363. For in the wilderness, there was no water, as it is written, "it is no place of seed... nor is there any water to drink" (Bemidbar 20:5), SO HE MUST HAVE USED THE WATERS OF THE OCEAN. One may think that he threw THE ASHES into the well of Miriam, but heaven forbid that Moses would throw a memorial of this terrible act there, and drink of it afterwards. Furthermore, at that point they did not have that well, it was only when arriving at the wilderness of Matana, as it is written, "The well dug by the prince... and from the wilderness they went to Matana" (Bemidbar 21:18); at that point they acquired the well. It is written here, "upon the water" (Shemot 32:20), and it is written elsewhere, "upon the face of the deep" (Beresheet 1:2); JUST AS THERE THE REFERENCE IS TO THE OCEAN, SO IT IS HERE TOO.