We are taught that even the lowest of people who experienced the splitting of the sea had one of  the highest, most amazing spiritual experiences in the history of the world. The Medrash tells us, “Ma sheh ra’ah shifcha sheh ba’yam lo ra’ah Yechezkel ben Buzy be yamav – What a maid saw at the see was not event seen by Yechezkel in his days”

Rav Chaim Shmulevitz (who served as Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir Yeshiva in Poland, Shanghai, and Jerusalem) comments on this Medrash with startling words – he tells us that in the end of the day the “shifcha sheh ba’yam – maid in the sea” remained a “shifcha sheh ba’yam“.

What does this mean?

Days after the amazing experience of the splitting of the sea, after experiencing one of the highest spiritual experiences in history, the Jewish people begin complaining…and rebelling…and sinning against God. How can they do this? If they have experienced such a high level of prophecy, how can they be so petty, so silly, so blind? One would think that after experiencing such and event they would have been transformed, changed in some way – this is what Rav Chaim Shmulevitz is telling us about the shifcha sheh ba’yam. She may have had an experience greater than that of Yechezkel, but she didn’t do anything with it.

In our lives, we are confronted with experiences constantly. Whether they be small or epic, our lives are full of them – made up of them. These experiences are not just frames in the movie of life, they are moments with the Divine, meetings with God. Every experience in life is here to change us, to transform us, to teach us…every experience is an opportunity from God, we just need to grab it and do something with it. If we allow our experiences to change us – to move us – we have an opportunity to grow and achieve greatness, if not we will remain as we are, shifcha sheh ba’yam.

We always have a choice.

As you move through life, ask yourself; “What is special about this experience? What about me is this experience coming to affect? How will I let it change me?” Don’t simply be a shifcha sheh ba’yam, push yourself to be more, to appreciate your moments and grab them, grow from them, and change the course of your history.

Don’t remain a shifcha sheh ba’yam, become something more.