וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּאוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (משלי יג, כד): חוֹשֵׂךְ שִׁבְטוֹ שׂוֹנֵא בְנוֹ וְאֹהֲבוֹ שִׁחֲרוֹ מוּסָר, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אָדָם שֶׁאוֹמֵר לוֹ חֲבֵרוֹ פְּלוֹנִי הִכָּה לְבִנְךָ יוֹרֵד עִמּוֹ עַד לְחַיָּיו, וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: חוֹשֵׂךְ שִׁבְטוֹ שׂוֹנֵא בְנוֹ, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל הַמּוֹנֵעַ בְּנוֹ מִן הַמַּרְדּוּת סוֹף בָּא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה וְשׂוֹנְאֵהוּ, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְּיִשְׁמָעֵאל שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ גַּעְגּוּעִים עַל אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וְלֹא רִדָּהוּ וְיָצָא לְתַרְבוּת רָעָה וּשְׂנֵאָהוּ וְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִבֵּיתוֹ רֵיקָם. מֶה עָשָׂה יִשְׁמָעֵאל כְּשֶׁהָיָה בֶּן חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, הִתְחִיל לְהָבִיא צֶלֶם מִן הַשּׁוּק וְהָיָה מְצַחֵק בּוֹ וְעוֹבְדוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁרָאָה מֵאֲחֵרִים. מִיָּד (בראשית כא, ט): וַתֵּרֶא שָׂרָה אֶת בֶּן הָגָר הַמִּצְרִית אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְאַבְרָהָם מְצַחֵק וגו', וְאֵין מְצַחֵק אֶלָּא עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות לב, ו): וַיָּקֻמוּ לְצַחֵק, מִיָּד (בראשית כא, י): וַתֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָהָם גָּרֵשׁ הָאָמָה הַזֹּאת וְאֶת בְּנָהּ, שֶׁמָּא יִלְמַד בְּנִי אָרְחוֹתָיו, מִיָּד (בראשית כא, יא): וַיֵּרַע הַדָּבָר מְאֹד בְּעֵינֵי אַבְרָהָם וגו' עַל שֶׁיֵּצֵא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה, (בראשית כא, יב): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל אַבְרָהָם אַל יֵרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ וגו', מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁהָיָה אַבְרָהָם טָפֵל לְשָׂרָה בִּנְבִיאוּת. מִיָּד (בראשית כא, יד): וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּקַּח לֶחֶם וְחֵמַת מַיִם, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהָיָה שׂוֹנֵא לְיִשְׁמָעֵאל עַל שֶׁיָּצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה, וְשִׁלְּחוֹ הוּא וְאִמּוֹ הָגָר רֵיקָם וּטְרָדוֹ מִבֵּיתוֹ עַל כָּךְ. וְכִי תַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁאַבְרָהָם שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (בראשית יג, ב): וְאַבְרָם כָּבֵד מְאֹד בַּמִּקְנֶה וגו', הָיָה מְשַׁלֵּחַ אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבְנוֹ מִבֵּיתוֹ רֵיקָם בְּלֹא כְסוּת וּבְלֹא מִחְיָה. אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה לֹא נִפְנָה עָלָיו. מֶה הָיָה סוֹפוֹ, כְּשֶׁגֵּרְשׁוֹ יָשַׁב בְּפָרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים וְהָיָה מְלַסְטֵם אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית טז, יב): וְהוּא יִהְיֶה פֶּרֶא אָדָם. כַּיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ (בראשית כה, כח): וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת עֵשָׂו, לְפִיכָךְ יָצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא רִדָּהוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ חָמֵשׁ עֲבֵרוֹת עָבַר עֵשָׂו הָרָשָׁע בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם, בָּא עַל נַעֲרָה הַמְאֹרָסָה, וְהָרַג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, וְכָפַר בִּתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים, וְכָפַר בָּעִקָּר, וּבִזָּה אֶת הַבְּכוֹרָה. וְעוֹד, שֶׁתָּאַב מִיתַת אָבִיו, וּבִקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת אָחִיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כז, מא): יִקְרְבוּ יְמֵי אֵבֶל אָבִי וגו'. וְגָרַם לְיַעֲקֹב לִבְרֹחַ מֵאֲבוֹתָיו, וְהָלַךְ אַף הוּא אֵצֶל יִשְׁמָעֵאל לִלְמֹד מִמֶּנּוּ תַּרְבּוּת רָעָה וּלְהוֹסִיף עַל נָשָׁיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כח, ט): וַיֵּלֶךְ עֵשָׂו אֶל יִשְׁמָעֵאל. כַּיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ דָּוִד שֶׁלֹא יִסַּר לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם בְּנוֹ וְלֹא רִדָּהוּ יָצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה וּבִקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת אָבִיו, וְשָׁכַב עִם פִּילַגְשָׁיו, וְגָרַם לוֹ לֵילֵךְ יָחֵף וְהוּא בּוֹכֶה, וְנָפְלוּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל כַּמָּה אֲלָפִים וְכַמָּה רְבָבוֹת, וְגָרַם לוֹ דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים הַרְבֵּה שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם סוֹף, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים ג, א): מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד בְּבָרְחוֹ מִפְּנֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם בְּנוֹ, מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו (תהלים ג, ב): ה' מָה רַבּוּ צָרָי וגו'. וְקָשָׁה תַּרְבּוּת רָעָה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מִמִּלְחֶמֶת גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג, דְּאִלּוּ בְּמִלְחֶמֶת גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג כְּתִיב (תהלים ב, א): לָמָּה רָגְשׁוּ גוֹיִם, וּלְהַלָּן כְּתִיב (תהלים ג, ב): ה' מָה רַבּוּ צָרָי. וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ עָשָׂה דָּוִד בַּאֲדֹנִיָּה שֶׁלֹא רִדָּהוּ בְּיִסּוּרִין, וְלֹא גָעַר בּוֹ, וּלְפִיכָךְ יָצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה, דִּכְתִיב (מלכים א א, ו): וְלֹא עֲצָבוֹ אָבִיו מִיָּמָיו, (מלכים א א, ו): וְאֹתוֹ יָלְדָה אַחֲרֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם, וַהֲלוֹא אַבְשָׁלוֹם בֶּן מַעֲכָה וַאֲדֹנִיָּהוּ בֶּן חַגִּית, מַהוּ וְאֹתוֹ יָלְדָה אַחֲרֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם, אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁיָּצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה וְלֹא רִדָּהוּ אָבִיו, וּכְתִיב בַּאֲדֹנִיָּהוּ וְלֹא עֲצָבוֹ אָבִיו מִיָּמָיו, אַף הוּא יָצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה, לְפִיכָךְ כְּתִיב: וְאֹתוֹ יָלְדָה אַחֲרֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם. (משלי יג, כד): וְאֹהֲבוֹ שִׁחֲרוֹ מוּסָר, זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עַל שֶׁאָהַב אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב (מלאכי א, ב): אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר ה', שֶׁהוּא מַרְבֶּה אוֹתָן בְּיִסּוּרִין. אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שָׁלשׁ מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכֻלָּם לֹא נְתָנָם לָהֶם אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי יִסּוּרִין, הַתּוֹרָה, וְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם הַבָּא. הַתּוֹרָה, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים צד, יב): אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר תְּיַסְּרֶנּוּ יָהּ וּמִתּוֹרָתְךָ תְּלַמְּדֶנּוּ. אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ח, ה): וְיָדַעְתָּ עִם לְבָבֶךָ וגו', מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו (דברים ח, ז): כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְבִיאֲךָ וגו'. הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, דִּכְתִיב (משלי ו, כג): כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר וגו'. וְכָל הַמְיַסֵּר אֶת בְּנוֹ, מוֹסִיף הַבֵּן אַהֲבָה עַל אָבִיו וְהוּא מְכַבְּדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כט, יז): יַסֵּר בִּנְךָ וִינִיחֶךָ וגו', וְאוֹמֵר (משלי יט, יח): יַסֵּר בִּנְךָ כִּי יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה. וּמוֹסִיף עָלָיו אַהֲבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאֹהֲבוֹ שִׁחֲרוֹ מוּסָר, לְפִי שֶׁשִּׁחֲרוֹ מוּסָר לְכָךְ אוֹהֲבוֹ. אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁאַבְרָהָם יִסֵּר אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וְלִמְּדוֹ תּוֹרָה וְהִדְרִיכוֹ בִּדְרָכָיו, דִּכְתִיב בְּאַבְרָהָם (בראשית כו, ה): עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע אַבְרָהָם בְּקֹלִי, וּכְתִיב (בראשית כה, יט): וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת יִצְחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהָיָה דּוֹמֶה לְאָבִיו בְּכָל דָּבָר, בְּנוֹי בְּחָכְמָה בְּעשֶׁר וּבְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים. תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁבֶּן שְׁלשִׁים וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנָה הָיָה כְּשֶׁעֲקָדוֹ אָבִיו, וּכְתִיב (בראשית כד, א): וְאַבְרָהָם זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים, וַעֲקָדוֹ וּכְפָתוֹ כְּשֶׂה וְלֹא נִמְנַע, לְפִיכָךְ (בראשית כה, ה): וַיִּתֵּן אַבְרָהָם אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ לְיִצְחָק, הֱוֵי: וְאֹהֲבוֹ שִׁחֲרוֹ מוּסָר. כַּיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ הָיָה יִצְחָק מְשַׁחֵר מוּסָר לְיַעֲקֹב שֶׁלִּמְּדוֹ יִצְחָק תּוֹרָה וְיִסְּרוֹ בְּבֵית תַּלְמוּדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית, כז): וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם וגו', וְלָמַד מַה שֶּׁלִּמְּדוֹ אָבִיו, וְאַחַר כָּךְ פֵּרַשׁ מֵאָבִיו וְנִטְמַן בְּבֵית עֵבֶר לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה, לְפִיכָךְ זָכָה לִבְרָכָה וְיָרַשׁ אֶת הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לז, א): וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן. וְאַף יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ יִסֵּר אֶת בָּנָיו וְרִדָּה אוֹתָם וְלִמְּדָם דְּרָכָיו, שֶׁלֹא הָיָה בָּהֶם פְּסֹלֶת, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב: וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה וגו', הִשְׁוָן כֻּלָּם לְיַעֲקֹב, שֶׁכֻּלָם צַדִּיקִים כַּיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ הָיוּ, הֱוֵי: וְאֹהֲבוֹ שִׁחֲרוֹ מוּסָר. “These are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; each came with his household” (Exodus 1:1).
That is what is written: “He who spares his rod hates his son, and he who loves him seeks for him admonition” (Proverbs 13:24). The way of the world is that a person whom another tells him: ‘So-and-so struck your son,’ he would harass him. What is the meaning when the verse states: “He who spares his rod hates his son”? It is to teach you that anyone who withholds rebuke from his son, his son will ultimately set out on a path of depravity and he will hate him.
As we find regarding Ishmael, who was beloved1Literally, he had longings for his father, which could explain his father’s love for him. by his father Abraham, who did not chasten him, and he set out on a path of depravity. He then hated him and expelled him from his home emptyhanded. What did Ishmael do? When he was fifteen years old, he began to bring an idol from the marketplace, and he played with it and worshipped it in the manner that he saw others doing.2Although he made it look like he was just playing with it and even mocking it, in fact his intention was to worship it. Immediately, “Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she bore to Abraham, playing [metzaḥek]” (Genesis 21:9), and metzaḥek means nothing other than idol worship, like you say: “They rose to carouse [letzaḥek]” (Exodus 32:6). 3This verse is written in the context of the sin of the Golden Calf.
Immediately, “She said to Abraham: Expel this maidservant and her son” (Genesis 21:10), so that my son will not learn his ways. Immediately, “the matter was very troubling in the eyes of Abraham regarding his son” (Genesis 21:11), because he emerged to a path of depravity. “God said to Abraham: Let it not be troubling in your eyes about the lad…everything that Sarah says to you, heed her voice” (Genesis 21:12). From here you learn that Abraham was subordinate to Sarah in prophecy. Immediately, “Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water…” (Genesis 21:14), teaching you that he hated Ishmael because he set out on a path of depravity, and sent him and his mother Hagar emptyhanded, and for that reason expelled him from his home.
Is it conceivable that Abraham, in whose regard it is written: “Abram was very wealthy in livestock, in silver, and in gold” (Genesis 13:2), would send his wife and his son from his house emptyhanded, without garments and without sustenance? Rather, it is to teach you that once he [Ishmael] set out on the path of depravity, he [Abraham] paid no attention to him.4Consequently the verse states that he gave them bread and water, implying that he did not give them other means of support. What ultimately became of him? When he banished him, he sat at the crossroads and would rob people, as it is stated: “He will be a wild man” (Genesis 16:12).
Similarly, “Isaac loved Esau” (Genesis 25:28); therefore he set out on a path of depravity, because he did not chasten him, as we learned: The wicked Esau violated five transgressions on that day. He consorted with a betrothed young woman, killed a person, denied the revival of the dead, denied the principle [of belief in God], and scorned the birthright. In addition, he desired the death of his father and sought to kill his brother, as it is stated: “Let the days of mourning for my father approach and I will kill Jacob my brother” (Genesis 27:41), and he caused Jacob to flee from his fathers.
And he [Esau] too went to Ishmael to learn from him the path of depravity and to add to his wives, as it is stated; “Esau went to Ishmael, [and took Maḥalat the daughter of Ishmael…in addition to his wives, as his wife]” (Genesis 28:9).
Similarly, David did not chastise Avshalom and did not chasten him, [and Avshalom] set out on the path of depravity. He sought to kill his father, he lay with his [father’s] concubines, and forced him to walk barefoot, weeping; and thousands and tens of thousands from Israel fell. In addition, he caused him endless hardships, as it is written: “A psalm by David when he fled from Avshalom, etc.” (Psalms 3:1). What is written afterward? “Lord, how numerous are my tormentors, etc.” (Psalms 3:2). The path of depravity5A wayward child in a person’s household is worse than the war of Gog and Magog, as regarding Gog and Magog it is written: “Why do nations rage and peoples meditate in vain?” (Psalms 2:1), and there it is written: “Lord, how numerous are my tormentors.”
David acted similarly with Adoniya, as he did not chasten him with chastisement and he did not scold him; therefore, he set out on the path of depravity, as it is written: “His father never distressed him, [saying: Why did you do so? …and she bore him after Avshalom]” (I Kings 1:6). But wasn’t Avshalom the son of Maakha, and Adoniyahu the son of Ḥaggit? What is: “And she bore him after Avshalom”? Rather, because [Avshalom] set out on the path of depravity because his father did not chasten him, and in Adoniyahu’s regard, it is written: “His father never distressed him,” he, too, set out on the path to depravity. Therefore, it is written: “And she bore him after Avshalom.”
“And he who loves him seeks for him admonition” (Proverbs 13:24); this is the Holy One blessed be He. It is because he loves Israel, as it is written: “I have loved you, said the Lord” (Malachi 1:2) that he promotes them through suffering. You find three excellent gifts that the Holy One blessed be He gave to Israel, and he gave them all to them by means of suffering: The Torah, the Land of Israel, and life in the World to Come. The Torah, as it is written: “Happy is the man whom You afflict, Lord, whom You teach from Your Torah” (Psalms 94:12). The Land of Israel, as it is written: “For you know in your heart [that as a man rebukes his son, so the Lord your God rebukes you]” (Deuteronomy 8:5); what is written after it: “For the Lord your God will bring you [to a good land]” (Deuteronomy 8:7). The World to Come, as it is written: “For the mitzva is a lamp, the Torah is light, [and the reproofs of instruction are the way of life]”6This indicates that the way to merit everlasting life is through reproof, which involves suffering. (Proverbs 6:23).
Anyone who chastises his son, the son adds love for his father and he honors him, as it is stated: “Admonish your son, and he will give you rest [and provide delights to your soul]” (Proverbs 29:17), and it is stated: “Admonish your son, as there is hope” (Proverbs 19:18). And he adds love for him, as it is stated: “And he who loves him seeks for him admonition” – because he sought for him admonition, therefore he loves him.
