Pt2 Hallel: Scope, Significance, and Related Aggadic Teachings (Pesachim 118a-b)
Appendix - God’s Historical Collaboration with the Sea: from the Splitting of the Sea in Egypt to the Battle of Sisera (Pesachim 118b)
This is the second and final part of a two-part series. Part 1 is here; the outline of the series can be found at Part 1. Chag Same’ach!
R’ Yoḥanan - Hallel (Psalms 113–118) is recited because it includes Exodus, Red Sea, Torah, and the future Resurrection and messianic suffering
וכי מאחר דאיכא הלל הגדול,
אנן מאי טעמא אמרינן האי?
משום שיש בו חמשה דברים הללו:
יציאת מצרים,
קריעת ים סוף,
ומתן תורה,
ותחיית המתים,
וחבלו של משיח.
The Talmud asks: And since there is the great hallel, which contains the special praise of “Who gives food to all flesh” (Psalms 136:25), as explained above,
what is the reason that one also recites this hallel of Psalms 113–118, the section recited on every joyous occasion?
The Talmud answers: The reason is because the regular hallel contains these five matters:
The remembrance of the exodus from Egypt,
the splitting of the Red Sea,
the giving of the Torah,
the resurrection of the dead,
and the pangs of the Messiah.
Since it mentions these key concepts, this hallel is also considered important.
Prooftexts - Psalms 114:1-4, 116:9, 115:1
יציאת מצרים,
דכתיב: ״בצאת ישראל ממצרים״.
וקריעת ים סוף,
דכתיב: ״הים ראה וינוס״.
מתן תורה,
דכתיב: ״ההרים רקדו כאילים״.
תחיית המתים,
דכתיב: ״אתהלך לפני ה׳״.
חבלו של משיח,
דכתיב: ״לא לנו ה׳ לא לנו״
The Talmud elaborates:
The exodus from Egypt,
as it is written: “When Israel came forth out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language” (Psalms 114:1).
And the splitting of the Red Sea,
as it is written: “The sea saw it and fled; the Jordan turned backward” (Psalms 114:3).
The giving of the Torah,
as it is written: “The mountains skipped like rams” (Psalms 114:4), which is similar to the description of the giving of the Torah found elsewhere in the books of the Prophets.
The resurrection of the dead,
as it is written: “I will walk before YHWH in the lands of the living” (Psalms 116:9), which follows the verse: “For you have delivered my soul from death.” After mentioning death, the psalm describes the resurrection in the lands of the living.
The pangs of the Messiah,
as it is written: “Not to us, God, not to us, but to Your name give glory” (Psalms 115:1).
R’ Yoḥanan - Psalms 115:1 is referring to Jewish servitude to non-Jewish nations, or to the future messianic war of Gog and Magog
ואמר רבי יוחנן:
״לא לנו ה׳ לא לנו״ —
זו שעבוד מלכיות.
איכא דאמרי,
אמר רבי יוחנן:
״לא לנו ה׳ לא לנו״ —
זו מלחמת גוג ומגוג
And R’ Yoḥanan said:
The verse “Not to us, God, not to us” and the entire psalm, including the verse “Why should the nations say, where now is their God?” (Psalms 115:2),
is referring to the era of the enslavement of the kingdoms and the redemption of the Jewish people from their dominion.
Some say that
R’ Yoḥanan said:
The verse “Not to us, God, not to us”
is referring to the war of Gog and Magog, the catastrophes and wars that will befall the Jewish people in the end of days from which they will be delivered.
Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak - Hallel recalls deliverance of the righteous from Gehenna - Psalms 116:4
רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר:
מפני שיש בו מילוט נפשות של צדיקים מגיהנם,
שנאמר: ״אנה ה׳ מלטה נפשי״.
Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said:
Another reason why one recites hallel of Psalms 113–118 is because it contains a reference to the deliverance of the souls of the righteous from Gehenna,
as it is stated: “I beseech you, YHWH, deliver my soul” (Psalms 116:4).
Ḥizkiya - Hallel recounts the fiery furnace ordeal of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah - Psalms 115:1, 117:1–2
חזקיה אמר:
מפני שיש בו
ירידתן של צדיקים לכבשן האש,
ועלייתן ממנו.
ירידתן,
דכתיב: ״לא לנו ה׳ לא לנו״ אמר חנניה,
״כי לשמך תן כבוד״ אמר מישאל,
״על חסדך ועל אמתך״ אמר עזריה,
״למה יאמרו הגוים״ אמרו כולן.
