Why strong wind when splitting the sea?

Question

The verses describing the splitting of the Yam Suf (Reed Sea) say a strong wind blew overnight before the sea split. To me, this implies a gradual process of moving a great deal of water.

On the other hand, we have midrashim which imply it was a suddenly occuring phenomenon, saving Nachshon from drowning. Also, the verses say Moshe stretched out his staff and the sea split in response.

If it was a miraculous, quick transition from sea to dry land, what was the strong wind for? Or am I interpreting it wrong?

Answer 1

R. Schneur Zalman of Liadi (in Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, ch. 2) says:

שהוליך ה׳ את הים ברוח קדים עזה כל הלילה ויבקעו המים, ונצבו כמו נד וכחומה. ואילו הפסיק ה׳ את הרוח, כרגע היו המים חוזרים ונגרים במורד כדרכם וטבעם, ולא קמו כחומה, בלי ספק

"For then, G‑d drove back the sea by a strong east wind all the night, and the waters were split and not merely ceased their flow, but stood upright as a wall. If G‑d had stopped the wind, the waters would have instantly flowed downward, as is their way and nature, and undoubtedly they would not have stood upright like a wall."

In other words, the splitting indeed occurred at a single moment, but then the wind had to continue blowing in order to prevent the water from crashing back down.

Answer 2

I suggest that the purpose of the wind was so that people who chose to doubt the miraculous nature of the splitting had something with which to rationalize it.

Answer 3

The overnight wind can have been sent to miraculously prepare for the splitting later.

See Revach for a list of the miracles involved in the Splitting of the Sea. I was told in a shiur that the overnight wind served (amongst other things) to raise the level of the sea floor (miracle 15 in the list). But the actual splitting occurred when they were in up to their nostrils (according to this source, miracle 5 in the list).