LOGISTICS OF THE EXODUS - It is likely that there was some sort of tribal hierarchy in Israel at even that time; since they preserved their genealogies, it isn’t implausible that there would also be some sort of hierarchy within tribes and clans. Perhaps Moses and Aaron gave the orders to the heads of the tribes and clans, who then were responsible for letting the people under them know. If the populace was contained within a fairly small area, it’s not implausible that everyone could be notified in time. While there are some details in the story that might seem implausible on a surface reading I believe that we can have full confidence in the historicity of the Exodus account. Moses tells the Israelites to ask for silver and gold before the last plague — Scripture indicates that they were told to get out very soon after the death of the firstborn, so there probably wouldn’t have been time after. In 12:35-36, we’re told that they had already done it. As for the Egyptians being willing to give valuable items to the Israelites, keep in mind that this is after 9 plagues, which even the average person would know had something to do with the Israelites, so they would probably be inclined to do what the Israelites wanted. As for the ethics of the Israelites ‘stealing’ from the Egyptians, think of it as over 400 years of back payments for their work while in slavery. They wandered around enough that by the time they got to the Red Sea, Pharaoh was having second thoughts. Admittedly, this may not have taken long.

 

 

Logistics of the Exodus

How did Moses organize the Israelites to cross the Red Sea?

It is likely that there was some sort of tribal hierarchy in Israel at even that time; since they preserved their genealogies, it isn’t implausible that there would also be some sort of hierarchy within tribes and clans. Perhaps Moses and Aaron gave the orders to the heads of the tribes and clans, who then were responsible for letting the people under them know. If the populace was contained within a fairly small area, it’s not implausible that everyone could be notified in time.

Lita Cosner

 

How did Moses organize the Israelites for the Exodus on such short notice?

Frank S. from the United States wrote in response to our article Change is not Evolution; and: Could so many Israelites have crossed the Red Sea?

The email is reproduced in its entirety:

I’m also in doubt about this story, who told them to assemble at the midnight hour, and then what about all the wailing mothers who lost their children, did they have the time to give the Israelites all these gifts to take out into the desert, and how far is it they travelled, from Rames to the sea? And then they did detour to pick-up the coffin of Joseph, and what about the old men with the ox carts, how fast do they travel? To me, it’s just too amazing, and that they made it all the way to mount Sinai in 3 days, it’s too much!!!!

Comments from CMI’s Lita Cosner are interspersed below:

Dear Frank,

I’m also in doubt about this story, …

While there are some details in the story that might seem implausible on a surface reading I believe that we can have full confidence in the historicity of the Exodus account.

Let me address your questions one by one:

… who told them to assemble at the midnight hour, …

It is likely that there was some sort of tribal hierarchy in Israel at even that time; since they preserved their genealogies, it isn’t implausible that there would also be some sort of hierarchy within tribes and clans.

Perhaps Moses and Aaron gave the orders to the heads of the tribes and clans, who then were responsible for letting the people under them know.

If the populace was contained within a fairly small area, it’s not implausible that everyone could be notified in time.

… and then what about all the wailing mothers who lost their children, did they have the time to give the Israelites all these gifts to take out into the desert, …

Here, I don’t think you’ve read the text carefully enough.

Moses tells the Israelites to ask for silver and gold before the last plague (Exodus 11:2-3) — Scripture indicates that they were told to get out very soon after the death of the firstborn, so there probably wouldn’t have been time after.

In 12:35-36, we’re told that they had already done it.

A couple of related arguments: As for the Egyptians being willing to give valuable items to the Israelites, keep in mind that this is after 9 plagues, which even the average person would know had something to do with the Israelites, so they would probably be inclined to do what the Israelites wanted.

As for the ethics of the Israelites ‘stealing’ from the Egyptians, think of it as over 400 years of back payments for their work while in slavery.