עלייתן מכבשן האש,
דכתיב: ״הללו את ה׳ כל גוים״ אמר חנניה,
״שבחוהו כל האומים״ אמר מישאל,
״כי גבר עלינו חסדו״ אמר עזריה,
״ואמת ה׳ לעולם הללויה״ אמרו כולן.
Ḥizkiya said:
Another reason is because it contains the story of
the descent of the righteous Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah into the fiery furnace
and their miraculous ascent from it.
Ḥizkiya clarifies his previous statement:
Their descent is mentioned in this hallel,
as it is written: “Not to us, God, not to us,” a verse that Hananiah recited.
Mishael recited: “But to Your name give glory.”
Azariah recited: “For Your mercy and for Your truth’s sake.”
They all recited together: “Why should the nations say: Where now is their God?”.
This hallel also alludes to the ascent of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from the fiery furnace,
as it is written: “Praise YHWH, all you nations, laud Him all you peoples. For His mercy is great toward us, and the truth of YHWH endures forever, halleluya” (Psalms 117). Hananiah recited: “Praise YHWH, all you nations,” for the overt miracle performed for them before the nations.
Mishael recited: “Laud Him all you peoples.”
Azariah recited: “For His mercy is great toward us.”
They all recited together: “And the truth of YHWH endures forever, halleluya.”
Gabriel Recited “And the truth of YHWH…” after saving Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah - Psalms 117:2
(See footnote.)1
ויש אומרים:
״ואמת ה׳ לעולם״ גבריאל אמרו.
בשעה שהפיל נמרוד הרשע את אברהם אבינו לתוך כבשן האש
[…]
And some say that
the angel Gabriel recited: “And the truth of YHWH endures forever.”
When the evil Nimrod threw our father, Abraham, into the fiery furnace
[…]
באותה שעה פתח גבריאל ואמר: ״ואמת ה׳ לעולם״.
At that time Gabriel began praising God and recited: “And the truth of YHWH endures forever” (Psalms 117:2), as God fulfilled His promise to him from more than a thousand years earlier.
R’ Natan - The fish of the sea said “And the truth of YHWH…” after Red Sea and Sisera episodes - Psalms 117:2; Judges 5:20–21
(See footnote.)2
רבי נתן אומר:
״ואמת ה׳ לעולם״ —
דגים שבים אמרוהו
[…]
R’ Natan says:
“And the truth of YHWH endures forever”
was actually recited by the fish in the sea
[…]
R’ Shimon ben Lakish - Israel is like a rat in the cellar - Psalms 113:9
אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש,
מאי דכתיב: ״מושיבי עקרת הבית״?
אמרה כנסת ישראל לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא:
רבונו של עולם!
שמוני בניך כחולדה זו הדרה בעיקרי בתים.
The Talmud cites more midrashim on the verses of hallel.
R’ Shimon ben Lakish said:
What is the meaning of that which is written: “Who makes the barren woman dwell in her house as a joyful mother of children, halleluya” (Psalms 113:9)?
The Congregation of Israel, i.e., the leaders of the Jewish people, said before God:
God!
due to their sins, Your children treat me like this rat (חולדה) that dwells in the vaults3 of houses, barely able to find a place in the house.
Rava - Israel is beloved to God when it prays, even if it lacks mitzvot - Psalms 116:1
דרש רבא:
מאי דכתיב: ״אהבתי כי ישמע ה׳״?
אמרה כנסת ישראל:
רבונו של עולם!
אימת אני אהובה לפניך?
בזמן שתשמע קול תחנוני
Rava taught:
What is the meaning of that which is written: “I love that YHWH should hear my voice and my supplications” (Psalms 116:1)?
The Congregation of Israel said:
God!
when am I beloved by You, and I know that I am loved?
When You hear the voice of my supplications.
“I was brought low, and He saved me” (Psalms 116:6).
״דלותי ולי יהושיע״
אמרה כנסת ישראל לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא:
רבונו של עולם!
אף על פי שדלה אני במצות —
לך אני
ולי נאה להושיע.
The Congregation of Israel said before God:
God!
although I am lowly in mitzvot, as I do not always fulfill them properly,
I am Yours,
and therefore it is fitting that I should be saved.