You find that Abraham chastised his son Isaac, taught him Torah, and guided him in his path, as it is written in Abraham’s regard: “Because Abraham heeded My voice, [and kept My commission, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws]” (Genesis 26:5), and it is written: “And this is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham’s son: [Abraham begot Isaac]” (Genesis 25:19), to teach you that he was similar to his father in every sense; in beauty, wisdom, wealth, and good deeds.
Know [that Isaac internalized Abraham’s lessons and accepted his authority], for he was thirty-seven years old when his father bound him, and it is written: “And Abraham was old, advanced in years” (Genesis 24:1), and he bound him and tied him, and [Isaac] did not prevent [him from doing so]. Therefore, “Abraham gave all that was his to Isaac” (Genesis 25:5); that is: “And he who loves him seeks for him admonition.”
Similarly, Isaac would seek admonition for Jacob, as he taught him Torah and chastised him in his study hall, as it is stated: “Jacob was a simple man, [a dweller in tents]” (Genesis 25:27). He learned what his father taught him and then he took his leave from his father and secluded himself in the house of Ever to study Torah. Therefore, he merited blessing and inherited the land, as it is stated: “Jacob settled in the land of his father's residence, in the land of Canaan” (Genesis 37:1).
Jacob our patriarch, too, chastised his sons, chastened them, and taught them his ways, until ultimately, there were none among them who was defective, as it is written: “These are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt [with Jacob]” (Exodus 1:1); the verse likened them all to Jacob, as they were all righteous like he was. That is: “And he who loves him seeks for him admonition.”
דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ, כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֵלֶּה פָּסַל אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, וְאֵלֶּה מוֹסִיף שֶׁבַח עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים. (בראשית ב, ד): אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ, פָּסַל לְתֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ. וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת, הוֹסִיף שֶׁבַח עַל שִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁכֻּלָּם הָיוּ צַדִּיקִים. Another interpretation [of the phrase] “these [ve’eleh] are the names” – Rabbi Abbahu says: Anywhere that eleh is stated, it negates what preceded it; ve’eleh, it adds praise to what preceded it. “This is [eleh] the legacy of the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 2:4) negates “void and darkness” (Genesis 1:2). “These are [ve’eleh] the names” adds praise to the seventy people cited above; that they were all righteous.
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה יַעֲקֹב וּבָנָיו אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּאוּ, שְׁקוּלִים הֵם יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּצְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן שְׁמוֹת, וְנֶאֱמַר בַּכּוֹכָבִים שֵׁמוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קמז, ד): מוֹנֶה מִסְפָּר לַכּוֹכָבִים לְכֻלָּם שֵׁמוֹת יִקְרָא. אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּשֶׁיָּרְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִצְרַיִם מָנָה מִסְפָּרָם כַּמָּה הָיוּ, וּלְפִי שֶׁהֵם מְשׁוּלִים לַכּוֹכָבִים קָרָא שֵׁמוֹת לְכֻלָּם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וגו'. These are the names [shemot] of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; Jacob and his sons, every man came with his household.7This is a paraphrase of Exodus 1:1 and Genesis 46:8. Israel is equated to the host of the heavens. Shemot is stated here and shemot is stated regarding the stars, as it is stated: “He sets a number for the stars and calls them all by name” (Psalms 147:4). The Holy One blessed be He, too, when they descended to Egypt, counted their numbers, how many they were. Because they are analogized to stars, He called them all by name; that is what is written: “These are the names of the children of Israel.”
הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה, וְכִי הַיּוֹם בָּאִים, וַהֲלֹא יָמִים רַבִּים הָיוּ לָהֶם שֶׁבָּאוּ לְמִצְרַיִם, אֶלָּא כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיּוֹסֵף הָיָה קַיָּם, לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם מַשֹּׂוֹי שֶׁל מִצְרִיִּים, מֵת יוֹסֵף נָתְנוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מַשֹּׂוֹי. לְפִיכָךְ כְּתִיב: הַבָּאִים, כְּאִלּוּ אוֹתוֹ יוֹם נִכְנְסוּ לְמִצְרַיִם. אֵת יַעֲקֹב, כָּל אֵלֶּה מִכֹּחוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, שֶׁסִּגֵּל מִצְוֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, וְזָכָה לְהַעֲמִיד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים: אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּאוּ. “Who came to Egypt,”8A more literal translation of the verse is “who were coming to Egypt.” – was it today that they came? Hadn’t many years passed since they came to Egypt? Rather, as long as Joseph was alive, they did not have the burden of Egypt. Joseph died, and they placed the burden upon them. Therefore, “who came” is written, as though they entered Egypt on that day.
“With Jacob,” all these were under the patronage of Jacob, who amassed mitzvot and good deeds and was privileged to produce twelve tribes.
“Each came with his household.”9Some commentaries suggest that the midrash should include here the following passage, which appears in Tanḥuma (Shemot 3): “Rabbi Huna said: This is to teach that he did not descend to Egypt until he arranged wives for Ḥetzron and Ḥamul, who were two years old and one year old respectively; “each came with his household.” See Etz Yosef.
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל שֵׁם גְּאֻלַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל נִזְכְּרוּ כָּאן, רְאוּבֵן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ג, ז): רָאֹה רָאִיתִי אֶת עָנִי עַמִּי. שִׁמְעוֹן, עַל שֵׁם (שמות ב, כד): וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת נַאֲקָתָם. לֵוִי, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנִּתְחַבֵּר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְצָרָתָם (שמות ג, ב): מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צא, טו): עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה. יְהוּדָה, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהוֹדוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. יִשָֹּׂשׂכָר, שֶׁנָּתַן לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׂכַר שִׁעְבּוּדָם, בִּזַּת מִצְרַיִם וּבִזַּת הַיָּם, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית טו, יד): וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל, זְבוּלֻן, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהִשְׁכִּין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁכִינָתוֹ בְּקִרְבָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כה, ח): וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם, וְאֵין זְבוּלֻן אֶלָא בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א ח, יג): בָּנֹה בָנִיתִי בֵּית זְבֻל לָךְ מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ עוֹלָמִים. וּבִנְיָמִן, עַל שֵׁם (שמות טו, ו): יְמִינְךָ ה' נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ. דָּן, עַל שֵׁם (בראשית טו, יד): וְגַם אֶת הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲבֹדוּ דָּן אָנֹכִי וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל. נַפְתָּלִי, עַל שֵׁם תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת שֶׁנָּתַן לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶם (תהלים יט, יא): וּמְתוּקִים מִדְּבַשׁ וְנֹפֶת צוּפִים. גָּד, עַל שֵׁם הַמָּן שֶׁהֶאֱכִילָם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁהוּא (שמות טז, לא): כְּזֶרַע גַּד. אָשֵׁר, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהָיוּ מְאַשְׁרִין אוֹתָן כָּל שׁוֹמְעֵי גְּאֻלָּתָן וּגְדֻלָּתָן, דִּכְתִיב (מלאכי ג, יב): וְאִשְּׁרוּ אֶתְכֶם כָּל הַגּוֹיִם כִּי תִהְיוּ אַתֶּם אֶרֶץ חֵפֶץ אָמַר ה' צְבָאוֹת. יוֹסֵף, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁעָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהוֹסִיף וְלִגְאֹל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמַּלְכוּת הָרְשָׁעָה כְּשֵׁם שֶׁגָּאַל אוֹתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה יא, יא): וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יוֹסִיף ה' שֵׁנִית יָדוֹ וגו' וְכָל הָעִנְיָן. “These are the names of the children of Israel,” they are all mentioned here in the sense of the redemption of Israel.
Reuben, as it is stated: “I have seen the affliction of his people” (Exodus 3:7).10When Leah named her son Reuben, she said: “because the Lord has seen my affliction” (Genesis 29:32). The midrash is stating that his name also refers to the redemption of the children of Israel, as demonstrated by this verse (Midrash HaMevoar). This is true in a similar vain for all of the names listed below.
Simeon, in the sense of: “God heard their groan” (Exodus 2:24).11Leah named Simeon saying: “because the Lord has heard that I am hated” (Genesis 29:33).
Levi, in the sense that the Holy One blessed be He joined [them] in their troubles “from inside the bush” (Exodus 3:2),12Leah named Levi saying: “now this time my husband will be joined to me” (Genesis 29:34). The fact that God spoke to Moses from inside a thorn bush indicated that He was with them in their pain. to fulfill what is stated: “I am with him in times of trouble” (Psalms 91:15).
Judah, because they thanked the Holy One blessed be He.13When Leah named Judah, she said “this time I will thank the Lord” (Genesis 29:35).
Issachar, because the Holy One blessed be He paid their wages [sakhar] for their labor; the loot of Egypt and the loot at the sea, to fulfill what is written: “Afterward they will emerge with great wealth” (Genesis 15:14).
Zebulun, because the Holy One blessed be He rested His Divine Presence in their midst, as it is stated: “They shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). Zebulun is nothing other than the Temple, as it is stated: “I have built You an abode [beit zevul], a place for Your dwelling forever” (I Kings 8:13).
Benjamin, in the sense of: “Your right hand, Lord, is glorious in power” (Exodus 15:6).
Dan, in the sense of: “And also that nation that they shall serve, I will judge [dan]” (Genesis 15:14).
Naftali after the Torah and mitzvot that the Holy One blessed be He had given them, regarding which it is written: “And sweeter than honey and the juices [nofet] of ripe fruit” (Psalms 19:11).
Gad, after the manna that the Holy One blessed be He fed them, which was “like the coriander [gad] seed” (Exodus 16:31).
Asher, because everyone who heard of their redemption and prominence would praise them, as it is written: “All the nations will praise you [ve’ishru], as you will be a desired land, said the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:12).
Joseph, because the Holy One blessed be He is destined to additionally [lehosif] redeem Israel from the evil empire,14Rome just as He redeemed them from Egypt, as it is written: “It shall be on that day that the Lord will once again [yosif] set His hand a second time [to acquire the remnant of His people…as there was for Israel on the day of its ascent from the land of Egypt]” (Isaiah 11:11, 16), and the entire matter [written there].
הֲדָא הוּא שֶׁאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי לָמָּה אֵין שְׁמוֹתָם שֶׁל שְׁבָטִים שָׁוִים בְּכָל מָקוֹם, אֶלָּא פְּעָמִים שֶׁזֶּה מַקְדִּים לָזֶה וְזֶה מַקְדִּים לָזֶה, שֶׁלֹא יֹאמְרוּ בְּנֵי גְבִירוֹת תְּחִלָּה וּבְנֵי הַשְּׁפָחוֹת אַחֲרוֹנָה, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁלֹא הָיוּ גְּדוֹלִים אֵלּוּ מֵאֵלּוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה הִקְדִּים אֵלּוּ לְאֵלּוּ, לְפִי שֶׁהֵם תִּקְרַת הָעוֹלָם, זֶה שֶׁמְתַקֵּן תִּקְרָה כָּרָאוּי, נוֹתֵן עָבְיָהּ שֶׁל תִּקְרָה זוֹ בְּצַד רֹאשָׁהּ שֶׁל אַחֶרֶת שֶׁאֵינָהּ שָׁוָה, לְפִיכָךְ מַקְדִּים אֵלּוּ לְאֵלּוּ. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהֵם תִּקְרָתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, שֶׁכֵּן יְשַׁעְיָה הַנָּבִיא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה מח, יב): שְׁמַע אֵלַי יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְקֹרָאִי. This is what Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin says in the name of Rabbi Levi: Why are the names of the tribes not identical everywhere, but rather, at times this one precedes that one, and at times, that one precedes this one? It is so they would not say: The children of the wives are first and the children of the maidservants last, to teach you that these were not greater than those. Alternatively, why do these precede those? It is because they are the ceiling of the world. One who installs a ceiling properly places the thickness of this ceiling beam alongside one that is not its equal; therefore, this one precedes that one. From where is it derived that they are the ceiling [tikra] of the world? It is as Isaiah says: “Heed Me, Jacob and Israel, whom I called [mekora’i]” (Isaiah 48:12).
וַיְהִי כָּל נֶפֶשׁ יוֹצְאֵי יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב וגו', עִם יוֹסֵף שֶׁהָיָה בְּמִצְרַיִם הָיוּ שִׁבְעִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְיוֹסֵף הָיָה בְמִצְרָיִם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזָּכָה יוֹסֵף לְמַלְכוּת, לֹא נִתְגָּאֶה עַל אֶחָיו וְעַל בֵּית אָבִיו, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהָיָה קָטָן בְּעֵינָיו מִתְּחִלָּה שֶׁהָיָה עֶבֶד בְּמִצְרַיִם, כָּךְ הָיָה קָטָן בְּעֵינָיו אַחַר שֶׁהָיָה מֶלֶךְ. “All the people who emerged from the loins of Jacob were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt” (Exodus 1:5).
“All the people who emerged from the loins of Jacob,” including Joseph who was in Egypt, were seventy.
Alternatively, “and Joseph was in Egypt” [teaches that] even though Joseph ascended to royalty, he did not relate to his brothers and his father’s household with haughtiness. Just as he was insignificant in his [own] eyes initially when he was a slave in Egypt, so too, he was insignificant in his [own] eyes after he was king.
וַיָּמָת יוֹסֵף וְכָל אֶחָיו וְכָל הַדּוֹר הַהוּא, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם קַיָּם מֵאוֹתָן שֶׁיָּרְדוּ לְמִצְרַיִם לֹא שִׁעְבְּדוּ הַמִּצְרִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֵּת יוֹסֵף וְאֶחָיו, אֱלֹהֵיהֶם לֹא מֵת, אֶלָּא וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כָּל אַחַת וְאַחַת יָלְדָה שִׁשָּׁה בְּכֶרֶס אֶחָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ וגו'. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר, דִּכְתִיב: פָּרוּ שְׁנַיִם, וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ שְׁנַיִם, וַיִּרְבּוּ שְׁנַיִם, וַיַּעַצְמוּ שְׁנַיִם, בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד שְׁנַיִם, וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ אֹתָם שְׁנַיִם, הֲרֵי שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר. וַיַּעַצְמוּ, יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שִׁשָּׁה בְּכֶרֶס אֶחָד. וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי עַקְרָב שֶׁהִיא מִן הַשְּׁרָצִים יוֹלֶדֶת שִׁבְעִים. רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ אֹתָם, כְּחוּשִׁים שֶׁל קַנִּים. וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ הַמִּצְרִים כָּךְ חִדְּשׁוּ גְּזֵרוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ. רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל, חַד אָמַר חָדָשׁ מַמָּשׁ, וְחַד אָמַר שֶׁנִּתְחַדְּשׁוּ גְזֵרוֹתָיו, שֶׁחִדֵּשׁ גְּזֵרוֹת וּפֻרְעָנֻיּוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם. טַעְמָא דְמַאן דְּאָמַר חָדָשׁ מַמָּשׁ, דִּכְתִיב: חָדָשׁ, טַעֲמָא דְמַאן דְּאָמַר שֶׁחִדֵּשׁ גְּזֵרוֹתָיו, דְּלָא כְתִיב וַיָּמָת וַיִּמְלֹךְ. אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע אֶת יוֹסֵף, עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּמַאן דְּאָמַר חָדָשׁ נִיחָא, וְעַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּמַאן דְּאָמַר שֶׁחִדֵּשׁ גְּזֵרוֹתָיו מַאי דָּרַשׁ בֵּיהּ, דַּהֲוֵי דָמֵי כְּמַאן דְּלָא יָדַע לֵיהּ לְיוֹסֵף כְּלַל. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי לָמָּה קְרָאוֹ מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ, וַהֲלֹא פַּרְעֹה עַצְמוֹ הָיָה, אֶלָּא שֶׁאָמְרוּ הַמִּצְרִיִים לְפַרְעֹה, בּוֹא וְנִזְדַּוֵּג לְאֻמָּה זוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶם שׁוֹטִים אַתֶּם, עַד עַכְשָׁו מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם אָנוּ אוֹכְלִים, וְהֵיאַךְ נִזְדַּוֵּג לָהֶם, אִלּוּלֵי יוֹסֵף לֹא הָיִינוּ חַיִּים. כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹא שָׁמַע לָהֶם, הוֹרִידוּהוּ מִכִּסְּאוֹ שְׁלשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים, עַד שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם כָּל מַה שֶּׁאַתֶּם רוֹצִים הֲרֵינִי עִמָּכֶם, וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אוֹתוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ כְּתִיב: וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ. רַבָּנָן פָּתְחִין פִּתְחָא לְהַאי קְרָא (הושע ה, ז): בַּה' בָּגָדוּ כִּי בָּנִים זָרִים יָלָדוּ עַתָּה יֹאכְלֵם חֹדֶשׁ אֶת חֶלְקֵיהֶם. לְלַמֶּדְךָ, כְּשֶׁמֵּת יוֹסֵף הֵפֵרוּ בְּרִית מִילָה, אָמְרוּ נִהְיֶה כַּמִּצְרִים. מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁמשֶׁה מָלָן בִּיצִיאָתָן מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁעָשׂוּ כֵן, הָפַךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָאַהֲבָה שֶׁהָיוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים אוֹהֲבִין אוֹתָן, לְשִׂנְאָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קה, כה): הָפַךְ לִבָּם לִשְׂנֹא עַמּוֹ לְהִתְנַכֵּל בַּעֲבָדָיו, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ה, ז): עַתָּה יֹאכְלֵם חֹדֶשׁ אֶת חֶלְקֵיהֶם. מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ, שֶׁעָמַד וְחִדֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם גְּזֵרוֹתָיו. אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע אֶת יוֹסֵף, וְכִי לֹא הָיָה מַכִּיר אֶת יוֹסֵף, אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד שֶׁרָגַם אוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁל הַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ הַתִּיזוּ אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ, כִּי לְמָחָר יַעֲשֶׂה בִּי כָּךְ. לְכָךְ כָּתַב עָלָיו הַמִּקְרָא, כְּלוֹמַר הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע אֶת יוֹסֵף, לְמָחָר הוּא עָתִיד לוֹמַר (שמות ה, ב): לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֶת ה'. “Joseph died along with all his brothers and that entire generation” (Exodus 1:6).
