Introduction to Midrash: Exodus

(21) Then Moses held out his arm over the sea and the Eternal drove back the sea with a strong east wind all that night, and turned the sea into dry ground. The waters were split, (22) and the Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. (23) The Egyptians came in pursuit after them into the sea, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen. (24) At the morning watch, the Eternal looked down upon the Egyptian army from a pillar of fire and cloud, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. (25) He locked the wheels of their chariots so that they moved forward with difficulty. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Eternal is fighting for them against Egypt.” (26) Then the Eternal said to Moses, “Hold out your arm over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians and upon their chariots and upon their horsemen.”

(18) He [Moses] said, “Oh, let me behold Your Presence!” (19) And God answered, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim before you the name Eternal, and the grace that I grant and the compassion that I show.

(5) When you see the donkey of your enemy lying under its burden and would refrain from raising it, you must nevertheless raise it with him.

(2) What is meant by You have established equity (ibid.)? Rabbi Alexandri explained it as follows: Two donkeys are being led along a road by men who hate each other. Suddenly, one of the donkeys falls to the ground. As the one who is leading the second donkey passes by, he sees the donkey of the other man collapsed beneath his load, and he says to himself: “Is it not written in the law that If you see the donkey of one that hates you lying under its burden, you shall not pass him by; you shall nevertheless release it for him (Exod. 23:5)?” What did he do? He turned back to help the other man reload his donkey, and then accompanied him on the way. In fact, while working with him he began to talk to the owner of the mule, saying: “Let us loosen it a little on this side, let us tighten it down on this side,” until he reloaded the animal with him. It came to pass that they had made peace between themselves. The driver of the mule (that had fallen) said to himself: “I cannot believe that he hates me; see how concerned he was when he saw that my mule and I were in distress.” As a result, they went into the inn, and ate and drank together. Finally they became extremely attached to each other. Hence, You have established equity, You have executed justice and righteousness.