R’ Yishmael ben Yosei citing his father - Nations praise God for His acts toward Israel; Egypt and Kush’s gifts to the Messiah are accepted, While Rome’s Aren’t - Psalms 117:1; 68:30–32
(See footnote.)4
אמר רב כהנא:
כשחלה רבי ישמעאל ברבי יוסי,
שלח לו רבי: אמור לנו שנים ושלשה דברים שאמרת לנו משום אביך
שלח לו:
כך אמר אבא:
Rav Kahana said:
When R’ Yishmael, son of R’ Yosei, fell ill,
R’ Yehuda HaNasi sent a message to him: Tell us two or three matters that you said to us, citing your father.
He sent back to him:
My father said as follows:
מאי דכתיב: ״הללו את ה׳ כל גוים״,
אומות העולם מאי עבידתייהו?
הכי קאמר:
״הללו את ה׳ כל גוים״ אגבורות ונפלאות דעביד בהדייהו,
כל שכן אנו ד״גבר עלינו חסדו״.
[…]
What is the meaning of that which is written: “Praise YHWH, all you nations, laud Him all you peoples. For His mercy is great toward us, and the truth of YHWH endures forever, halleluya” (Psalms 117)?
What are the nations of the world doing by praising God for His great mercies toward Israel?
R’ Yosei explained: Rather, this is what the verse is saying:
“Praise YHWH, all you nations” for the mighty acts and the wonders that God performed before their eyes.
All the more so we, the recipients of these acts, should praise and thank Him, as His mercy is great toward us.
[…]
R’ Ḥiyya bar Abba citing R’ Yoḥanan - “Rebuke the beast” refers to Rome’s hypocrisy and cruelty - Psalms 68:31; Psalms 80:14
אמר רבי חייא בר אבא, אמר רבי יוחנן:
געור בחיה שכל מעשיה נכתבין בקולמוס אחד.
R’ Ḥiyya bar Abba said that R’ Yoḥanan said that
the verse means: “Rebuke the beast”, all of whose actions are written with a single quill.5
Kaneh can mean a reed, or a quill. In other words, rebuke a nation that speaks of others in only one manner, for the worse.
Homiletic reading of Psalms 68:31
״עדת אבירים בעגלי עמים״ —
ששחטו אבירים כעגלים שאין להם בעלים.
״מתרפס ברצי כסף״ —
שפושטין יד לקבל ממון, ואין עושין רצון בעלים.
״פיזר עמים קרבות יחפצון״ —
מי גרם להם לישראל שיתפזרו לבין אומות העולם? קריבות שהיו חפצין בהן.
The verse continues: “The multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples, everyone submitting himself with pieces of silver. He has scattered the peoples who delight in war” (Psalms 68:31).
“The multitude of the bulls [abirim], with the calves of the peoples” —
this is referring to Rome, who slaughtered mighty people [abirim] like ownerless calves.
“Everyone submitting himself with pieces of silver,”
means that the officials of Rome open their hands to receive money as bribes or taxes, but actually they do not perform the will of their masters, as they cannot be trusted even in this regard.
“He has scattered the peoples who delight in war”;
what caused the Jewish people to be scattered among the nations of the world? The intimacies6 that they desired with them. Their exile among the nations was caused by their attraction to the customs and behavior of non-Jews.
R’ Yishmael ben Yosei - Rome’s vast food reserves
(See footnote.)7
ועוד שלח לו:
שלש מאות וששים וחמשה שווקים בכרך גדול של רומי,
וכל אחד ואחד (היו) [יש] בו שלש מאות וששים וחמשה בירניות,
וכל בירנית ובירנית (היו בו) [יש בה] שלש מאות וששים וחמשה מעלות,
וכל מעלה ומעלה (היו בו) [יש בה] כדי לזון את כל העולם כולו.
And R’ Yishmael further sent to R’ Yehuda HaNasi:
There were 365 markets in the great city of Rome,
and each and every one of them contained 365 towers (בירניות)
and each and every tower contained 365 floors (מעלות)
and each and every floor contained enough food to sustain the entire world.
These food reserves will go to the Jews in the messianic future - Isaiah 23:18
אמר רבי (ישמעאל) [שמעון ברבי] לרבי,
ואמרי לה (ל)רבי ישמעאל בר יוסי [לרבי]:
הני למן?
לך ולחברך ולחברותך,
שנאמר:
״סחרה ואתננה קודש לה׳
לא יאצר ולא יחסן
כי ליושבים לפני ה׳ יהיה וגו׳״.
