We continue with our pasuk by pasuk simple explanation of Az Yashir , a daily prayer that we should be saying. The more we understand it, the more kavana we have and the more kavana we have, the more connected we feel. We're supposed to say it every day like we were there. מַרְכְּבֹ֥ת פַּרְעֹ֛ה וְחֵיל֖וֹ יָרָ֣ה בַיָּ֑ם וּמִבְחַ֥ר שָֽׁלִשָׁ֖יו טֻבְּע֥וּ בְיַם־סֽוּף׃ The chariots of Paroah, and his armies, God threw into the sea, and the most choice of his men drowned in the Yam Suf. Rashi tells us the word Tube’u means drowned in mud (and he brings a pasuk from Tehilim and Yirmiyah as proof). This teaches us that the bottom of the ocean turned into mud and they drowned in mud. Why’d they drown in mud? Because part of Az Shir was showing them Middah k’negged middah/ measure for measure. Rashi makes the important point that because the Mitzrim made the Jews do backbreaking work with mud, they would drown in mud. תְּהֹמֹ֖ת יְכַסְיֻ֑מוּ יָרְד֥וּ בִמְצוֹלֹ֖ת כְּמוֹ־אָֽבֶן׃ The depths covered them, They went to the depths like a rock. There is a famous Rashi that points out that one time it says they went out down like rocks, another time it says they went down like lead, and it also says says they went like straw. Rashi says the most wicked were like straw. They went up and down, they didn't immediately drown. The ones that were in the middle went down like rocks, which means they went down, but they went down slowly. The kosher ones went down like lead. So depending on how each one treated the Jews is how they died. Why is this important? Later on, in Parashat Yitro, Yitro gets all excited about Hashem, and the words that used to describe his excitement are, עַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל יְהֹוָ֖ה מִכׇּל־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים l Now I know that God is greater in all gods. (Yitro tried them all) כִּ֣י בַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר זָד֖וּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ Targum says the word Zadu means They planned, so it means: On what they planned on doing, they were judged. They were judged as they planned. Simply this means, they wanted to drown the Jewish babies in water so they were drowned in water. But the Brisker Rav says that Yitro had a deeper insight. Yitro was one of Paroah’s advisors. He knew all about the different plans that they had, even the ones that never came to fruition. But when God punished the Egyptians, He didn't just punish them based on what they did, He punished them based on what they thought about, based on what they planned on doing. That's what most impressed Yitro. The Jews saw what happened to the all different Egyptians and they said, “ Oh, this guy, we thought he was a nice guy!” But little did they know what he planned to do. Only Yitro knew the plans. And when Yitro shared the plans, they were extremely impressed with how Hashem punished them based on what they wanted to do. Like it says, “ Amari Oved Avi/ Lavan the Arami destroyed my father.” He didn't destroy my father, he wanted to destroy my father. But God knew what he wanted to do. So these past two pesukim show how the Jewish people realized the Divine Providence of Hashem, His knowledge of what they were planning on doing, and the exact punishment Middah knegged Middah. That’s one of the main takeaways and lessons of Emunah- reward and punishment; God rewards and punishes. Our last pasuk of the day says, יְמִֽינְךָ֣ ה׳ נֶאְדָּרִ֖י בַּכֹּ֑חַ יְמִֽינְךָ֥ ה׳ תִּרְעַ֥ץ אוֹיֵֽב׃ Your right hand is great and strength , your right hand ֶ will crush the enemy. The obvious question is, God doesn't have two right hands. It should say both right and left. But Rashi explains that right and left often indicate a positive mercy versus justice. The right hand gives, the left hand takes back. Rashi explains that when the Jewish people do the will of God, the left hand turns into the right hand, which means God only has mercy for the Jews. And that's what happened at Keriat Yam Suf. God had two right hands- to only benefit, and do good for us. Have a wonderful day.