracle.
When God sees a person overcoming his negative urges which is in his nature, now that’s
impressive!
In fact the Talmud says, “You should have seen the commotion in heaven
when Joseph did what he did!”
Every time we choose to fight being lazy, getting angry, or succumbing to our desires
and overcome these natural inclinations, we perform a miracle.
Every time we push ourselves and choose to overcome what is easy and do what is right
– that is a miracle in spiritual terms.
Every time we choose to be loyal to our friends rather than to climb that social ladder, or
to give that little bit extra to charity, or whatever it is – we go against the natural
order of doing what's easiest – and that is a pretty rare thing.
What does it mean when it says that the sea “saw and fled” – what did it see?
The Talmud says that the sea metaphorically ‘saw’ the coffin of Joseph
being held as they were all standing at the sea.
And the sea, so to speak, remembered how Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife.
And in the merit of one of the greatest human miracles performed by Joseph, God responded
by performing one of the most supernatural miracles ever - splitting the sea.
You know the word for a miracle in Hebrew is a ‘nes’, and the Hebrew word for a
moral challenge is ‘nisayon.’
It derives from the same root because the concept is the same.
A miracle is about embracing a challenge and going against our nature.
The Talmud asks, “Who is strong?”
The answer is powerful: “He who overcomes his desires”.
The real test of strength and character isn’t found in the gym, it’s found in the arena
of human choices.