R’ Yishmael also said to R’ Yehuda HaNasi,
and some say that he said it to R’ Yishmael, son of R’ Yosei:
For whom did they store all this food?
He replied: For you and your colleagues and the colleagues of your colleagues, i.e., for the Jewish people and their rabbis,
as it is stated:
“Her grain and her hire shall be consecrated to YHWH;
it shall not be treasured nor laid up;
for her gain shall be for those who dwell before YHWH, to eat their fill, and for stately clothing” (Isaiah 23:18).
Rav Yosef - “Storehouse” and “Treasury” - Isaiah 23:18
מאי ״לא יאצר״?
תני רב יוסף:
״לא יאצר״ —
זה בית אוצר,
״ולא יחסן״ —
זה בית גניזה.
The Talmud asks: What is the meaning of the phrase: “It shall not be treasured”?
Rav Yosef teaches:
“It shall not be treasured,”
this is referring to items brought into a storehouse (בית אוצר)
“nor laid up,”
this means a treasury (בית גניזה), where valuable items were stored behind guarded walls.
R’ Elazar - Those who “dwell before God” refers to Torah scholars who know each other’s seats or greet one another - Isaiah 23:18
מאי ״כי ליושבים לפני ה׳״?
אמר רבי אלעזר: זה המכיר מקום חבירו בישיבה.
איכא דאמרי,
אמר רבי אלעזר: זה המקבל פני חבירו בישיבה.
What is the meaning of the phrase: “Who dwell before YHWH?”
R’ Elazar said: This is one who recognizes his colleague’s place in the yeshiva, as he is there often enough to know where everyone sits.
Some say that
R’ Elazar said a different explanation: This is one who greets his colleague in the yeshiva, as he is always there to meet him.
‘Mekhaseh atik’ refers to one who conceals or reveals divine secrets - Isaiah 23:18
מאי ״למכסה עתיק״?
זה המכסה דברים שכיסה עתיק יומין,
ומאי נינהו?
סתרי תורה.
ואיכא דאמרי:
זה המגלה דברים שכיסה עתיק יומין,
מאי נינהו?
טעמי תורה.
The Talmud asks: What is the meaning of the continuation of this verse: “For stately clothing [li-mekhaseh atik]”
This is one who conceals [mekhaseh] matters that the Ancient of Days [atik yomin], i.e., God, concealed.
And what are these?
These are the secrets of the Torah, the esoteric Act of Creation and the Act of the Divine Chariot, which should remain hidden.
And some say:
This verse is referring to one who reveals matters that the Ancient of Days concealed.
And what are these?
These are the reasons for different mitzvot in the Torah, which should be kept secret.
Rav Kahana citing R’ Yishmael ben Yosei - God rejoices when defeated in judgment by Moses or others - Psalms 13:1; 106:23
(See footnote.)8
אמר רב כהנא, משום רבי ישמעאל ברבי יוסי:
מאי דכתיב: ״למנצח מזמור לדוד״?
זמרו למי שנוצחין אותו ושמח.
בא וראה שלא כמדת הקדוש ברוך הוא מדת בשר ודם.
בשר ודם —
מנצחין אותו ועצב,
אבל הקדוש ברוך הוא —
נוצחין אותו ושמח,
שנאמר:
״ויאמר להשמידם
לולי משה בחירו עמד בפרץ לפניו״.
The Talmud cites another statement attributed to R’ Yishmael, son of R’ Yosei.
Rav Kahana said, citing R’ Yishmael, son of R’ Yosei:
What is the meaning of that which is written: “Lamenatzeaḥ a psalm of David” (e.g., Psalms 13:1)?
It means: Sing to the One who rejoices when conquered [she-notzḥin oto].
Come and see how the characteristics of God, are unlike the characteristics of flesh and blood:
When a flesh and blood person is conquered --
he is sad;
however, when God, is conquered --
He rejoices,
as it is stated:
“Therefore He said that He would destroy them,
had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breach, to turn back His wrath lest He should destroy them” (Psalms 106:23).
In this verse Moses is called “His chosen,” although he defeated God, as it were, by preventing Him from destroying the Jewish people.
Rav Kahana citing R’ Yishmael ben Yosei citing R’ Shimon ben Lakish citing R’ Yehuda Nesia - God’s hand is under the ḥayyot to receive penitents - Ezekiel 1:8
אמר רב כהנא
משום רבי ישמעאל ברבי יוסי
אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש
משום רבי יהודה נשיאה:
מאי דכתיב: ״וידי אדם מתחת כנפיהם״?
