Parshat Beshalach and Walking Into the Waves

The Israelites are officially out of Egypt, but they aren’t “safe” yet. They find themselves pinned between the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh’s approaching army behind them. The people panic, but G-d tells Moses to stop praying and start moving. According to tradition, a guy named Nachshon stepped into the water first. It didn’t split when he looked at it; it split once the water hit his nose. They cross on dry land, the sea closes on their pursuers, and they celebrate with a massive song of thanks. But by the end of the chapter, the “high” wears off, they run out of water, and they start complaining again.

The splitting of the sea is the ultimate “just start the thing” lesson. We often wait for a sign or a “green light” before we commit to a difficult path. But in this story, the sea doesn’t budge until someone actually gets their feet wet. Leadership, especially early in your career, is about being the “Nachshon.” It’s about taking that first awkward step into a project or a conversation when there’s no guarantee it’s going to work. The “Song at the Sea” also teaches us that success is fleeting; today’s miracle becomes tomorrow’s “what have you done for me lately?” Real leaders don’t just celebrate the big wins; they prepare for the “desert” that comes right after the party ends.