Teaching that as long as one of those who descended to Egypt was alive, the Egyptians did not enslave Israel.
“The children of Israel were fruitful, propagated, increased, and grew exceedingly, and the land filled with them” (Exodus 1:7).
“The children of Israel were fruitful, propagated…” Even though Joseph and his brothers died, their God did not die, but rather: “The children of Israel were fruitful, propagated…”15It was His Providence that ensured the continuity of the children of Israel.
Alternatively, each and every one gave birth to six in each womb, as it is stated: “The children of Israel were fruitful, propagated, [increased, and grew exceedingly, and the land filled with them.]” Some say: Twelve, as it is written: “Were fruitful” – two, “propagated” – two, “increased” – two, “grew” – two, “exceedingly [bimod meod ]” – two, “and the land filled with them” – two, for a total of twelve.16All the verbs are plural, the double language bimod meod indicates another two, and the land filled with them indicates another two. The first opinion derives one from each of those words and phrases.
“Grew [vayishretzu],” some say: “Six17According to many commentaries, the correct wording here is “sixty.” in each womb,” and do not wonder, as a scorpion, which is one of the swarming creatures [sheratzim], gives birth to sixty.18Some versions of the Hebrew text have “seventy,” but others have “sixty,” which is the version preferred by most commentaries. Rabbi Natan says: “And the land was filled with them,” like fields of reeds.
“A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph” (Exodus 1:8).
“A new king arose.” Once the Egyptians saw this, they issued new decrees against them; that is what is written: “A new king arose.” Rav and Shmuel, one says: [He was] actually new, and one says: He [was not new, but] issued new decrees, as he brought new decrees and calamities upon them. The reason of the one who says actually new, is that “new” is written. The reason of the one who says he issued new decrees, is that “he died” and “he reigned” is not written. “Who did not know Joseph” – according to the opinion of the one who says new, it works out well. But according to the one who says that he issued new decrees, how does he interpret it? It is because he was like one who did not know Joseph at all.
The Rabbis say: Why did it call him “a new king”? Was it not Pharaoh himself? Rather, the Egyptians said to Pharaoh: ‘Come let us confront this nation.’ He said to them: ‘You are fools. Until now we have been eating from what is theirs, how can we confront them? Were it not for Joseph we would not be alive.’ Because he did not heed them, they dethroned him for three months, until he said to them: ‘Anything that you want, I am with you.’ Then they restored him; therefore it is written: “A new king arose.”
The Rabbis introduced [this matter] with this verse: “They have betrayed the Lord, for they have begotten foreign children; now a month will devour them with their portions” (Hosea 5:7), teaching that when Joseph died, they abrogated the covenant of circumcision. They said: ‘Let us be like the Egyptians.’ From here you derive that Moses circumcised them upon their exodus from Egypt. Once they did this, the Holy One blessed be He transformed the love that the Egyptians felt for them into hatred, as it is stated: “He changed their hearts to hate His people, to harass His servants” (Psalms 105:25). This is the meaning of what is written: “Now a month [ḥodesh] will devour them with their portions” – the new [ḥadash] king, who issued new decrees against them.
“Who did not know Joseph.” Was he unfamiliar with Joseph? Rabbi Avin said: This is analogous to one who stoned one beloved by the king. The king said: ‘Behead him, because tomorrow he will do the same to me.’ That is why the verse wrote [this] about him, as though to say: Today [he acts as one], “who did not know Joseph,” tomorrow he is destined to say: “I do not know the Lord” (Exodus 5:2).
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ, הוּא הִתְחִיל בְּעֵצָה תְּחִלָּה לְכָךְ לָקָה תְּחִלָּה, הוּא הִתְחִיל בְּעֵצָה תְּחִלָּה, דִּכְתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ, וְהוּא לָקָה תְּחִלָּה, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ז, כט): וּבְךָ וּבְעַמְּךָ וּבְכָל עֲבָדֶיךָ. הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ, לָהֶם לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא לוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בֶּן רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אָמַר בּוֹאוּ וְנִתְחַכְּמוּ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ, נְדוּנֵם בְּחֶרֶב, כְּבָר כְּתִיב (ישעיה סו, טז): וּבְחַרְבּוֹ אֶת כָּל בָּשָׂר. לֹא נָדוּן אוֹתָם אֶלָּא בְּמַיִם, שֶׁכָּךְ נִשְׁבַּע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאֵין מֵבִיא מַבּוּל לָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נד, ט): אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי מֵעֲבֹר מֵי נֹחַ עוֹד עַל הָאָרֶץ. וְהֵם אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים שֶׁעַל כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ אֵינוֹ מֵבִיא אֲבָל עַל אֻמָּה אַחַת מֵבִיא, וַעֲלֵיהֶם אֵינוֹ מֵבִיא אֲבָל הֵם בָּאִים וְנוֹפְלִים לְתוֹכָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים סג, יא): יַגִּירֻהוּ עַל יְדֵי חָרֶב מְנָת שֻׁעָלִים יִהְיוּ. (שמות יח, יא): כִּי בַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ וגו', בַּקְּדֵרָה שֶׁבִּשְׁלוּ, בָּהּ נִתְבַּשְּׁלוּ, אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן, שְׁלשָׁה הָיוּ בְּאוֹתָהּ עֵצָה, בִּלְעָם, וְאִיּוֹב, וְיִתְרוֹ. בִּלְעָם שֶׁיָּעַץ, נֶהֱרַג. אִיּוֹב שֶׁשָּׁתַק, נִדּוֹן בְּיִסּוּרִין. יִתְרוֹ שֶׁבָּרַח, זָכוּ בָּנָיו וְיָשְׁבוּ בְּלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית, דִּכְתִיב (דברי הימים א ב, נה): וּמִשְׁפְּחוֹת סוֹפְרִים ישְׁבֵי יַעְבֵּץ תִּרְעָתִים שִׁמְעָתִים שׂוּכָתִים הֵמָּה הַקִּינִים הַבָּאִים מֵחַמַּת אֲבִי בֵית רֵכָב וגו', וּכְתִיב (שופטים א, טז): וּבְנֵי קֵינִי חֹתֵן משֶׁה עָלוּ מֵעִיר הַתְּמָרִים אֶת בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה. וְעָלָה מִן הָאָרֶץ, וְעָלִינוּ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא וְעָלָה, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא כְּאָדָם שֶׁמְקַלֵּל עַצְמוֹ וְתוֹלֶה קִלְלָתוֹ בַּאֲחֵרִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְעָלָה מִן הָאָרֶץ, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל בַּיְרִידָה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה, הֵם עוֹלִים, רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב: וְעָלָה מִן הָאָרֶץ, אָמַר דָּוִד (תהלים מד, כו): כִּי שָׁחָה לֶעָפָר נַפְשֵׁנוּ דָּבְקָה לָאָרֶץ בִּטְנֵנוּ. אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה (תהלים מד, כז): קוּמָה עֶזְרָתָה לָּנוּ וּפְדֵנוּ לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ. “He said to his people: Behold, the nation of the children of Israel is more numerous and mighty than us” (Exodus 1:9).
“He said to his people” – he began with the counsel first; therefore, he was punished first. He began with the counsel first, as it is written: “He said to his people.” He was punished first, as it is written: “Upon you, upon your people, and upon all your servants, [the frogs will rise]” (Exodus 7:29).
“Let us be shrewd with it, lest it increase, and it shall be that if a war will occur, it too will join our enemies and wage war against us and it will ascend from the land” (Exodus 1:10).
“Let us be shrewd with it.” “With them” is not stated, but rather, “with it.” Rabbi Ḥama son of Rabbi Ḥanina said: He said: ‘Come let us be shrewd with the God of these. Shall we sentence them with the sword? It is already written: “And with His sword all flesh” (Isaiah 66:16). We will sentence them only with water, as the Holy One blessed be He took an oath that He will not bring a flood to the world, as it is stated: “As I took an oath that the waters of Noah would no longer pass over the earth” (Isaiah 54:9).’ But they did not know that He will not bring it over the entire world, but He will bring it on one nation. And He will not bring it [even] upon them, but they will come and fall into it, as it is stated: “They will be hurled [yagiruhu] to the sword [ḥarev]; they will be prey for the foxes [shualim]” (Psalms 63:11).19The midrash interprets this: He will entice [yegareh] them with dry land [ḥorev], into the waters of the sea [sha’al yam].
“As it was in the matter that they conspired [against them]” (Exodus 18:11) – in the pot in which they cooked, they were cooked.20They sought to drown the Jewish boys in the river; they were drowned in the Red Sea.
Rabbi Ḥiyya said that Rabbi Simon said: There were three [involved] in that counsel: Bilam, Job, and Yitro. Bilam, who advised [Pharaoh to persecute Israel], was killed. Job, who was silent, was punished with suffering. Yitro, who fled, his descendants were privileged to sit in the Chamber of Hewn Stone, as it is stated: “The families of scribes who dwelled at Yabetz: The Tiratites, the Shime’atites, the Sukatites. These are the Kenites that came from Hamat, the father of the house of Rekhav” (I Chronicles 2:55). And it is written: “The children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the city of the date palms with the children of Judah” (Judges 1:16).
“…and it will ascend from the land” (Exodus 1:10). It does not say: And we will ascend, but rather: “It will ascend.” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana says: It is like a person who curses himself but ascribes his curse to another.21Although Pharaoh’s stated concern was that the Israelites would leave Egypt, his real concern was that they would overcome the Egyptians and banish them from Egypt.
Alternatively, “and it will ascend from the land,” any time that Israel reaches the ultimate depths, they ascend; see what is written: “And it will ascend from the land.” David said: “Our soul is bent to the dust; our belly cleaves to the earth.” (Psalms 44:26). At that moment: “Rise up, be our savior; redeem us for the sake of Your kindness” (Psalms 44:27).
וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלָיו, עֲלֵיהֶם לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא עָלָיו, תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ מַלְבֵּן וְתָלוּ בְּצַוָּארוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה, שֶׁאִם הָיָה אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאוֹמֵר לָהֶם אִיסְטְנִיס אָנִי, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ כְּלוּם אִיסְטְנִיס אַתָּה מִפַּרְעֹה. שָׂרֵי מִסִּים, דָּבָר שֶׁמֵּשִׂים עָלָיו לְבֵנִים. לְמַעַן עַנֹּתוֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָם, לְמַעַן עַנּוֹת פַּרְעֹה בְּסִבְלוֹתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיִּבֶן עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת לְפַרְעֹה, רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל, חַד אָמַר שֶׁמְסַכְּנוֹת אֶת בַּעֲלֵיהֶן. וְחַד אָמַר שֶׁמְמַסְכְּנוֹת אֶת בּוֹנֵיהֶם, שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּבִנְיָן מִתְמַסְכֵּן. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי בָּתֵּי אוֹצָרוֹת, כְּמָא דְתֵימָא (ישעיה כב, טו): לֶךְ בֹּא אֶל הַסֹּכֵן הַזֶּה. אֶת פִּתֹם וְאֶת רַעַמְסֵס, רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל, חַד אָמַר פִּתֹם שְׁמָהּ, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ רַעַמְסֵס, שֶׁרִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן מִתְרוֹסֵס. וְחַד אָמַר רַעַמְסֵס שְׁמָהּ, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ פִּתֹם, שֶׁרִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן פִּי תְּהוֹם בּוֹלְעוֹ. They imposed upon them taskmasters in order to afflict them with their burdens, and they built storage cities for Pharaoh, Pitom and Raamses (Exodus 1:11).
“They imposed upon him [alav],”22Although the verse is generally translated “they imposed upon them taskmasters in order to afflict them with their burdens,” the object of the sentence is actually written in singular, such that a more literal translation is “they imposed upon it/him taskmasters to afflict it/him with their burdens.” – “upon them [aleihem]” is not stated, but rather “upon him.” The school of Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon taught: It teaches that they brought a brick mold and they hung it on the neck of Pharaoh. If any individual from Israel would say: ‘I am a delicate person,’ they would say to him: ‘Are you more delicate than Pharaoh?’ “Taskmasters [sarei missim],” something upon which bricks are placed [mesim].“In order to afflict him with their burdens” – in order to afflict Pharaoh with the burdens of the Jewish people.23The brick mold was placed around Pharaoh’s neck in order to make it seem that he too was participating in the building efforts, so that the Israelites would willingly agree to begin working.
“They built storage cities [miskenot] for Pharaoh.” Rav and Shmuel, one said: That endanger [mesakenot] their owners. And one said: That impoverish [memaskenot] their owners, as anyone who engages in construction become poor. The Rabbis say: Storehouses, as it says: “Go and approach that steward” (Isaiah 22:15).24The reference is to Shevna in whose hands the keys to the storehouses were entrusted. See Isaiah 22:22.
“Pitom and Raamses,” Rav and Shmuel, one says: Pitom was its name, and why was it called Raamses? It is because [the buildings] would collapse [mitrossess] one by one. And one says: Raamses was its name, and why was it called Pitom? It is because the opening of the abyss [pi tehom] would swallow [the buildings] one by one.
וְכַאֲשֶׁר יְעַנּוּ אֹתוֹ כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וְכֵן יִפְרֹץ. כֵּן רָבוּ וְכֵן פָּרְצוּ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא: כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וְכֵן יִפְרֹץ, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מְבַשַֹּׂרְתָּן כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וְכֵן יִפְרֹץ. וַיָּקֻצוּ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ דּוֹמִין יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֵינֵיהֶם כְּקוֹצִים. וַיַּעֲבִדוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּפָרֶךְ. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר בְּפֶה רַךְ. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אוֹמֵר בִּפְרִיכָה, וְכֵן עָשׂוּ לְכָל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, כָּל מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ הַלְּבֵנִים בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן שָׂמוּ עָלָיו לִגְזֵרָה, שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה כְּנֶגְדָּן בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם. וַיְמָרֲרוּ אֶת חַיֵּיהֶם בַּעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה וגו', בַּתְּחִלָּה בְּחֹמֶר וּבִלְבֵנִים, וּלְבַסּוֹף וּבְכָל עֲבֹדָה בַּשָֹּׂדֶה, וּלְבַסּוֹף אֵת כָּל עֲבֹדָתָם. מַהוּ אֵת כָּל עֲבֹדָתָם אֲשֶׁר עָבְדוּ בָהֶם בְּפָרֶךְ, רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ מַחֲלִיפִין מְלֶאכֶת אֲנָשִׁים לְנָשִׁים, וּמְלֶאכֶת נָשִׁים לַאֲנָשִׁים. אָמַר רַבִּי אִוְיָא מוֹדֶה רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר שֶׁהוּא בִּפְרִיכָה: “But the more they would afflict it, the more it would increase and the more it would proliferate; they were disgusted by the children of Israel” (Exodus 1:12).
