Everybody knows how the Sea of Reeds split allowing the Israelites to cross over and escaped the Egyptians either from the Torah, the Passover Haggadah, or the movies the 10 Commandments and the Prince of Egypt. Most people don’t know that the Jordan River split as well to allow the Israelites to enter the land of Canaan. The psalmist sings as well as we do when we sing Hallel: “The sea saw them and fled, Jordan ran backward…” (Psalm 114: 3) These two splittings act as bookends to the 40 year wilderness experience. The rabbis discuss the miracle of the Jordan River splitting in today’s daf TB Sotah 34.
“The
Sages taught (Tosefta 8:1): How did the Jewish people cross the
Jordan? Every day the Ark would travel behind the two flags of Judah
and Reuben, but on that day the Ark traveled in front, as it
is stated: “Behold, the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the earth is
passing before you” (Joshua 3:11). On every other day, the
Levites would carry the Ark, but on this day the priests carried it, as is
stated: “And when the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the Ark of the
Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest” (Joshua 3:13)…
“Rather,
this teaches that the water gathered and rose in heaps upon heaps to a
height of more than three hundred mil, until all the kings of the
East and West saw it, as it is stated: “And it came to pass, when all the kings
of the Amorites, that were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the
Canaanites, that were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters
of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until they were passed over,
that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them anymore, because of
the children of Israel” (Joshua 5:1)…
“While the
Jewish people were still in the Jordan, Joshua said to them: Know for what
purpose you are crossing the Jordan. It is in order to drive out the
inhabitants of the land from before you, as it is stated: “And you shall drive
out all the inhabitants of the land from before you” (Numbers 33:52). If
you will do so, then all is well, but if not, water will come and
drown otikhem. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the
word otikhem? The Gemara explains: It is a combination of the
words me [oti] and you [etkhem].
“While they were still in the Jordan, Joshua said to them: “Pick up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel” (Joshua 4:5). And it is written: “That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in time to come, saying: What do you mean by these stones?” (Joshua 4:6). This will be a sign for the children that their ancestors crossed the Jordan.
“While they were still in the Jordan, Joshua said to them: “Take out of the midst of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood, twelve stones made ready, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging place, where you shall lodge this night” (Joshua 4:3). One might have thought that they were required to place these stones at each and every lodging place where they stayed. Therefore, the verse states: “Where you shall lodge this night,” meaning only on that night.
“While they
were still in the Jordan, Joshua said to them: “Take out of the midst of the
Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood, twelve stones made
ready, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging place,
where you shall lodge this night” (Joshua 4:3).” (Sefaria.org translation)
I hope this whets
your appetite to read the book of Joshua and learn what these 12 stones were
for and find out how the Israelites conquered the land of Canaan.
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