Another interpretation [(of Exod. 15:1): THEN (az) SANG MOSES….] This text is related (to Ps. 40:2 [1]): I WAITED PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD…. R. Pinhas ben Hama the Priest said: If you waited patiently and he did not come, continue to wait. David said (in Ps. 27:14): WAIT FOR THE LORD; [BE STRONG AND LET YOUR HEART TAKE COURAGE! O WAIT FOR THE LORD]. If he came, your expectation was right. If not, continue to WAIT FOR THE LORD. David said (in Ps. 40:2 [1]): I WAITED PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD. Because of the waiting, (ibid., cont.:) HE INCLINED TOWARD ME AND HEARD MY CRY. (Exod. 2:24:) AND GOD HEARD THEIR MOANING…. (Ps. 40:3 [2]:) AND HE RAISED ME UP FROM THE PIT OF DESOLATION, FROM THE MIRY CLAY…, i.e., from the clay of bricks. (Ibid.:) AND HE SET MY FEET UPON A ROCK, in that he gave me the booty of Egypt and the booty of the sea. {(Ibid., cont.:) HE ESTABLISHED MY STEPS.} (Ps. 40:4 [3]:) AND HE HAS PUT A NEW SONG IN MY MOUTH. (Exod. 15:1) THEN (az) SANG MOSES. What is the meaning of (az)? With an az the Holy One made the dry land into sea for the generation of Enosh. It is so stated (in Gen. 4:26): THEN (az) THERE WAS PROFANATION IN CALLING OTHER GODS BY THE NAME OF THE LORD.³¹ But for us he made the sea into dry land. With az we praised him.³²) SANG MOSES…. See above, Gen. 1:32; below, Lev. 6:14.

footnotes: ³¹ The verse is consistently understood in this sense throughout Rabbinic literature. Thus the wickedness resulting in the flood had its beginning in the generation of Enosh. ³² The midrash is alluding here to Exod. 15:1: THEN (az

Another interpretation (of Exod. 15:1): Why with az? Moses said: With an az I complained to the Holy One, as stated (in Exod. 5:23): FOR EVER SINCE (az) I CAME TO PHARAOH TO SPEAK IN YOUR NAME, HE HAS DEALT WORSE WITH THIS PEOPLE…. With the word by which I sinned, with that very word az I am making amends by praising you (in Exod. 15:1).

Another interpretation of az (spelled with the two Hebrew letters alef and zayin). Alef is one and zayin is seven for a total of eight. Moses said: By the merit of circumcision, which was ordained for day eight (Lev. 12:3), the sea was rent asunder. So let us praise him with an az. R. Levi cited (Ps. 136:13): TO HIM WHO RENT THE REED SEA IN PIECES (gezarim), because in the Aramaic language they call those who are circumcised clipped (gezurim).³³. By the merit of circumcision (milah) the sea was rent asunder.

footnotes: ³³ Note that the midrash has substituted the Hebrew equivalent for the Aramaic gezirin