“But the more they would afflict it, the more it would increase and the more it would proliferate.” “The more they increased and the more they proliferated is not stated, but rather, “it would increase and it would proliferate.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The Divine Spirit is heralding to them: Each of them “will increase and will proliferate.”25It is written in future tense and in the singular and not in past tense plural.
“They were disgusted [vayakutzu] by the children of Israel,” teaching that Israel was like thorns [kotzim] in their eyes.
“The Egyptians enslaved the children of Israel ruthlessly [befarekh]” (Exodus 1:13).
Rabbi Elazar said: With gentle persuasion [befeh rakh]. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman says: With crushing cruelty [bifrikha]. This is what they did to each person of Israel: They imposed a decree upon them that each and every day they should produce the equivalent of the number of bricks that they produced on the first day.
“They embittered their lives with hard labor, with mortar and with bricks, and with all kinds of work in the fields; all the work with which they worked them ruthlessly” (Exodus 1:14).
“They embittered their lives with hard labor, etc.” – initially, “with mortar and with bricks,” and later “with all kinds of work in the field,” and ultimately, “all the work.” What is: “All the work with which they worked them ruthlessly”? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said that Rabbi Yonatan [said]: It teaches that they would exchange the labor of men for women and the labor of women for men. Rabbi Avya said: Rabbi Elazar concedes that this is [work imposed] with crushing cruelty.26Although Rabbi Elazar interpreted the word befarekh in verse 13 to mean with gentle persuasion, he concedes that the word befarekh at the end of verse 14 means with crushing cruelty. Thus, the beginning of the servitude was conducted with gentle persuasion, but eventually it was with crushing cruelty.
אַרְבַּע גְּזֵרוֹת גָּזַר פַּרְעֹה עֲלֵיהֶם, בַּתְּחִלָּה גָּזַר וְצִוָּה לַנּוֹגְשִׂין שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דּוֹחֲקִין בָּהֶן כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עוֹשִׂין הַסְּכוּם שֶׁלָּהֶן, וְלֹא יִהְיוּ יְשֵׁנִין בְּבָתֵּיהֶם. וְהוּא חָשַׁב לְמַעֲטָן מִפְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה, אָמַר מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁאֵינָן יְשֵׁנִין בְּבָתֵּיהֶם אֵינָן מוֹלִידִין. אָמְרוּ לָהֶן הַנּוֹגְשִׂים, אִם אַתֶּם הוֹלְכִין לִישֹׁן בְּבָתֵּיכֶם עַד שֶׁאָנוּ מְשַׁלְּחִין אַחֲרֵיכֶם בַּבֹּקֶר, הַיּוֹם עוֹלֶה לְשָׁעָה וְלִשְׁתַּיִם וְאֵין אַתֶּם מַשְׁלִימִין אֶת הַסְּכוּם שֶׁלָּכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ה, יג): וְהַנֹּגְשִׂים אָצִים לֵאמֹר וגו', וְהָיוּ יְשֵׁנִין עַל הָאָרֶץ. אָמַר לָהֶן הָאֱלֹהִים, אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם אֲבִיהֶם שֶׁאֲנִי מַרְבֶּה בָּנָיו כַּכּוֹכָבִים, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית כב, יז): כִּי בָרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ וְהַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה וגו', וְאַתֶּם מִתְחַכְּמִים לָהֶן שֶׁלֹא יִרְבּוּ, נִרְאֶה אֵיזֶה דָּבָר עוֹמֵד אוֹ שֶׁלִּי אוֹ שֶׁלָּכֶם, מִיָּד (שמות א, יב): וְכַאֲשֶׁר יְעַנּוּ אֹתוֹ כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וגו'. דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, בִּשְׂכַר נָשִׁים צִדְקָנִיּוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר נִגְאֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם. וּמֶה עָשׂוּ, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיוּ הוֹלְכוֹת לִשְׁאֹב מַיִם, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְזַמֵּן לָהֶם דָּגִים קְטַנִּים בְּכַדֵּיהֶן, וְשׁוֹאֲבִין מֶחֱצָה מַיִם וּמֶחֱצָה דָּגִים, וּמוֹלִיכוֹת אֵצֶל בַּעֲלֵיהֶן וְשׁוֹפְתוֹת לָהֶם שְׁתֵּי קְדֵרוֹת, אַחַת שֶׁל חַמִּין וְאַחַת שֶׁל דָּגִים, וּמַאֲכִילוֹת אוֹתָן וּמַרְחִיצוֹת אוֹתָן וְסָכוֹת אוֹתָן וּמַשְׁקוֹת אוֹתָן, וְנִזְקָקוֹת לָהֶם בֵּין שְׁפַתָּיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים סח, יד): אִם תִּשְׁכְּבוּן בֵּין שְׁפַתָּיִם כַּנְפֵי יוֹנָה נֶחְפָּה בַכֶּסֶף, בִּשְׂכַר שֶׁשָּׁכְבוּ בֵּין שְׁפַתָּיִם, זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבִזַּת מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כַּנְפֵי יוֹנָה נֶחְפָּה בַכֶּסֶף. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמִּתְעַבְּרוֹת בָּאוֹת לְבָתֵּיהֶן, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ זְמַן מוֹלִידֵיהֶם, הוֹלְכוֹת וְיוֹלְדוֹת בַּשָֹּׂדֶה תַּחַת הַתַּפּוּחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ח, ה): תַּחַת הַתַּפּוּחַ עוֹרַרְתִּיךָ. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׁוֹלֵחַ מַלְאָךְ מִשְׁמֵי מָרוֹם, וּמְנַקֶּה אוֹתָם וּמְשַׁפֵּר אוֹתָם, כְּחַיָּה זוֹ שֶׁמְשַׁפֶּרֶת אֶת הַוָּלָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל טז, ד): וּמוֹלְדוֹתַיִךְ בְּיוֹם הוּלֶּדֶת אוֹתָךְ וגו'. וּמְנַקֵט לָהֶם שְׁנֵי עִגּוּלִין, אֶחָד שֶׁל שֶׁמֶן וְאֶחָד שֶׁל דְּבַשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לב, יג): וַיְנִקֵהוּ דְבַשׁ מִסֶּלַע וגו'. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמַּכִּירִין בָּהֶם הַמִּצְרִיִּים רָצוּ לְהָרְגָם, וְנַעֲשָׂה לָהֶן נֵס וְנִבְלָעִין בַּקַּרְקַע, וּמְבִיאִין שְׁוָורִים וְחוֹרְשִׁין עַל גַּבֵּיהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קכט, ג): עַל גַבִּי חָרְשׁוּ חֹרְשִׁים. וּלְאַחַר שֶׁהוֹלְכִין מְבַצְבְּצִין וְיוֹצְאִין כְּעֵשֶׂב הַשָֹּׂדֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל טז, ז): רְבָבָה כְּצֶמַח הַשָֹּׂדֶה נְתַתִּיךְ וגו'. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמִּתְגַּדְּלִין בָּאִין עֲדָרִים עֲדָרִים לְבָתֵּיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל טז, ז): וַתָּבֹאִי בַּעֲדִי עֲדָיִים, אַל תִּקְרֵי בַּעֲדִי עֲדָיִים, אֶלָּא בְּעֶדְרֵי עֲדָרִים. וּכְשֶׁנִּגְלָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַיָּם, הֵם הִכִּירוּהוּ תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טו, ב): זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ, Pharaoh issued four decrees against them. Initially, he decreed and commanded the taskmasters to pressure them so that they would produce their quota and they would not sleep at home. He thought to diminish their procreation. He said: If they do not sleep at home they will not have children. The taskmasters said to them: ‘If you go to sleep in your homes, by the time we send to gather you in the morning, an hour or two of the day will have passed, and you will not meet your quota,’ as it is stated: “The taskmasters pressured them saying, [fulfill your work, your daily task]” (Exodus 5:13).
They would sleep on the ground. God said to them [the Egyptians]: ‘I said to their forefather Abraham that I will multiply his descendants like the stars, as it is stated: “For I will bless you, and I will multiply, etc.” (Genesis 22:17), and you are outsmarting them so they will not multiply? We will see whose matter prevails, Mine or yours.’ Immediately, “but the more they would afflict them, the more they would increase…” (Exodus 1:12).
Rabbi Akiva expounded: On account of the righteous women who were in that generation, Israel was redeemed from Egypt. What did they do? When they would go to draw water, the Holy One blessed be He would arrange for them small fish in their jugs, and they would draw half water and half fish. They would take it to their husbands and would place two pots on the fire [veshoftot], one with hot water and one with fish. They would feed them, bathe them, anoint them with oil, and give them to drink, and they would consort with them between the pots [shefatayim], as it is stated: “Now you may lie within the sheepfolds [shefatayim], wings of the dove covered with silver” (Psalms 68:14). In reward for having lain between the pots, Israel merited the loot of Egypt, as it is stated: “wings of the dove covered with silver.”
When they would conceive, they would come to their homes. When the time of their birth arrived, they would go and give birth in the fields, under apple trees, as it is stated: “Under the apple tree I roused you [there your mother was in childbirth]” (Song of Songs 8:5). The Holy One blessed be He would send an angel from the heavens above who would clean them and tend to them like the beast that tends to its young, as it is stated: “As for your birth, on the day you were born [your umbilical cord was not cut, and you were not washed in water for cleansing…and you were not swaddled]” (Ezekiel 16:4).27In this chapter, addressing the exile in Egypt, there was no midwife to perform these tasks; rather, God saw to them, as it is written: “I bathed you in water, rinsed your blood from upon you, and anointed you with oil. I dressed you in embroidered garments…I wrapped you, etc. (Ezekiel 16:9–10). They would take two round vessels of earth, one containing oil and one containing honey, as it is stated: “He suckled them honey from a boulder [and oil from a flinty rock]” (Deuteronomy 32:13).
Once the Egyptians became aware of them [the babies], they sought to kill them. A miracle was performed for them and they were enveloped in the ground. They [the Egyptians] brought oxen and they plowed [the land] above them, as it is stated: “Upon my back plowers plowed” (Psalms 129:3). After [the Egyptians] would leave, they would sprout and emerge like the grass of the field, as it is stated: “I caused you to increase like the growth of the field” (Ezekiel 16:7). Once they grew, they would come in herds [adarim] to their homes, as it is stated: “You came to have great beauty [ba’adi adayim]” (ibid.) – do not read it ba’adi adayim but rather be’edrei adarim. When the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself on the sea, they recognized Him first, as it is stated: “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2). 28This is because they remembered Him from the miracles He performed for them in Egypt.
כְּשֶׁרָאָה שֶׁהֵם פָּרִים וְרָבִים, גָּזַר עַל הַזְּכָרִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמות א, טו): וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לַמְיַלְּדֹת וגו'. מִי הָיוּ הַמְיַלְּדוֹת, רַב אָמַר כַּלָּה וַחֲמוֹתָהּ, יוֹכֶבֶד וֶאֱלִישֶׁבַע בַּת עֲמִּינָדָב. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר, אִשָּׁה וּבִתָּהּ, יוֹכֶבֶד וּמִרְיָם. וְלֹא הָיוּ לְמִרְיָם אֶלָּא חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים, שֶׁאַהֲרֹן גָּדוֹל מִמּשֶׁה שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים. אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה הוֹלֶכֶת הָיְתָה עִם יוֹכֶבֶד אִמָּהּ וְעוֹשָׂה צְרָכֶיהָ, וְהָיְתָה זְרִיזָה, שֶׁעַד שֶׁהַתִּינוֹק קָטָן הוּא נִכָּר. הוּא שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה (משלי כ, יא): גַּם בְּמַעֲלָלָיו יִתְנַכֶּר נָעַר וגו'. אֲשֶׁר שֵׁם הָאַחַת שִׁפְרָה, שֶׁהָיְתָה מְשַׁפֶּרֶת אֶת הַתִּינוֹק, כְּשֶׁהוּא יוֹצֵא מָלֵא דָּם, פּוּעָה שֶׁהָיְתָה נוֹפַעַת יַיִן בַּתִּינוֹק אַחַר אִמָּהּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שִׁפְרָה, שֶׁפָּרוּ וְרָבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלֶיהָ. פּוּעָה, שֶׁהָיְתָה מַפִּיעָה אֶת הַתִּינוֹק כְּשֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים מֵת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שִׁפְרָה, שֶׁשִּׁפְּרָה מַעֲשֶׂיהָ לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, פּוּעָה, שֶׁהוֹפִיעָה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאלֹהִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, פּוּעָה, שֶׁהוֹפִיעָה פָּנִים כְּנֶגֶד פַּרְעֹה, וְזָקְפָה חָטְמָהּ בּוֹ, וְאָמְרָה לוֹ, אוֹי לוֹ לְאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ כְּשֶׁיָּבוֹא הָאֱלֹהִים לִפָּרַע מִמֶּנּוּ. נִתְמַלֵּא עָלֶיהָ חֵמָה לְהָרְגָהּ. שִׁפְרָה, שֶׁהָיְתָה מְשַׁפֶּרֶת עַל דִּבְרֵי בִתָּהּ וּמְפַיֶּסֶת עָלֶיהָ. אָמְרָה לוֹ, אַתָּה מַשְׁגִּיחַ עָלֶיהָ, תִּינֹקֶת הִיא וְאֵינָהּ יוֹדַעַת כְּלוּם. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר רַב יִצְחָק אָמַר, שִׁפְרָה, שֶׁהֶעֱמִידָה יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאלֹהִים, שֶׁבִּשְׁבִילָם נִבְרְאוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶם (איוב כו, יג): בְּרוּחוֹ שָׁמַיִם שִׁפְרָה. פּוּעָה, שֶׁהוֹפִיעָה פָּנִים כְּנֶגֶד אָבִיהָ, שֶׁהָיָה עַמְרָם רֹאשׁ סַנְהֶדְּרִין בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁגָּזַר פַּרְעֹה וְאָמַר (שמות א, כב): כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד, אָמַר עַמְרָם וְלָרִיק יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹלִידִים, מִיָּד הוֹצִיא אֶת יוֹכֶבֶד וּפֵרַשׁ עַצְמוֹ מִתַּשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה, וְגֵרַשׁ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ כְּשֶׁהִיא מְעֻבֶּרֶת מִשְׁלשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים, עָמְדוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגֵרְשׁוּ אֶת נְשׁוֹתֵיהֶן. אָמְרָה לוֹ בִּתּוֹ גְּזֵרָתְךָ קָשָׁה מִשֶּׁל פַּרְעֹה, שֶׁפַּרְעֹה לֹא גָזַר אֶלָּא עַל הַזְּכָרִים, וְאַתָּה עַל הַזְּכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. פַּרְעֹה רָשָׁע הוּא וּגְזֵרָתוֹ סָפֵק מִתְקַיֶּמֶת סָפֵק אֵינָהּ מִתְקַיֶּמֶת, אֲבָל אַתָּה צַדִּיק וּגְזֵרָתְךָ מִתְקַיֶּמֶת. עָמַד הוּא וְהֶחֱזִיר אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ, עָמְדוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהֶחֱזִירוּ נְשׁוֹתֵיהֶם. הֱוֵי פּוּעָה, שֶׁהוֹפִיעָה פָּנִים כְּנֶגֶד אָבִיהָ. “The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shifra and the name of the other was Pu’a” (Exodus 1:15).
When he saw that they were procreating, he issued a decree against the males 29This is Pharaoh’s second decree. – that is what is written: “The king of Egypt said to the midwives….” Who were the midwives? Rav said: A daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law, Yokheved and Elisheva daughter of Aminadav. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman says: A woman and her daughter, Yokheved and Miriam.
And Miriam was no more than five years old, as Aaron was three years older than Moses. Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: She would go with her mother Yokheved and assist her, and she was very quick. While the child is still young, his [character] is recognizable. That is what Solomon said: “Even a lad is recognized through his deeds” (Proverbs 20:11).
“…the name of one was Shifra [and the name of the other was Pu’a],” because she would attend to [meshaperet] the baby when he would emerge covered in blood; “Pu’a,” because she would express [nofa’at] wine into the babies after her mother [had attended to them].