… and how far is it they travelled, from Rames to the sea? And then they did detour to pick-up the coffin of Joseph, and what about the old men with the ox carts, how fast do they travel? To me, it’s just too amazing, and that they made it all the way to mount Sinai in 3 days, it’s too much!!!!

Indeed, all that with a multitude of that size would be too much to do to reach Sinai in three days.

That’s not what Scripture said happened. Here’s the time information we’re given about the Exodus departure:

Ø They wandered around enough that by the time they got to the Red Sea, Pharaoh was having second thoughts (Exodus 14:1-12). Admittedly, this may not have taken long.

Ø  For three days after the crossing of the Red Sea (most likely the three days you’re thinking of), they wandered around in the Wilderness of Shur (Exodus 15:22).

Ø  They took an un-recorded amount of time to get to Elim, camped there for an unrecorded amount of time, and came to the Wilderness of Sin 1 month and 15 days after leaving Egypt (Exodus 16:1).

Ø  On the way to Sinai they were given manna for the first time, and they were on the way to Sinai long enough for there to be at least one Sabbath (Exodus 16:13-30).

Ø  They journeyed ‘by stages’ to Rephidim where they camped for an undisclosed amount of time (Exodus 17:8).

Ø They didn’t actually come to Sinai before the third month after they left Egypt (Exodus 19:1).

So the Bible’s account isn’t as implausible as you make it out to be.

I believe that we should not appeal to supernatural events without evidence from Scripture that something supernatural took place.

Some are inclined to also appeal to supernatural organization and endurance to march for longer periods of time, etc.

I don’t buy into those, because I believe that we should not appeal to supernatural events without evidence from Scripture that something supernatural took place.

Therefore, it is legitimate to say that the Red Sea parting was a miraculous event that involved the direct influence of God, but since there is no indication of anything supernatural about the trek to Sinai, I would be very inclined to try to explain this without appealing to miracles, which I believe can be very plausibly done.

I hope this is helpful for you, and has given you more confidence in the historicity of the Bible’s record of the Exodus.

Sincerely,

Lita Cosner

 

Lita Cosner

Information Officer

Creation Ministries International

https://creation.com/exodus-logistics

 

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SPLIT LAYERS - THE SPLITTING OF THE SEA - The splitting of the sea was more than a utilitarian measure to save the Israelites. Why did G-d choose this method? We have times when G‑d's presence is revealed and times when G‑d seems concealed from us. There are times when we are spiritually inspired and feel close to G‑d, and times when we are uninspired and feel distant from G‑d. A "splitting of the sea" in our lives would mean that the inspiration of prayer stays with us throughout the day — that we experience Divine awareness and revelation even in a time and place where G‑dliness is typically concealed. "We should be grateful to G‑d for the doubled and redoubled goodness that He has bestowed upon us! For He has ... split the sea for us, and took us through it on dry land." G‑d could have saved us in another way. Why did G‑d choose this method? The answer is that the splitting of the sea was the manifestation of a profound revelation of G‑d at that time. This revelation of the concealed was mirrored by the splitting of the waters, where what is normally concealed (the seabed) was revealed. Divine revelation of this kind would cause a person to be so overwhelmed that he would cease to exist with an independent consciousness at all. How was this possible? At the sea, G‑d revealed more than what is revealed in prophecy — He revealed His essence, which transcends all rules.

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Split Layers - The splitting of the sea

The splitting of the sea was more than a utilitarian measure to save the Israelites. Why did G-d choose this method?

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We have times when G‑d's presence is revealed and times when G‑d seems concealed from us. There are times when we are spiritually inspired and feel close to G‑d, and times when we are uninspired and feel distant from G‑d. A "splitting of the sea" in our lives would mean that the inspiration of prayer stays with us throughout the day — that we experience Divine awareness and revelation even in a time and place where G‑dliness is typically concealed

By Yanki Tauber

"We should be grateful to G‑d for the doubled and redoubled goodness that He has bestowed upon us! For He has ... split the sea for us, and took us through it on dry land." (Passover Haggadah)

Is there any significance to the splitting of the sea independent of G‑d taking us through it?