״ידו״ כתיב
זה ידו של הקדוש ברוך הוא
שפרוסה תחת כנפי החיות
כדי לקבל בעלי תשובה מיד מדת הדין.
Rav Kahana said,
citing R’ Yishmael, son of R’ Yosei,
who said that R’ Shimon ben Lakish said,
citing R’ Yehuda Nesia:
What is the meaning of that which is written in the description of the sacred ḥayyot, the angels that carried the Divine chariot: “And they had the hands of a man under their wings” (Ezekiel 1:8)?
Although the word is read hands in the plural, actually “his hand” is written in the singular.
This is the hand of God,
that is spread under the wings of the ḥayyot
to accept penitents from the claims of the attribute of justice.
God accepts sincere penitents, despite the fact that in accordance with the strict attribute of justice they should not be given the opportunity to repent.
Appendix - God’s Historical Collaboration with the Sea: from the Splitting of the Sea in Egypt to the Battle of Sisera (Pesachim 118b)
R’ Natan - “And the truth of YHWH endures forever” was uttered by sea creatures - Psalms 117:2
רבי נתן אומר:
״ואמת ה׳ לעולם״ —
דגים שבים אמרוהו,
R’ Natan says:
“And the truth of YHWH endures forever”
was actually recited by the fish in the sea
Rav Huna - The Israelites at the Red Sea were “of little faith”
כדרב הונא.
דאמר רב הונא:
ישראל שבאותו הדור מקטני אמנה היו,
in accordance with a statement of Rav Huna.
As Rav Huna said:
The Jewish people of that generation, during the Exodus, were of little faith.
Rabba bar Mari - The Israelites feared that the Egyptians would emerge from the opposite shore - Psalms 106:7
וכדדרש רבה בר מרי:
מאי דכתיב ״וימרו על ים בים סוף״?
מלמד ש:
המרו ישראל באותה שעה ואמרו:
כשם שאנו עולין מצד אחד,
כך מצריים עולים מצד אחר.
And this statement is as Rabba bar Mari taught:
What is the meaning of that which is written: “But they were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7)?
This teaches that
the Jews rebelled against Moses at that time, and said:
Perhaps, just as we are ascending from one side,
so too the Egyptians are ascending from the other side, and we will not be saved.
God’s Negotiation with the Sea - Exodus 14:30
When God ordered the sea to expel the drowned Egyptians, the sea objected: a servant cannot have a gift retracted.
God promised repayment—one and a half times as many victims in the future.
The sea accepted once the Kishon River was named guarantor, and then cast the Egyptians ashore, fulfilling “And Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore.”
אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא לשר של ים: פלוט אותן ליבשה!
אמר לפניו:
רבונו של עולם!
כלום יש עבד שנותן לו רבו מתנה וחוזר ונוטל ממנו?!
אמר לו: אתן לך אחד ומחצה שבהן.
אמר לו:
רבונו של עולם!
יש עבד שתובע את רבו?!
אמר לו: נחל קישון יהא לי ערב.
מיד פלט אותן ליבשה ובאו ישראל וראו אותן.
שנאמר: ״וירא ישראל את מצרים מת על שפת הים״.
God said to the ministering angel of the sea: Spew out the dead Egyptians onto dry land.
The sea said before Him:
God!
is there a servant whose master gives him a gift and then takes it from him?! Since the dead Egyptians were given to me for my fish to eat, how can God retract His gift?
He said to him: I will give you one and a half times their number. Although I am taking them back now, later I will give you one and a half times as many people.
He said to him:
God!
can a servant issue a claim against his master for a gift promised to him?! Who will be my guarantor?
He said to him: The Kishon River will be a guarantor for Me.
Immediately, the sea spewed them out onto the land, and the Jewish people came and saw that they were dead.
As it is stated: “And Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore” (Exodus 14:30).
The “one and a half times” is realized when Sisera attacks with 900 chariots (Judges 4:13), compared to Pharaoh’s 600 (Exodus 14:7)
מאי אחד ומחצה שבהן?
דאילו בפרעה כתיב:
״שש מאות רכב בחור״,
ואילו בסיסרא כתיב:
״תשע מאות רכב ברזל״.
The Talmud asks: What is this one and a half times their number? How was God’s promise fulfilled?