Alternatively, Shifra, because Israel procreated [sheparu veravu] in her day; Pu’a, who would revive [mapia] the baby when they would say it was dead.
Alternatively, Shifra, because she made her actions pleasing [shipera] before God; Pu’a, because she caused Israel to appear [hofia] before God. Alternatively, Pu’a, because she was impudent [hofia panim] to Pharaoh and had her nose in the air toward him, and she said to him: ‘Woe unto that man when God will come and punish him.’ He became filled with fury and sought to kill her. Shifra, because she eased [meshaperet] the words of her daughter and placated him toward her. She said to him: ‘Are you paying attention to her? She is a child and knows nothing.’
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Rav Yitzḥak said: Shifra, because she preserved Israel for God, and it was for their sake that the heavens were created, regarding which it is written: “By his wind the heavens are calm [shifra]” (Job 26:13). Pu’a, because she was impudent [hofia panim] toward her father. Amram was the head of the Sanhedrin at that time. Once Pharaoh issued his decree and said: “Every son that is born you shall cast him into the Nile” (Exodus 1:22), Amram said: ‘Isn’t Israel begetting children for naught?’ Immediately, he separated from Yokheved and abstained from sexual relations.
He divorced his wife when she was three months pregnant. All Israel arose and divorced their wives. His daughter said to him: ‘Your decree is harsher than Pharaoh’s, as Pharaoh decreed only against the males, and you, against the males and the females. Pharaoh is wicked and it is uncertain whether his decree will be fulfilled or whether it will not be fulfilled. However, you are righteous and your decree will be fulfilled.’ He arose and remarried his wife. All Israel arose and remarried their wives. That is Pu’a, who was impudent toward her father.
וַיֹּאמֶר בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן אֶת הָעִבְרִיּוֹת, לָמָּה צִוָּה לַהֲרֹג אוֹתָם עַל יְדֵי הַמְיַלְּדוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יִתְבַּע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ, וְיִפָּרַע מֵהֶן. וּרְאִיתֶן עַל הָאָבְנָיִם, מָקוֹם שֶׁהַוָּלָד נִפְנָה בּוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, הָאָבְנָיִם, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה אֵיבָרֶיהָ שֶׁל אִשָּׁה קָשֶׁה כַּאֲבָנִים בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיּוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל הַמַּשְׁבֵּר לֵילֵד, שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי כֵן מֵתָה. וְרַבִּי פִּנְחָס הֶחָבֵר אוֹמֵר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹנָה מְסַיֵּעַ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן, אֵין אָבְנָיִם אֶלָּא סַדָּן, שֶׁהוּא דָּבָר קָשֶׁה, דִּכְתִיב (ירמיה יח, ג): וָאֵרֵד בֵּית הַיּוֹצֵר וְהִנֵּה הוּא עֹשֶׂה מְלָאכָה עַל הָאָבְנָיִם, אָמַר רַבִּי חָנִין סִימָן גָּדוֹל מָסַר לָהֶם, מַה יּוֹצֵר זֶה יָרֵךְ מִכָּאן וְיָרֵךְ מִכָּאן וְסַדָּן בָּאֶמְצַע, אַף אִשָּׁה יָרֵךְ מִכָּאן וְיָרֵךְ מִכָּאן וּוָלָד בָּאֶמְצַע. וְאִית דְּאָמְרֵי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁכּוֹרַעַת לֵילֵד יַרְכוֹתֶיהָ מִצְטַנְּנוֹת כַּאֲבָנִים. אִם בֵּן הוּא וַהֲמִתֶּן אֹתוֹ, אָמַר לָהֶם אִם זָכָר הִרְגּוּ אוֹתוֹ, וְאִם נְקֵבָה אַל תַּהַרְגוּ אוֹתָהּ, אֶלָּא אִם חָיְתָה חָיָתָה, וְאִם מֵתָה מֵתָה. אָמְרוּ לוֹ מֵהֵיכָן נֵדַע אִם זָכָר אִם נְקֵבָה, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא סִימָן גָּדוֹל מָסַר לָהֶם, אִם פָּנָיו לְמַטָּה דְּעוּ שֶׁהוּא זָכָר שֶׁמַּבִּיט בְּאִמּוֹ בָּאָרֶץ שֶׁמִּמֶּנָּהּ נִבְרָא, וּכְשֶׁהוּא פָּנָיו לְמַעְלָה הִיא נְקֵבָה, שֶׁמַּבֶּטֶת בִּבְרִיָּיתָהּ בַּצֵּלָע. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ב, כא): וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעֹתָיו. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רָשָׁע מִי שֶׁנָּתַן הָעֵצָה הַזֹּאת טִפֵּשׁ הוּא, הָיָה לְךָ לַהֲרֹג אֶת הַנְּקֵבוֹת, אִם אֵין נְקֵבוֹת זְכָרִים מֵהֵיכָן יִשְֹּׂאוּ נָשִׁים, אִשָּׁה אַחַת אֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה לִטֹּל שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים, אֲבָל אִישׁ אֶחָד יָכוֹל לִטֹּל עֶשֶׂר נָשִׁים אוֹ מֵאָה, הֱוֵי (ישעיה יט, יא): אַךְ אֱוִילִים שָׂרֵי צֹעַן וגו' שֶׁנָּתְנוּ לוֹ זוֹ הָעֵצָה. He said: When you deliver the Hebrew women and you look upon the birthstool [ovnayim], if it is a son you shall kill him but if it is a daughter she shall live (Exodus 1:16).
“He said: When you deliver the Hebrew women…” Why did he command to kill them by means of the midwives? It was so the Holy One blessed be He would not prosecute him, but would punish them.
“And you look upon the ovnayim,” [this is] the place through which the baby passes [as it emerges]. Alternatively, ovnayim, Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He makes a woman’s limbs hard as stones [avanim] when she is sitting on the birthstool in childbirth, as were it not so, she would die. Rabbi Pinḥas the ḥaver says in the name of Rabbi Yona, this supports Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: Ovnayim means nothing other than a block, which is a hard object, as it is written: “I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was at work on the wheel [ovnayim]” (Jeremiah 18:3).30This is the surface on which the potter produces his vessel.. Rabbi Ḥanin said: He provided them a clear sign: Just as the potter has one thigh here and one thigh there and the block in the middle, so too, a woman giving birth has one thigh here and one thigh there and the newborn is in the middle. Some say: When she crouches to deliver, her thighs grow cold as stones.
“If it is a son, you shall kill him.” He said to them, if it is male, kill him, and if it is female, do not kill her; rather, if she lives, she lives, and if she dies, she dies. They said to him: How will we know if it is male or if it is female? Rabbi Ḥanina said: He provided them a clear sign. If it is face down, know that he is male, as he is looking, in his mother, at the earth from which he was created. If it is face up, she is a female, as she is looking at her source, the rib, as it is stated: “He took one of his ribs” (Genesis 2:21).
The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one, whoever gave this counsel is a fool. You should have killed the females. If there are no females from where will the males marry women? One woman cannot take two men, but one man can take ten women, or one hundred.’ That is: “The princes of Tzoan are but fools” (Isaiah 19:11); it is they who gave him this counsel.
וַתִּירֶאןָ הַמְיַלְדוֹת אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים, עֲלֵיהֶן נֶאֱמַר (משלי לא, ל): אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת ה' הִיא תִתְהַלָּל. וְלֹא עָשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֲלֵיהֶן מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, לָהֶן לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא אֲלֵיהֶן, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁתָּבַע אוֹתָן לְהִזְדַּוֵּג לָהֶם וְלֹא קִבְּלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ. וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ אֶת הַיְלָדִים, וְכִי מֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹא עָשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֲלֵיהֶן, אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין שֶׁקִּיְּמוּ אֶת הַיְלָדִים, לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ הַכָּתוּב לוֹמַר: וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ אֶת הַיְלָדִים. יֵשׁ קִלּוּס בְּתוֹךְ קִלּוּס, לֹא דַיָּן שֶׁלֹא קִיְּמוּ אֶת דְּבָרָיו, אֶלָּא עוֹד הוֹסִיפוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמָּהֶם טוֹבוֹת, יֵשׁ מֵהֶם שֶׁהָיוּ עֲנִיּוֹת, וְהוֹלְכוֹת הַמְיַלְּדוֹת וּמַגְבוֹת מַיִם וּמָזוֹן מִבָּתֵּיהֶם שֶׁל עֲשִׁירוֹת וּבָאוֹת וְנוֹתְנוֹת לָעֲנִיּוֹת, וְהֵן מְחַיּוֹת אֶת בְּנֵיהֶן, הוּא שֶׁכָּתוּב: וַתְּחַיֶּין, אֶת הַיְלָדִים, יֵשׁ מֵהֶם שֶׁרְאוּיִים לָצֵאת חִגְּרִים אוֹ סוּמִים אוֹ בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין אוֹ לַחְתֹּךְ בּוֹ אֵבָר שֶׁיֵּצֵא יָפֶה, וּמֶה הָיוּ עוֹשׂוֹת, עוֹמְדוֹת בִּתְפִלָּה וְאוֹמְרוֹת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁלֹא קִיַּמְנוּ דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה, דְּבָרֶיךָ אָנוּ מְבַקְּשׁוֹת לְקַיֵּם, רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם יֵצֵא הַוָּלָד לְשָׁלוֹם, שֶׁלֹא יִמְצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל יְדֵיהֶם לְהָשִׂיחַ עָלֵינוּ, לוֹמַר הֲרֵי יָצְאוּ בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִים, שֶׁבִּקְּשׁוּ לַהֲרֹג אוֹתָם. מִיָּד הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹלָן וְיוֹצְאִין שְׁלֵמִים. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי, הֲרֵי אָמַרְתָּ אֶת הַקַּלָּה אֱמֹר אֶת הַחֲמוּרָה, יֵשׁ מֵהֶן שֶׁרְאוּיִן לָמוּת בִּשְׁעַת יְצִיאָתָן, אוֹ אִמָּן לִסָּכֵּן בָּם וְלָמוּת אַחַר יְצִיאָתָן, וְהָיוּ עוֹמְדוֹת בִּתְפִלָּה וְאוֹמְרוֹת לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם תְּלֵה לָהֶם עַכְשָׁו וְתֵן לָהֶם נַפְשׁוֹתֵיהֶם, שֶׁלֹא יֹאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֵן הָרְגוּ אוֹתָן. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה תְּפִלָּתָן, לְפִיכָךְ: וַתְּחַיֶּין אֶת הַיְלָדִים, וַתְּחַיֶּין אֵלּוּ הָאִמָּהוֹת, הַיְלָדִים, הַיְלָדִים מַמָּשׁ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַתִּירֶאן הַמְיַלְּדֹת, קִשְׁטוּ עַצְמָן לְמַעֲשֵׂה זְקֵנָן, זֶה אַבְרָהָם, כְּמָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵעִיד עָלָיו (בראשית כב, יב): כִּי עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה וגו'. אָמְרוּ, אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם פָּתַח לוֹ פּוּנְדָק וְהָיָה זָן אֶת הָעוֹבְרִים וְאֶת הַשָּׁבִים בְּנֵי אָדָם עֲרֵלִים, וְאָנוּ לֹא דַיֵּנוּ שֶׁאֵין לָנוּ לְהַאֲכִילָן, אֶלָּא לַהֲרֹג אוֹתָן, אָנוּ נְחַיֶּה אוֹתָן. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה פַּרְעֹה שֶׁלֹא עָשׂוּ גְּזֵרָתוֹ שָׁלַח וְקָרָא אוֹתָן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיִּקְרָא מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לַמְיַלְּדֹת. The midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had spoken to them, and they kept the boys alive” (Exodus 1:17).
“The midwives feared God.” About them it is stated: “A God-fearing woman, she will be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).
“And did not do as the king of Egypt had spoken to them [aleihen].” Lahen is not written, but rather aleihen.31A formulation used elsewhere in the Bible in the sense of sexual relations, e.g., Genesis 29:23. Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina says: It teaches that he demanded that they have relations with him, but they did not accept his proposition.
“They kept the boys alive.” Since they “did not do as the king of Egypt had spoken to them,” do we not know that they kept the boys alive? Why did the verse need to state: “They kept the boys alive”? There is praise within praise. Not only did they not fulfill his command, but they went beyond that and performed good deeds for their benefit. Some of them were poor women, and the midwives would go and collect water and food from the homes of wealthy women and would come and give it to the poor women, thereby sustaining their sons. That is what is written: “They kept the boys alive.”
Alternatively, “they kept the boys alive” – some had a condition that would result in their emerging crippled, blind, deformed, or needing to have a limb amputated in order to emerge safely. What would they do? They would stand in prayer and say before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You know that we did not fulfill Pharaoh’s command. It is Your words that we seek to fulfill. Lord of the universe, may this child emerge in peace, so Israel will not find a pretext to slander us, saying: Look, they emerged deformed because they sought to kill them.’ Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He would heed their voice, and [the babies] would emerge intact.
Rabbi Levi said: You stated the less severe scenarios; state the severe scenarios. Some of them had a condition that would cause them to die as they emerged, or endanger their mother so she would die after they emerged. They would stand in prayer and say to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, suspend their sentence now and give them life, so that Israel will not say: They killed them.’ The Holy One blessed be He would fulfill their prayer. Therefore, “they kept the boys alive [vateḥayena et hayeladim]” – vateḥayena, these are the mothers, hayeladim, these are the actual children.
Alternatively, “the midwives feared,” – they adorned themselves with the action of their ancestor, that is Abraham. Just as the Holy One blessed be He attests in his regard: “For now I know that you are God-fearing” (Genesis 22:12), they said: ‘Abraham our patriarch, of blessed memory, opened an inn and would feed all the passersby, uncircumcised people, and we, not only do we not have enough to feed them, but to kill them? We will keep them alive.’ When Pharaoh saw that they did not implement his decree, he sent and called for them; that is what is written: “The king of Egypt called for the midwives [and said to them: Why have you done this thing, and have kept the boys alive?”] (Exodus 1:18).
כִּי חָיוֹת הֵנָּה, אִם תֹּאמַר מְיַלְּדוֹת הֵנָה, וְכִי מְיַלֶּדֶת אֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה מְיַלֶּדֶת אַחֶרֶת לְסַיְיעָהּ, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמְרוּ לוֹ אֻמָּה זוֹ כְּחַיּוֹת הַשָֹּׂדֶה נִמְשָׁלוֹת שֶׁאֵין צְרִיכוֹת מְיַלְּדוֹת, יְהוּדָה, נִמְשַׁל כְּאַרְיֵה, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית מט, ט): גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה. דָּן, (בראשית מט, יז): יְהִי דָן נָחָשׁ. נַפְתָּלִי (בראשית מט, כא): אַיָּלָה שְׁלֻחָה. יִשָֹּׂשכָר, (בראשית מט, יד): חֲמֹר גָּרֶם. יוֹסֵף (דברים לג, יז): בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ. בִּנְיָמִין (בראשית מט, כז): זְאֵב יִטְרָף. וְעַל שְׁאָר כְּתִיב (יחזקאל יט, ב): מָה אִמְּךָ לְבִיָּא בֵּין אֲרָיוֹת רָבָצָה. וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים לַמְיַלְּדֹת. מֶה הָיָה הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת, שֶׁקִּבֵּל דִּבְרֵיהֶם מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם וְלֹא הִזִּיק לָהֶן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִיָּא בֶּן רַבִּי אַבָּא, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (איוב כח, כח): וַיֹּאמֶר לָאָדָם הֵן יִרְאַת ה' הִיא חָכְמָה, מַהוּ שְׂכַר הַיִּרְאָה, תּוֹרָה. לְפִי שֶׁיָּרְאָה יוֹכֶבֶד מִפְּנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הֶעֱמִיד מִמֶּנָּה משֶׁה, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (שמות ב, ב): כִּי טוֹב הוּא, וְנִתְּנָה הַתּוֹרָה עַל יָדוֹ, שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת (משלי ד, ב): לֶקַח טוֹב. וְנִקְרֵאת עַל שְׁמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג, כב): זִכְרוּ תּוֹרַת משֶׁה עַבְדִּי. וּמִרְיָם, יָצָא מִמֶּנָּה בְּצַלְאֵל, שֶׁהָיָה מָלֵא חָכְמָה, דִּכְתִיב (שמות לא, ג): וָאֲמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים וגו'. וְעָשָׂה אָרוֹן לַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת: טוֹב, הֱוֵי: וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים לַמְיַלְּדֹת. וַיִּרֶב הָעָם, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (איכה ג, לז): מִי זֶה אָמַר וַתֶּהִי ה' לֹא צִוָּה, אִם פַּרְעֹה צִוָּה לַהֲרֹג אֶת הַזְּכָרִים מַה הוֹעִיל בִּגְזֵרָתוֹ ה' לֹא צִוָּה, אֶלָּא וַיִּרֶב הָעָם וַיַּעַצְמוּ מְאֹד. The midwives said to Pharaoh: Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, as they are vigorous; before the midwife comes to them, they have delivered (Exodus 1:19).