Is it not essentially one act of kindness?

Why are they listed as two separate acts of kindness?

G‑d could have saved us in another way.

Chasidus [and Kabbalah] explains that the splitting of the sea was more than a utilitarian measure to save the Israelites.

Indeed, G‑d could have saved us in another way. Why did G‑d choose this method?

The answer is that the splitting of the sea was the manifestation of a profound revelation of G‑d at that time.

As our Sages taught, even the most spiritually illiterate amongst us experienced prophetic visions at the sea of the sort that our later prophets never experienced.

This revelation of the concealed was mirrored by the splitting of the waters, where what is normally concealed (the seabed) was revealed.

Generally, Divine revelation of this kind would cause a person to be so overwhelmed that he would cease to exist with an independent consciousness at all. How was this possible?

More Than Prophecy

At the sea, G‑d revealed more than what is revealed in prophecy — He revealed His essence, which transcends all rules.

The Israelites were therefore able to remain conscious — to walk through the sea during this immense revelation.

Hence the two acts of kindness:

1) He split the sea for us — i.e., revealed to us the Divine reality that is normally concealed;

2) He led us through the sea on dry land — i.e., He revealed His essence, which transcends the conflicting properties of "sea" and "dry land," thereby enabling us to remain conscious during this revelation.

On dry land:

In contrast to the above interpretation, another perspective is that we are thanking G‑d for:

1.    Splitting the sea and providing us an escape from Egypt, and

2.    for drying the seabed for us so we would not have to walk in mud.

But sparing us a muddy walk seems a relatively insignificant miracle in comparison to the other miracles enumerated here.

Why then is it included?

... this inspiration slowly escapes once we close the prayer book and enter the "real" world...

As mentioned, the splitting of the sea represented a revelation of the G‑dly reality that is usually hidden.

In a personal sense, we also have times when G‑d's presence is revealed and times when G‑d seems concealed from us.

There are times when we are spiritually inspired and feel close to G‑d, and times when we are uninspired and feel distant from G‑d.

Generally, we experience Divine "revelation"--awareness and inspiration — during the times of prayer, especially through meditative prayer.

But this inspiration slowly escapes once we close the prayer book and enter the "real" world, where G‑d is concealed.

A Personal Revelation

A "splitting of the sea" in our lives would mean that the inspiration of prayer stays with us throughout the day — that we experience Divine awareness and revelation even in a time and place where G‑dliness is typically concealed.

But this can occur in two ways:

In the first, the perspective gained during prayer is enough to affect our behavior during the day but does not transform our feelings and inclinations.

This can be compared to a splitting of the sea in which the waters of concealment have not been completely removed from the seabed — it remains wet and muddy.

This means that the hidden has been revealed, but not entirely — a residue of the waters of concealment remains.

Yet, as we say in the Haggadah, even if G‑d only granted us this "small" spiritual achievement — Dayenu!

He gave us the ability to experience an absolute "splitting of the sea"...

But G‑d accorded us an even greater kindness: He gave us the ability to experience an absolute "splitting of the sea," a revelation of the concealed, where no "water" remains at all and we can walk on "dry land."

Our meditative prayers can "part the sea," enabling us to see through the "concealing waters" of the world even outside the times of prayer.

We are then able to see the world as the handiwork of its Creator and to perceive the purpose He intended for it in its creation.

From The Kehot Passover Haggadah: Translator--Rabbi J. Immanuel Schochet; Commentaries—Yanki Tauber; Editor—Rabbi Yosef Marcus. By Yanki Tauber

Based on the talks and writings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson; rendered by Yanki Tauber.

Yanki Tauber served as editor of Chabad.org

https://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/4358627/jewish/Split-Layers.htm