Passover תרמ”ז 26
במד’ איתא מה אדם יחידי עשיתי לו יבשה עדה שלימה שעתידה לומר לפני זה אלי עאכו”כ.
“In the Midrash it is taught: Just as for one single man I made dry land, so too for an entire congregation that is destined to declare before Me ‘This is my God,’ how much more so.”
The Sefat Emet cites a Midrash comparing the miracle for Adam with the miracle of the splitting of the sea for Israel, emphasizing Israel’s unique future declaration of faith.
והמפרשים מקשים הלא כל בני ישראל היו כלולים באדה”ר.
“And the commentators ask: Were not all the children of Israel included within Adam?”
The question challenges the comparison by noting that Israel was already contained within Adam, so why distinguish between the miracles?
ואין זה קושיא של כלום.
“But this is no difficulty at all.”
The Sefat Emet rejects the objection, implying that the comparison remains meaningful despite this point.
כי בוודאי מאחר שכל העולם נברא בשביל בנ”י.
“For certainly the entire world was created for the sake of the children of Israel.”
This establishes Israel as the core purpose of creation, which reframes the discussion of Adam.
ואז עדיין לא הי’ מבורר קדושת בנ”י.
“And at that time the holiness of the children of Israel had not yet been clarified.”
In Adam’s era, Israel’s distinct spiritual identity was not yet revealed or refined.
והתערובות של הרשעים מכסה הקדושה.
“And the mixture of the wicked concealed the holiness.”
Because humanity was spiritually intermixed, the sanctity within Israel was obscured.
ואעפ”כ ע”י שראה הקב”ה שעתידין בני ישראל לצאת ממנו נעשה יבשה.
“Nevertheless, since the Holy One foresaw that the children of Israel would emerge from him, dry land was made.”
The miracle for Adam occurred in anticipation of Israel’s future emergence from him.
על אחת כו”כ להיות נקרע הים עבור בנ”י ביחוד שהם המבוררים בלי פסולת שעתידין לומר זה אלי כו’.
“How much more so must the sea be split for the children of Israel themselves, who are clarified and without waste, and who are destined to say ‘This is my God,’ etc.”
Since Israel later became spiritually purified and distinct, the miracle of the sea splitting for them is even more justified and elevated.
The Sefat Emet explains that although Israel was included within Adam, their holiness was not then revealed. God performed miracles for Adam in anticipation of Israel’s future emergence; therefore, the splitting of the sea for Israel, once they were spiritually clarified and ready to proclaim “This is my God,” was all the more warranted.