“As they are vigorous [ḥayot].” If you say that they are midwives,32One of the interpretations of the Hebrew word ḥaya is midwife. does one midwife not require another midwife to assist her? Rather, this is what they said to him: This nation is analogized to the beasts of the field, which do not require midwives. Judah is likened to a lion, as it is written: “Judah is a lion’s cub (Genesis 49:9); Dan, “Dan will be a serpent [on the road]” (Genesis 49:17); Naftali, “a hind let loose” (Genesis 49:21); Issachar is “a strong-boned donkey” (Genesis 49:14); Joseph, “a firstborn bull” (Deuteronomy 33:17); Benjamin is “a wolf that claws” (Genesis 49:27). Regarding the rest it is written: “How your mother was a lioness, she lay among lions” (Ezekiel 19:2).
God was good to the midwives; the people increased and they grew very mighty (Exodus 1:20).
“God was good to the midwives.” What was this good? The king of Egypt accepted their explanations and did not harm them.
Alternatively, “God was good,” Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya ben Rabbi Abba: That is what is written: “He said to man: Behold, fear of the Lord, that is wisdom” (Job 28:28). What is the reward for fear? It is Torah. Because Yokheved feared the Holy One blessed be He, He produced Moses, of whom it is written: “That he was good” (Exodus 2:2), from her. And the Torah, that is called “a good acquisition” (Proverbs 4:2), was given through him, and it is called after his name, as it is stated: “Remember the Torah of Moses My servant” (Malachi 3:22).
As for Miriam, Betzalel, who was filled with wisdom, as it is written: “I filled him with the spirit of God, [with wisdom]” (Exodus 31:3), emerged from her. And he crafted an ark for the Torah, which is called “good” – that is: “God was good to the midwives.”
“The people increased,” to fulfill what is stated: “Who is it who says and it is realized, if the Lord did not command it?” (Lamentations 3:37). If Pharaoh commanded to kill all the males, to what avail was his decree when God did not command it? Rather: “The people increased and they grew very mighty.”
וַיְהִי כִּי יָרְאוּ הַמְיַלְּדֹת וגו', רַב וְלֵוִי, חַד אָמַר בָּתֵּי כְּהֻנָּה וּבָתֵּי לְוִיָּה. וְחַד אָמַר בָּתֵּי מַלְכוּת. בָּתֵּי כְּהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה מִמּשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, בָּתֵּי מַלְכוּת מִמִּרְיָם, לְפִי שֶׁדָּוִד בָּא מִמִּרְיָם, דִּכְתִיב (דברי הימים א ב, יח): וְכָלֵב בֶּן חֶצְרוֹן הוֹלִיד אֶת עֲזוּבָה אִשָּׁה וְאֶת יְרִיעוֹת וְאֵלֶּה בָנֶיהָ יֵשֶׁר וְשׁוֹבָב וְאַרְדּוֹן. עֲזוּבָה זוֹ מִרְיָם, וְלָמָּה נִקְרֵאת שְׁמָהּ עֲזוּבָה, שֶׁהַכֹּל עֲזָבוּהָ. הוֹלִיד, וַהֲלֹא אִשְׁתּוֹ הָיְתָה, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל הַנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ יְלָדָהּ. יְרִיעוֹת, שֶׁהָיוּ פָּנֶיהָ דּוֹמִין לִירִיעוֹת. וְאֵלֶּה בָנֶיהָ, אַל תִּקְרֵי בָנֶיהָ, אֶלָּא בּוֹנֶיהָ. יֵשֶׁר, זֶה כָּלֵב, שֶׁיִּשֵׁר אֶת עַצְמוֹ. שׁוֹבָב, שֶׁשִּׁבֵּב אֶת עַצְמוֹ. וְאַרְדּוֹן, שֶׁרִדָּה אֶת יִצְרוֹ. (דברי הימים א ב, יט): וַתָּמָת עֲזוּבָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנֶּחְלֵית וְנָהֲגוּ בָּהּ מִנְהַג מֵתָה. וְגַם כָּלֵב עֲזָבָהּ (דברי הימים א ב, יט): וַיִּקַּח לוֹ כָלֵב אֶת אֶפְרָת, זוֹ מִרְיָם, לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ אֶפְרָת, שֶׁפָּרוּ וְרָבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יָדֶיהָ. מַהוּ וַיִּקַּח לוֹ, שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁנִּתְרַפֵּאת עָשָׂה בָהּ מַעֲשֵׂה לִקּוּחִין, הוֹשִׁיבָהּ בְּאַפִּרְיוֹן בְּרֹב שִׂמְחָתוֹ בָהּ. וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר שֶׁקּוֹרֵא לְמִרְיָם שְׁנֵי שֵׁמוֹת עַל שֵׁם הַמְאֹרָע שֶׁאֵרַע לָהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברי הימים א ד, ה): וּלְאַשְׁחוּר אֲבִי תְקוֹעַ הָיוּ שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים חֶלְאָה וְנַעֲרָה. אַשְׁחוּר זֶה כָּלֵב, לְפִי שֶׁאַשְׁחוּר בֶּן חֶצְרוֹן הָיָה, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אַשְׁחוּר, שֶׁהִשְׁחִירוּ פָּנָיו בְּתַעֲנִית. אֲבִי, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לָהּ כְּאָב. תְּקוֹעַ, שֶׁתָּקַע לִבּוֹ לְאָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. הָיוּ שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים, כִּשְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים. חֶלְאָה וְנַעֲרָה, לֹא חֶלְאָה וְנַעֲרָה הֲוָאֵי, אֶלָּא מִרְיָם הָיְתָה, וְלָמָּה נִקְרֵאת חֶלְאָה וְנַעֲרָה, שֶׁחָלְתָה וְנִנְעֲרָה מֵחָלְיָהּ, וְהֶחֱזִירָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְנַעֲרוּתָהּ. (דברי הימים א ד, ו): וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ נַעֲרָה, לְאַחַר שֶׁנִּתְרַפְּאָה יָלְדָה לוֹ בָנִים. (דברי הימים א ד, ו): אֶת אֲחֻזָּם וְאֶת חֵפֶר. (דברי הימים א ד, ז): וּבְנֵי חֶלְאָה צֶרֶת וְצֹחַר וְאֶתְנָן. צֶרֶת, שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית צָרָה לְחַבְרוֹתֶיהָ. צֹחַר, שֶׁהָיוּ פָּנֶיהָ דּוֹמִין לְצָהֳרַיִם. וְאֶתְנָן, שֶׁכָּל הָרוֹאֶה אוֹתָהּ מוֹלִיךְ אֶתְנָן לְאִשְׁתּוֹ. וּלְכָךְ כְּתִיב: וַיִּקַּח לוֹ כָלֵב אֶת אֶפְרָת וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֶת חוּר. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁדָּוִד בָּא מִמִּרְיָם, דִּכְתִיב (שמואל א יז, יב): וְדָוִד בֶּן אִישׁ אֶפְרָתִי הַזֶּה מִבֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה. וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁכָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: וּבְנֵי חֶלְאָה וגו' (דברי הימים א ד, ח): וְקוֹץ הוֹלִיד אֶת עָנוּב, וְקוֹץ זֶה כָּלֵב, שֶׁקָּצַץ עֲדַת מְרַגְּלִים. הוֹלִיד אֶת עָנוּב, סִגֵּל מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בְּעֵת שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ אֶשְׁכּוֹל עֲנָבִים, שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי כָּלֵב לֹא הֵבִיאוּ. אֶת הַצֹּבֵבָה, שֶׁעָשָׂה צִבְיוֹנוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וּמִשְׁפְּחֹת אֲחַרְחֵל בֶּן הָרֻם, אֲחַרְחֵל זוֹ מִרְיָם, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ כֵּן, עַל שֵׁם (שמות טו, כ): וַתֵּצֶאןָ כָל הַנָּשִׁים אַחֲרֶיהָ וגו'. מַהוּ מִשְׁפְּחֹת, זָכָה לְהַעֲמִיד מִמֶּנָּהּ מִשְׁפָּחוֹת. בֶּן הָרֻם, זָכְתָה שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנָּהּ דָּוִד שֶׁרִמֵּם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַלְכוּתוֹ, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמואל א ב, י): וְיִתֶּן עֹז לְמַלְכּוֹ וגו'. “It was because the midwives feared God, He made houses for them” (Exodus 1:21).
“It was because the midwives feared [God, He made houses for them].” Rav and Levi, one said: Priestly houses and Levite houses, and one said: Royal houses. Priestly and Levite houses from Moses and Aaron, royal houses from Miriam, because David emerged from Miriam, as it is written: “Caleb son of Ḥetzron begot Azuva, his wife, and Yeriot, and these are her sons: Yesher, Shovav, and Ardon” (I Chronicles 2:18). Azuva is Miriam. Why was she named Azuva? It is because everyone abandoned her.33Because she was sickly, none of the youths of Israel wanted to marry her. “Begot,” but wasn’t she his wife? Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Anyone who marries a woman for the sake of Heaven, the verse ascribes merit to him as though he begot her. “Yeriot,” because her face was like sheets [yeriot].34Her face was beautiful like the sheets of the Tabernacle that were beautifully dyed. “And these are her sons [baneha],” do not read it as baneha, but rather as boneha, the one who built her.35Her husband. Yesher is Caleb, because he made himself upright [yisher],36He was not swayed by the counsel of the scouts. [he is also called] Shovav, because he broke [shibev] himself,37He overcame his evil inclination and resisted the counsel of the scouts. [and he is called] Ardon, because he dominated [rida] his inclination.
“Azuva died” (I Chronicles 2:19), this teaches that she fell ill and they treated her as though she were dead,38This is referring to when Miriam was afflicted with leprosy; as when necessary for mourning the dead, the children of Israel sat in place for seven days. and Caleb, too, abandoned her.39When she was a leper, Caleb left her. When she recovered, he remarried her. “Caleb took Efrat” (I Chronicles 2:19), this is Miriam. Why was she named Efrat? It is because Israel procreated [faru] thanks to her.40In Egypt, she convinced her father to remarry her mother and the rest of Israel followed suit. What is: “Took”? It means that after she recovered, he performed an act of marriage and he seated her on a sedan chair because of his great joy over her.
Likewise, you find elsewhere that Miriam is called two names after events that befell her. That is what is written: “Ashḥur father of Tekoa had two wives: Ḥela and Naara.” (I Chronicles 4:5). Ashḥur is Caleb, because Ashḥur was the son of Ḥetzron. Why is he named Ashḥur? It is because his face was blackened [hishḥir] with fasts.41He fasted so that he would not be influenced by the scouts. “Father of,” because he became like a father to her; “Tekoa,” because he affixed [taka] his heart to his Father in Heaven; “had two wives,” as though they were two wives; “Ḥela and Naara,” they were not Ḥela and Naara, but rather she was Miriam. Why was she called Ḥela and Naara? It is because she was ill [ḥalta], and she shook off [ninara] her illness, and the Holy One blessed be He restored her to her youth [lenaaruta]. “Naara bore him” (I Chronicles 4:6) – after she was cured she bore him sons, “Aḥuzam and Ḥefer” (ibid.). “And the sons of Ḥela; Tzeret, Tzoḥar, and Etnan” (I Chronicles 4:7) – “Tzeret,” because she became a rival to her friends;42They were envious of her beauty. “Tzoḥar,” because her countenance was comparable to noon [tzohorayim]; “and Etnan,” because anyone who saw her would bring a gift [etnan] to his wife.43Upon seeing Miriam, one would be filled with desire and would seek to seduce one’s own wife to engage in relations. That is why it is written: “Caleb took Efrat and she bore him Ḥur” (I Chronicles 2:19).44As explained above, this verse refers to Caleb remarrying Miriam after her recovery. From where is it derived that David descended from Miriam? It is as it is written: “David was the son of that nobleman [Efrati] from Bethlehem of Judah” (I Samuel 17:12).
Likewise you find that one verse says: “And the sons of Ḥela…” [and the next verse states:] “and Kotz begot Anuv, [Hatzoveva, and the families of Aḥarḥel son of Harum]” (I Chronicles 4:8). Kotz is Caleb, who undercut [kitzetz] the counsel of the scouts. “Begot Anuv,” he adopted good deeds at the time that they brought a cluster of grapes, as were it not for Caleb, they would not have brought it. “Hatzoveva,” he fulfilled the will [tzivyono] of the Holy One blessed be He; “and the families of Aḥarḥel,” Aḥarḥel is Miriam. Why was she named that? It is on the basis of: “All the women emerged after her [aḥareha] [with drums and dances]” (Exodus 15:20). What are “families?” He was privileged to establish families from her. “Son of Harum,” she was privileged to have David, whose kingdom the Holy One blessed be He elevated, descend from her, as you say: “He will give strength to His king, etc.” (I Samuel 2:10).
וַיְצַו פַּרְעֹה לְכָל עַמּוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אַף עַל עַמּוֹ גָּזַר, וְלָמָּה עָשָׂה כֵן, שֶׁהָיוּ אִסְטְרוֹלוֹגִין אוֹמְרִים לוֹ גּוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל נִתְעַבְּרָה מִמֶּנּוּ אִמּוֹ, וְאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא אוֹ מִצְרִי הוּא. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה כִּנֵּס פַּרְעֹה כָּל הַמִּצְרִים וְאָמַר לָהֶם הַשְׁאִילוּ לִי אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם תִּשְׁעָה חֳדָשִׁים שֶׁאַשְׁלִיכֵם לַיְּאוֹר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה וגו', כָּל הַבֵּן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא כָּל הַבֵּן, בֵּין יְהוּדִי בֵּין מִצְרִי: וְלֹא רָצוּ לְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ בֵּן מִצְרִי לֹא יִגְאַל אוֹתָם לְעוֹלָם, אֶלָּא מִן הָעִבְרִיּוֹת. הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ, לָמָּה גָּזְרוּ לְהַשְּׁלִיכָן לַיְאוֹר, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ רוֹאִין הָאִסְטְרוֹלוֹגִין שֶׁמּוֹשִׁיעָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדֵי מַיִם יִלְקֶה, וְהָיוּ סְבוּרִין שֶׁבַּמַּיִם יִטְבַּע, וְלֹא הָיָה אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי בְּאֵר מַיִם נִגְזַר עָלָיו גְּזֵרַת מָוֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כ, יב): יַעַן לֹא הֶאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי וגו'. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי הֶעֱמִיקוּ עֵצָה שֶׁלֹא יִפָּרַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵהֶן בַּמַּיִם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹדְעִין שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְשַׁלֵּם אֶלָּא מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה, וְהָיוּ בְּטוּחִים שֶׁלֹא יָבִיא מַבּוּל לָעוֹלָם, לְכָךְ גָּזְרוּ לְהַטְבִּיעָם בַּמָּיִם. וְכָל הַבַּת תְּחַיּוּן, מַה צֹּרֶךְ לְפַרְעֹה לְקַיֵּם הַנְּקֵבוֹת, אֶלָּא כָּךְ הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים נָמִית הַזְּכָרִים וְנִקַּח הַנְּקֵבוֹת לְנָשִׁים, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ הַמִצְרִיִּים שְׁטוּפִים בְּזִמָּה: “Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying: Every son that is born, you shall cast him into the Nile, and every daughter you shall keep alive” (Exodus 1:22).