The Talmud answers:
While, with regard to Pharaoh, it is written:
“600 chosen chariots” (Exodus 14:7),
whereas, with regard to Sisera, it is written:
“900 iron chariots” (Judges 4:13).
God causes the stars to fall from their paths, heating the iron weapons of Sisera’s army - Judges 5:20
כי אתא סיסרא [אתא עלייהו בדקרי דפרזלא,
הוציא הקדוש ברוך הוא עליהם כוכבים ממסילותם,
דכתיב:] ״מן שמים נלחמו הכוכבים״.
The Talmud relates: When Sisera came to fight Israel, he came upon them with iron spears,
whereupon God removed the stars from their orbits to fight against Sisera’s army,
as it is written: “They fought from heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera” (Judges 5:20).
Sisera’s troops flee to cool themselves in the Kishon River; God then tells the river to honor its ancient guarantee, and the river sweeps them away and deposits them in the sea - Judges 5:21
כיון דנחיתו כוכבי שמים עלייהו,
אקדירו הני דקרי דפרזלא.
נחיתו לאקרורי למיסחי נפשייהו בנחל קישון
אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא לנחל קישון: לך והשלם ערבונך.
מיד גרפם נחל קישון והשליכן לים,
שנאמר: ״נחל קישון גרפם נחל קדומים״,
מאי ״נחל קדומים״?
נחל שנעשה ערב מקדם.
באותה שעה פתחו דגים של ים ואמרו: ״ואמת ה׳ לעולם״.
Since the stars fell on them,
these iron spears heated up
and they went to cool them and wash themselves in the Kishon River.
At this point, God said to the Kishon River: Go and pay your guarantee that you issued to the ministering angel of the sea.
Immediately, the Kishon River swept them away and cast them into the sea, as it is stated: “The Kishon River swept them away, that ancient river” (Judges 5:21).
What is the meaning of the expression: “ancient river”?
The Talmud explains: This is referring to the river that was appointed a guarantor from ancient times.
At that time, the fish of the sea began praising God and recited: “And the truth of YHWH endures forever,” in reference to God’s fulfillment of the promise He issued centuries earlier.
The Talmud recounts a lengthy story of Gabriel Saving Biblical Figures from Furnaces; I mostly elide that here; I quote in full in my appendix here, “Appendix 3 - Gabriel in Talmudic literature as the Jewish people’s guardian archangel“, section “Gabriel Saving Biblical Figures from Furnaces: Abraham from Nimrod’s Furnace, and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from Nebuchadnezzar’s Furnace (Pesachim 118a-b)“.
The Talmud subsequently recounts a lengthy story. The first part of the story is paralleled elsewhere in the Talmud, see my appendix here, “Appendix 2 - The Israelites’ Ten Trials of God in the Wilderness (Arakhin 15a-b)“, on list item “2 at the sea“, where I summarize in a footnote:
The second is an elaborate aggadah: upon their safe emergence, the Israelites doubted that the Egyptians had drowned, suspecting they may have escaped on the other side. Psalm 106:7 (“they rebelled at the sea, at the Sea of Reeds“) is cited to show the Israelites’ rebellion even at the moment of salvation.
I cite the passage in full in the appendix at the end of this piece: “Appendix - God’s Historical Collaboration with the Sea: from the Splitting of the Sea in Egypt to the Battle of Sisera (Pesachim 118b)“.
עיקרי - literally: “roots”, playing on עקרת.
The Talmud recounts a lengthy description; I mostly elide that here; I quote it in full in my “ ‘Is it not all the more so?!’: The Kal Va-ḥomer (A Fortiori Argument) as a Literary and Rhetorical Pattern in the Talmud“, section “Future Praise and Gifts to the Messiah (Pesachim 118b:10–14)“ (pp. 27-32).
קולמוס - from Greek.
קריבות - playing on קרבות - “wars, battles”.
The food storage hyperbolically described here is likely a reference to Rome’s famous grain dole. The recurring number “365” is clearly typological, based on the number of days in the solar year.
I cite this section in my “ ‘God’s Character Isn’t Like a Human’s Character’: Rhetorically Contrasting God and Human in the Talmud“, section “Rav Kahana citing R’ Yishmael b. Yosei - Humans’ character: Hates being defeated, God’s character: Rejoices in being defeated - Psalms 106:23 (Pesachim 119a)“ (pp. 15-16).