“Pharaoh commanded all his people,” Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina says: He issued the decree even against his own people. Why did he do so? It is because his astrologers said to him: ‘The redeemer of Israel has already been conceived by his mother, but we do not know whether he is Israelite or Egyptian.’ At that moment, Pharaoh gathered all the Egyptians and said to them: ‘Lend me your sons that will be born for [the next] nine months so I will cast them into the Nile.’45The belief was that the Nile River was a deity and would repay those who worshipped it. That is what is written: “Every son that is born, [you shall cast him] into the Nile.” “Every Israelite son” is not written but rather, “every son,” whether Israelite or Egyptian. But they [the Egyptians] did not want to accept it from him, as they said: ‘An Egyptian son will never redeem them, but rather, one from the Hebrew women.’
“Cast him into the Nile.” Why did they decree to cast them into the Nile? It is because the astrologers foresaw that the redeemer of Israel would be condemned by means of water, and they believed that he would drown in water. But it was, in fact, only by means of a well that the decree of death was issued against him, as it is stated: “Because you did not have faith in me…[therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them; these are the waters of dispute…]” (Numbers 20:12–13). The Rabbis say that they [the astrologers] devised [this] counsel so that the Holy One blessed be He would not take vengeance against them by means of water. Because they knew that the punishments of the Holy One blessed be He fit the crime, and they were certain that He would not bring a flood to the world; therefore, they commanded to drown them in water.
“And every daughter you shall keep alive.” Why did Pharaoh need to keep the females alive? Rather, this is what they would say: ‘We will kill the males and take the females as wives,’ because the Egyptians were engulfed with lewdness.
וַיֵּלֶךְ אִישׁ מִבֵּית לֵוִי, לְהֵיכָן הָלַךְ, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי זְבִינָא שֶׁהָלַךְ בַּעֲצַת בִּתּוֹ. תַּנְיָא, עַמְרָם גְּדוֹל הַדּוֹר הָיָה וכו' [כדאיתא לעיל]. וַיִּקַּח אֶת בַּת לֵוִי, וְהֶחֱזִיר לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא וַיִּקַּח, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי זְבִינָא שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהּ מַעֲשֶׂה לִקּוּחִים, הוֹשִׁיבָהּ בְּאַפִּרְיוֹן וּמִרְיָם וְאַהֲרֹן מְרַקְּדִין לִפְנֵיהֶם, וּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אוֹמְרִים (תהלים קיג, ט): אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה. אֶת בַּת לֵוִי, אֶפְשָׁר בַּת מֵאָה וּשְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה הָיְתָה וְקָרֵי לָהּ בַּת, וְהָא אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא יוֹכֶבֶד הָיְתָה, וְהִיא הָיְתָה הוֹרָתָה בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְלֵדָתָהּ בֵּין הַחוֹמוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כו, נט): אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה אֹתָהּ לְלֵוִי בְּמִצְרָיִם, לֵדָתָהּ בְּמִצְרַיִם וְלֹא הוֹרָתָה, וְקָרֵי לָהּ בַּת, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי זְבִינָא שֶׁנּוֹלְדוּ בָהּ סִימָנֵי נַעֲרוּת. “A man from the house of Levi went and he took a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1).
“A man from the house of Levi [went].” Where did he go? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Zevina said: He followed the counsel of his daughter. It is taught: Amram was the preeminent scholar of his generation, etc.
“A daughter of Levi.” Is it possible that she was one hundred and thirty years old and she is called a “daughter”? Didn’t Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina say: She was Yokheved, and she was conceived on the way and was born within the walls,46She was born as Jacob and his descendants arrived in Egypt. as it is stated: “Who was born to Levi in Egypt” (Numbers 26:59); her birth was in Egypt but not her conception. And [yet] she is called a “daughter”? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Zevina said: Signs of young womanhood developed in her.
וַתַּהַר הָאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, מַקִּישׁ לֵדָתָהּ לְהוֹרָתָהּ, מַה הוֹרָתָהּ שֶׁלֹא בְצַעַר, אַף לֵדָתָהּ שֶׁלֹא בְצַעַר, מִכָּאן לְנָשִׁים צִדְקָנִיּוֹת שֶׁלֹא הָיוּ בְּפִתָּקָהּ שֶׁל חַוָּה. וַתֵּרֶא אֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא, תָּנֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר טוֹב שְׁמוֹ. רַבִּי יַאשְׁיָה אוֹמֵר טוֹבִיָּה שְׁמוֹ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר הָגוּן לִנְבִיאוּת. אֲחֵרִים אוֹמְרִים שֶׁנּוֹלַד כְּשֶׁהוּא מָהוּל. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנּוֹלַד משֶׁה נִתְמַלֵּא כָּל הַבַּיִת כֻּלּוֹ אוֹרָה, כְּתִיב הָכָא: וַתֵּרֶא אֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא, וּכְתִיב הָתָם (בראשית א, ד): וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב. וַתִּצְפְּנֵהוּ שְׁלשָׁה יְרָחִים, שֶׁלֹא מָנוּ הַמִּצְרִים אֶלָּא מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהֶחֱזִירָהּ, וַהֲוָה מִעַבְּרָא בֵּיהּ תְּלָתָא יַרְחֵי מִתְּחִלָּתוֹ. וְלֹא יָכְלָה עוֹד הַצְּפִינוֹ, לָמָּה, לְפִי שֶׁהַמִּצְרִיִּים הָיוּ הוֹלְכִין בְּכָל בַּיִת וּבַיִת שֶׁהָיוּ חוֹשְׁבִין בּוֹ שֶׁנּוֹלַד שָׁם תִּינוֹק, וּמוֹלִיכִין לְשָׁם תִּינוֹק מִצְרִי קָטָן וְהָיוּ מְבַכִּין אוֹתוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע תִּינוֹק יִשְׂרָאֵל קוֹלוֹ וְיִבְכֶּה עִמּוֹ, וְהַיְנוּ דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ב, טו): אֶחֱזוּ לָנוּ שׁוּעָלִים שֻׁעָלִים קְטַנִּים וגו'. “The woman conceived and bore a son; she saw that he was good and she hid him for three months” (Exodus 2:2).
“The woman conceived and bore a son” – Rabbi Yehuda said: Her birth is juxtaposed with her conception; just as her conception was painless, so too, her birth was painless. From here it is derived that righteous women were not included in the verdict of Eve. “She saw that he was good [tov].” It was taught that Rabbi Meir says: His name was Tov. Rabbi Yoshiya says: His name was Toviya. Rabbi Yehuda says: He was fit for prophecy. Others say: He was born circumcised. The Rabbis say: At the moment that Moses was born, the entire house was illuminated; here it is written: “She saw that he was good [tov].” There it is written: “God saw the light, that it was good [tov]” (Genesis 1:4).
“She hid him for three months” because the Egyptians counted only from the moment that he remarried her, but she had already been three months pregnant from the outset.
“She was no longer able to hide him, and she took for him a wicker basket and coated it with clay and with pitch; she placed the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the Nile” (Exodus 2:3).
“She was no longer able to hide him” (Exodus 2:3). Why? It is because the Egyptians were going into each and every house in which they thought that a baby had been born, and would take a small Egyptian baby there and would cause him to cry, so that the Israelite baby would hear his voice and cry with him. That is what is written: “Catch us foxes, little foxes [that ruin vineyards…]” (Song of Songs 2:15). 47The verse may also be translated: “The foxes held little foxes against us in order to ruin the vineyard,” and the midrash takes it in that sense. The Egyptians are compared to foxes because they are sly as foxes, and Israel is compared to a vineyard.
וַתִּקַּח לוֹ תֵּבַת גֹּמֶא, וְלָמָּה שֶׁל גֹּמֶא, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, שֶׁחָבִיב עֲלֵיהֶם לַצַּדִּיקִים מָמוֹנָן יוֹתֵר מִגּוּפָן, וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה שֶׁאֵין פּוֹשְׁטִין יְדֵיהֶן בְּגָזֵל. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר דָּבָר רַךְ שֶׁהוּא יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי רַךְ וְלִפְנֵי קָשֶׁה. וַתַּחְמְרָה בַחֵמָר וּבַזָּפֶת, תָּנָא חֹמֶר מִבִּפְנִים וְזֶפֶת מִבַּחוּץ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יָרִיחַ אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק רֵיחַ רָע. וַתָּשֶׂם בָּהּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד וגו', רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר יַם סוּף, שֶׁיַּם סוּף מַגִּיעַ עַד נִילוּס. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר אַגָּם, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (ישעיה יט, ו): קָנֶה וָסוּף קָמֵלוּ. וְלָמָּה הִשְׁלִיכָה אוֹתוֹ בַּיְּאוֹר, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ חוֹשְׁבִין הָאִסְטְרוֹלוֹגִין שֶׁכְּבָר הֻשְׁלַךְ לַמַּיִם וְלֹא יְחַפְּשׂוּ אַחֲרָיו. “She took for him a wicker basket” – why wicker? Rabbi Elazar said: Because for the righteous, their property is dearer to them than their bodies. Why to that extent? It is because they do not extend their hands in robbery. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It is a pliable material that can withstand both soft and hard items.
“And coated it with clay and with pitch” – clay inside and pitch outside, so that this righteous one would not smell a foul odor.
“She placed the child in it [and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the Nile].” Rabbi Elazar said: The Sea of Reeds, as the Sea of Reeds reaches as far as the Nile. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: A marsh, as it is stated: “Cane and reeds will wither” (Isaiah 19:6). 48Meaning, the reeds mentioned in the verse are not a reference to the Sea of Reeds, but to actual reeds that grow in the shallow waters of a lake or river. Why did she cast him into the Nile? So that the astrologers would think that he had already been cast into the water and they would no longer search for him.
וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹק, לָמָּה עָמְדָה מִרְיָם מֵרָחוֹק, אָמַר רַבִּי עַמְרָם בְּשֵׁם רַב לְפִי שֶׁהָיְתָה מִרְיָם מִתְנַבֵּאת וְאוֹמֶרֶת עֲתִידָה אִמִּי שֶׁתֵּלֵד בֵּן שֶׁיּוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנּוֹלַד משֶׁה נִתְמַלֵּא כָּל הַבַּיִת אוֹרָה, עָמַד אָבִיהָ וּנְשָׁקָהּ עַל רֹאשָׁהּ, אָמַר לָהּ בִּתִּי נִתְקַיְּמָה נְבוּאָתֵךְ, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב (שמות טו, כ): וַתִּקַּח מִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה אֲחוֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַתֹּף, אֲחוֹת אַהֲרֹן וְלֹא אֲחוֹת משֶׁה, אֶלָּא שֶׁאָמְרָה נְבוּאָה זוֹ כְּשֶׁהִיא אֲחוֹת אַהֲרֹן וַעֲדַיִן לֹא נוֹלַד משֶׁה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהֱטִילוּהוּ לַיְּאוֹר, עָמְדָה אִמָּהּ וְטָפְחָה לָהּ עַל רֹאשָׁהּ, אָמְרָה לָהּ בִּתִּי וְהֵיכָן נְבוּאָתֵךְ, וְהַיְנוּ דִּכְתִיב: וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹק וגו'. לָדַעַת מַה יְּהֵא בְּסוֹף נְבִיאוּתָהּ. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרִין כָּל הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה עַל שֵׁם רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ נֶאֱמַר, וַתֵּתַצַּב, עַל שֵׁם (שמואל א ג, י): וַיָּבֹא ה' וַיִּתְיַצַּב. אֲחוֹתוֹ, עַל שֵׁם (משלי ז, ד): אֱמֹר לַחָכְמָה אֲחֹתִי אָתְּ. מֵרָחֹק, עַל שֵׁם (ירמיה לא, ב): מֵרָחוֹק ה' נִרְאָה לִי. לָדַעַת מַה יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ, עַל שֵׁם (שמואל א ב, ג): כִּי אֵל דֵּעוֹת ה' [וכל הענין]. “His sister positioned herself at a distance to know what would happen to him” (Exodus 2:4).
“His sister positioned herself at a distance.” Why did Miriam stand at a distance? Rabbi Amram said in the name of Rav: It is because Miriam had been prophesying and saying: ‘My mother is destined to bear a son who will redeem Israel.’ When Moses was born the house was filled with light. Her father stood and kissed her on her head. He said to her: ‘My daughter, your prophecy has been fulfilled.’ That is what is written: “Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aaron, took the drum” (Exodus 15:20). [Was she] the sister of Aaron but not the sister of Moses? Rather, she said this prophecy when she was the sister of Aaron, and Moses had not yet been born. When they cast him into the Nile, her mother stood and struck her on her head. She said to her: ‘Where is your prophecy?’ That is what is written: “His sister positioned herself at a distance [to know]” – to know what would be the fate of her prophecy.
The Rabbis say: The entire verse is stated as an allusion to the Divine Spirit: “Positioned herself [vatetatzav],” alluding to: “The Lord came and stood [vayityatzev]” (I Samuel 3:10); “his sister,” alluding to: “Say to wisdom: You are my sister” (Proverbs 7:4); “at a distance,” alluding to: “From a distance the Lord appeared to me” (Jeremiah 31:2); “to know [lede’a] what would happen to him,” alluding to: “As the Lord is a God of knowledge [de’ot]” (I Samuel 2:3).
לִרְחֹץ עַל הַיְאֹר, לִרְחֹץ מִגִּלּוּלֵי בֵּית אָבִיהָ. וְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ הֹלְכֹת, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֵין הֲלִיכָה הָאֲמוּרָה כָּאן אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן מִיתָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (בראשית כה, לב): הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת. אָמְרוּ לָהּ גְּבִרְתֵּנוּ מִנְהָגוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם מֶלֶךְ גּוֹזֵר גְּזֵרָה וְכָל הָעוֹלָם אֵינָן מְקַיְּמִין אוֹתָהּ וּבָנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵיתוֹ מְקַיְּמִין אוֹתָהּ, וְאַתְּ עוֹבֶרֶת עַל מִצְוַת אָבִיךְ. מִיָּד בָּא גַּבְרִיאֵל וַחֲבָטָן בַּקַּרְקַע. וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת אֲמָתָהּ וַתִּקָּחֶהָ, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, חַד אָמַר יָדָהּ וְחַד אָמַר שִׁפְחָתָהּ, טַעְמָא דְּמַאן דְּאָמַר יָדָהּ, דִּכְתִיב: אֲמָתָהּ. וְטַעְמָא דְּמַאן דְּאָמַר שִׁפְחָתָהּ, דְּלָא כְתִיב יָדָהּ. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּמַאן דְּאָמַר שִׁפְחָתָהּ כְּשֶׁבָּא גַּבְרִיאֵל וַחֲבָטָן בַּקַּרְקַע הִנִּיחַ לָהּ אַחַת מֵהֶן דְּלָאו דֶּרֶךְ בַּת מֶלֶךְ לַעֲמֹד יְחִידָה. אֵיתִיבוּן אַלִּבָּא דְּמַאן דְּאָמַר יָדָהּ, לִכְתֹּב יָדָהּ, לָא תַבְרָא שֶׁלְּכָךְ כְּתִיב: אֲמָתָהּ, דְּאִשְׁתַּרְבּוּבֵי אִשְׁתַּרְבּוּב. וּתְנִינַן וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא (תהלים ג, ח): שִׁנֵּי רְשָׁעִים שִׁבַּרְתָּ, אַל תִּקְרֵי שִׁבַּרְתָּ אֶלָּא שִׁרְבַּבְתָּ. רַבָּנָן אָמְרִין, בַּת פַּרְעֹה מְצֹרַעַת הָיְתָה, לְפִיכָךְ יָרְדָה לִרְחֹץ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנָּגְעָה בַּתֵּבָה נִתְרַפֵּאת, לְכָךְ חָמְלָה עַל משֶׁה וְאָהֲבָה אוֹתוֹ אַהֲבָה יְתֵרָה: “The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in the Nile while her maidens were walking on the bank of the Nile. She saw the basket among the reeds and she sent her maidservant [amatah] and she took it” (Exodus 2:5).
“To bathe in the Nile” (Exodus 2:5) – to wash off the idolatry of her father’s home. “While her maidens were walking [holekhot],” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The term halikha here is nothing other than an expression of death, and likewise it says: “Behold, I am going [holekh] to die” (Genesis 25:32). They said to her: ‘Our mistress, the way of the world is that a king issues a decree and the entire world does not fulfill it, but his children and the members of his household fulfill it; and you are violating the command of your father.’ Immediately, [the angel] Gabriel came and slammed them onto the ground [and killed them].
“She sent her maidservant [amatah] and she took it.” Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, one says her arm, and one says her maidservant. The reason for the one who says “her arm” is that amatah is written.49Had the verse been referring to her maidservant, it should have said na’aratah, maiden, which is the expression employed earlier in the verse. The reason for the one who says “her maidservant” is that yadah50The more common term for “her arm.” is not written. According to the opinion of the one who says her maidservant, when Gabriel came and slammed them onto the ground, he spared one of them, as it is not the way of a princess to remain alone.
They raise an objection: According to the one who says “her hand,” let it write “yadah.” This is not difficult, as this is the reason that amatah is written, because her arm was stretched.51Her arm stretched, so it was the length of several cubits (amot). We learned: Likewise you find: “You have broken [shibarta] the teeth of the wicked” (Psalms 3:8); do not read it as shibarta, but rather as shirbavta, that you enlarged and extended.
The Rabbis say: Pharaoh’s daughter was a leper; that is why she went to bathe. When she touched the basket she was cured. That is why she had compassion for Moses and loved him exceedingly.
וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ, וַתֵּרֶא לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא וַתִּרְאֵהוּ, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא שֶׁרָאֲתָה עִמּוֹ שְׁכִינָה [כלומר ותראהו לשכינה עם הילד]. וְהִנֵּה נַעַר בּוֹכֶה, קָרֵי לֵיהּ נַעַר וְקָרֵי לֵיהּ יֶלֶד, תְּנִי הוּא יֶלֶד וְקוֹלוֹ כְּנַעַר, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אִם כֵּן עֲשִׂיתוֹ בַּעַל מוּם לְמשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, אֶלָא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁעָשְׂתָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ חֻפַּת נְעוּרִים בַּתֵּבָה. בֹּכֶה, הָיָה בּוֹכֶה וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁמָּא לֹא אֶזְכֶּה וְאֶרְאֶה אֲחוֹתִי הַמַּמְתֶּנֶת לִי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְהִנֵּה נַעַר בֹּכֶה, יֶלֶד הָיָה וּמִנְהָגוֹ כְּנַעַר. בָּא גַּבְרִיאֵל וְהִכָּה לְמשֶׁה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּבְכֶּה וְתִתְמַלֵּא עָלָיו רַחֲמִים. וַתַּחְמֹל עָלָיו, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאֲתָה אוֹתוֹ בּוֹכֶה חָמְלָה עָלָיו. וַתֹּאמֶר מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים זֶה, מִנַּיִן הִכִּירָה בּוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, שֶׁרָאֲתָה אוֹתוֹ מָהוּל. זֶה, מַהוּ זֶה, זֶה נוֹפֵל לַיְאוֹר וְאֵין אַחֵר נוֹפֵל לַיְאוֹר, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁהִפִּילוּ משֶׁה לַיְאוֹר בָּטְלָה הַגְּזֵרָה, כְּהַהִיא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מַאי דִכְתִיב (ישעיה ח, יט): וְכִי יֹאמְרוּ אֲלֵיכֶם דִּרְשׁוּ אֶל הָאֹבוֹת וְאֶל הַיִּדְעֹנִים הַמְצַפְצְפִים וְהַמַּהְגִּים, צוֹפִין וְאֵינָן יוֹדְעִין מַה צּוֹפִין, הוֹגִין וְאֵינָן יוֹדְעִין מַה הוֹגִין. רָאוּ שֶׁמּוֹשִׁיעָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמַּיִם הוּא נִדּוֹן, עָמְדוּ וְגָזְרוּ (שמות א, כב): כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֻשְׁלַךְ משֶׁה לַמַּיִם, אָמְרוּ כְּבָר מֻשְׁלָךְ מוֹשִׁיעָן בַּמַּיִם, מִיָּד בִּטְלוּ הַגְּזֵרָה, וְהֵם אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים שֶׁעַל מֵי מְרִיבָה הוּא לוֹקֶה. כְּהַהִיא דְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא מַאי דִכְתִיב (במדבר כ, יג): הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה, הֵמָּה רָאוּ אִצְטַגְנִינֵי פַּרְעֹה וְטָעוּ, הַיְינוּ דְּקָאָמַר (במדבר יא, כא): שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי הָעָם וגו', אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁבִילִי נִצַּלְתֶּם כֻּלְּכֶם. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא אָמַר אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם עֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן הָיָה, אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים מִי שֶׁעָתִיד לוֹמַר שִׁירָה עַל הַיָּם בְּיוֹם זֶה יִלְקֶה בַּמַּיִם בְּיוֹם זֶה. אָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שִׁשָּׁה בְּסִיוָן הָיָה, אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִי שֶׁעָתִיד לְקַבֵּל תּוֹרָה מֵהַר סִינַי בְּיוֹם זֶה יִלְקֶה בְּיוֹם זֶה. אֵיתִיבוּן בְּשִׁבְעָה בַּאֲדָר נוֹלַד משֶׁה, עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּמַאן דְּאָמַר בְּשִׁשָּׁה בְּסִיוָן נִשְׁלַךְ לַיְאוֹר נִיחָא, שֶׁמִּשִּׁבְעָה בַּאֲדַר עַד שִׁשָּׁה בְּסִיוָן יֵשׁ שְׁלשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים שֶׁנִּטְמַן, אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן, לָא נִיחָא, וְלֵית תַּבְרָא אוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה מְעֻבֶּרֶת הָיְתָה, רֻבּוֹ שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן וְרֻבּוֹ שֶׁל אַחֲרוֹן וְחֹדֶשׁ הָאֶמְצָעִי שָׁלֵם חָשֵׁיב לְהוּ תְּלָתָא יַרְחֵי: “She opened it and saw the child [yeled], and behold, a boy [na’ar] crying. She had compassion for him and she said: This is from the children of the Hebrews” (Exodus 2:6).
“She opened it and saw,” – it does not say “she saw,” but rather, “she saw him.”52It could have said: “She saw the child” but a more literal translation is “she saw him, the child.” Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: She saw the Divine Presence with him.
“And behold, a boy [na’ar] crying.” It calls him na’ar [literally, lad] and it calls him yeled [literally, child]. It is taught: He was a child but his voice was like that of a lad, this is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Neḥemya said to him: If so, you have rendered Moses, of blessed memory, blemished. Rather, it teaches that his mother made him a canopy for grooms53This is a cloak which is wrapped around a groom. It is decorated with a crown-like ornamentation at the top. in the basket.
“Crying,” – he was crying and saying: Perhaps I will not have the privilege of seeing my sister who is waiting for me. Alternatively, “behold, a boy [na’ar] crying,” – he was a child but he conducted himself like a lad [na’ar]. Gabriel came and struck Moses so that he would cry and she would be filled with compassion for him. “She had compassion for him.” When she saw him crying, she had compassion for him. “She said: This is from the children of the Hebrews.” How did she ascertain this about him? Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: She saw that he was circumcised.
“This [is from the children of the Hebrews],” – what is “this”? This one has fallen into the Nile, but no other will fall into the Nile, as once they cast Moses into the Nile, the decree was abrogated, like that which Rabbi Elazar said: What is it that is written? “And if they will say to you: Consult the mediums and the necromancers who chirp [hametzaftzefim] and mutter [hamagim]” (Isaiah 8:19). They prognosticate [tzofim] but they do not know what they prognosticate, and they pontificate [hogim] but they do not know what they pontificate. They saw that the redeemer of Israel will be condemned by means of water. They rose and decreed: “Every son who is born [you shall cast him into the Nile]” (Exodus 1:22). Once Moses was cast into the water, they said: ‘Their redeemer has already been cast in the water.’ Immediately, they abrogated the decree. But they did not know that he would be stricken over the waters of dispute, like that which Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: What is it that is written: “These54This is an indication that these waters were familiar from some previous occurrence. are the waters of dispute” (Numbers 20:13). Pharaoh’s astrologers saw these [waters] and were mistaken. Similarly, “six hundred thousand men on foot [ragli]” (Numbers 11:21); Moses said to Israel: Because of me55The word ragli can be interpreted as because of me (see Genesis 30:30). The midrash claims that Moses is saying that because he was placed in the river, the decree to throw the boys in the river was abrogated. all of you were saved.
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: That day was the twenty-first of Nisan. The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, shall he who is destined to recite a song at the sea on this date be stricken by water on this day?’ Rav Aḥa bar Ḥanina said: That day was the sixth of Sivan. The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Shall he who is destined to receive the Torah on Mount Sinai on this day be stricken on this day?’ They raised an objection: On the seventh of Adar Moses was born. According to the opinion of the one who says on the sixth of Sivan he was cast into the Nile, it works out well, as from the seventh of Adar until the sixth of Sivan are the three months that he was hidden. However, according to the one who says it was on the twenty-first of Nisan, it does not work out well. But it is not a difficulty, as that year was a leap year; most of the first month, most of the last month, and the entire middle month are considered three months.56Moses was born on the seventh day of the first Adar. Therefore, from his birth until the twenty-first of Nisan there were twenty-three days of the first Adar, the entire second Adar, and twenty-one days in Nisan.
וַתֹּאמֶר אֲחֹתוֹ אֶל בַּת פַּרְעֹה וגו', לָמָּה אָמְרָה מִרְיָם מִן הָעִבְרִיּוֹת, וְכִי אָסוּר לוֹ לְמשֶׁה לִינֹק מֵחָלָב הַנָּכְרִית, לֹא. כֵן תְּנִינַן (גמרא עבודה זרה כו, ב): בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תָנִיק בְּנָהּ שֶׁל כּוּתִית, אֲבָל כּוּתִית תָּנִיק בֶּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְשׁוּתָהּ. אֶלָּא לָמָּה אָמְרָה כֵּן, לְפִי שֶׁהֶחֱזִירַתּוּ לְמשֶׁה עַל כָּל הַמִּצְרִיּוֹת לְהָנִיק אוֹתוֹ וּפָסַל אֶת כֻּלָּן, וְלָמָּה פְסָלָן, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַפֶּה שֶׁעָתִיד לְדַבֵּר עִמִּי יִינַק דָּבָר טָמֵא, וְהַיְנוּ דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה כח, ט): אֶת מִי יוֹרֶה דֵעָה וגו' לְמִי יוֹרֶה דֵעָה לִגְמוּלֵי מֵחָלָב וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה פָּסַל דַּדֵיהֶן, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא זֶה עָתִיד לְדַבֵּר עִמִּי, לְמָחָר יִהְיוּ הַמִּצְרִיּוֹת אוֹמְרוֹת, זֶה שֶׁמְדַבֵּר עִם הַשְּׁכִינָה אֲנִי הֲנִיקִיתִיהוּ. וַתֵּלֶךְ הָעַלְמָה, לָמָּה קְרָאָהּ הַכָּתוּב עַלְמָה, שֶׁהָלְכָה בִּזְרִיזוּת. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר שֶׁהֶעֱלִימָה אֶת דְּבָרֶיהָ. וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ בַּת פַּרְעֹה הֵילִיכִי, אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בֶּן רַבִּי חֲנִינָא נִתְנַבֵּאת וְלֹא יָדְעָה מַה נִּתְנַבֵּאת, הֵילִיכִי שֶׁלִּיכִי הוּא. וַאֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת שְׂכָרֵךְ, אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא, לֹא דַּיָּן לַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁמַּחֲזִירִין לָהֶן אֲבֵדָתָן אֶלָּא שֶׁנּוֹטְלִים שָׂכָר. וַתִּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה אֶת הַיֶּלֶד וַתְּנִיקֵהוּ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נָתַן לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִקְצַת שְׂכָרָהּ, שֶׁהִיא הָיְתָה מְחַיָּה אֶת הַיְּלָדִים, וְכֵן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֶחֱזִיר לָהּ אֶת בְּנָהּ וְנָתַן לָהּ שְׂכָרָהּ. “His sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter: Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” (Exodus 2:7).
“His sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, etc.” Why did Miriam say: “From the Hebrew women”? Was it prohibited for Moses to nurse from the milk of a gentile woman? That is not what we learned: A Jewish woman may not nurse the son of a gentile woman, but a gentile woman may nurse the son of a Jewish woman on [the Jewish woman’s] property (Avoda Zara 26a). Why did she say so? It is because [Pharaoh’s daughter] had passed Moses around to all the Egyptian women to nurse him, but he rejected them all. Why did he reject them? The Holy One blessed be He said: Shall the mouth that is destined to speak with Me imbibe an impure substance? That is what is written: “To whom will one teach knowledge, [and who can understand a lesson? Those weaned from milk, detached from breasts”] (Isaiah 28:9). To whom will [God] teach knowledge? To those weaned from milk, etc. Alternatively, why did he reject their breasts? The Holy One blessed be He said: This one is destined to speak with Me. Tomorrow the Egyptian women will say: ‘This one who is speaking with the Divine Spirit, I nursed him.’
“Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: Go. The girl went and called the mother of the child” (Exodus 2:8).
“The girl [alma] went.” Why did the verse call her alma? It is because she went with alacrity.57Alma typically refers to a young adult woman. Rabbi Shmuel said: It is because she was guarded in her words.58She did not tell Pharaoh’s daughter that she was the child’s sister and that she was calling child’s mother.
“Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages. The woman took the child and she nursed him” (Exodus 2:9).
“Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: Take [heilikhi].” Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: She prophesied, but she did not know what she prophesied: Heilikhi, he is yours.59The term heilikhi is interpreted as though it was two words: Hei likhi, this is yours.
“And I will give you your wages.” Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is not enough for the righteous that their lost items are returned to them; they also receive a reward.
“The woman took the child and she nursed him.” At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He gave her a partial reward. She had sustained the children, and likewise, the Holy One blessed be He returned her son to her and gave her wages.
וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד. עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה חֹדֶשׁ הֱנִיקַתְהוּ, וְאַתָּה אוֹמֵר: וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה גָּדֵל שֶׁלֹא כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל הָאָרֶץ. וַתְּבִאֵהוּ לְבַת פַּרְעֹה וגו'. הָיְתָה בַת פַּרְעֹה מְנַשֶּׁקֶת וּמְחַבֶּקֶת וּמְחַבֶּבֶת אוֹתוֹ כְּאִלּוּ הוּא בְּנָהּ, וְלֹא הָיְתָה מוֹצִיאַתּוּ מִפַּלְטֵרִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, וּלְפִי שֶׁהָיָה יָפֶה הַכֹּל מִתְאַוִּים לִרְאוֹתוֹ, מִי שֶׁהָיָה רוֹאֵהוּ לֹא הָיָה מַעֲבִיר עַצְמוֹ מֵעָלָיו. וְהָיָה פַּרְעֹה מְנַשְׁקוֹ וּמְחַבְּקוֹ, וְהוּא נוֹטֵל כִּתְרוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה וּמְשִׂימוֹ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָתִיד לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ כְּשֶׁהָיָה גָּדוֹל. וְכֵן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לְחִירָם (יחזקאל כח, יח): וָאוֹצִא אֵשׁ מִתּוֹכְךָ הִיא וגו'. וְכֵן בַּת פַּרְעֹה מְגַדֶּלֶת מִי שֶׁעָתִיד לִפָּרַע מֵאָבִיהָ. וְאַף מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ שֶׁעָתִיד לִפָּרַע מֵאֱדוֹם יוֹשֵׁב עִמָּהֶם בַּמְּדִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כז, י): שָׁם יִרְעֶה עֵגֶל וְשָׁם יִרְבָּץ וגו'. וְהָיוּ שָׁם יוֹשְׁבִין חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, וְאָמְרוּ, מִתְיָרְאִין אָנוּ מִזֶּה שֶׁנּוֹטֵל כִּתְרְךָ וְנוֹתְנוֹ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, שֶׁלֹא יִהְיֶה זֶה אוֹתוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁעָתִיד לִטֹּל מַלְכוּת מִמְּךָ. מֵהֶם אוֹמְרִים לְהָרְגוֹ, מֵהֶם אוֹמְרִים לְשָׂרְפוֹ, וְהָיָה יִתְרוֹ יוֹשֵׁב בֵּינֵיהֶן וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם, הַנַּעַר הַזֶּה אֵין בּוֹ דַּעַת, אֶלָּא בַּחֲנוּ אוֹתוֹ, וְהָבִיאוּ לְפָנָיו בִּקְעָרָה זָהָב וְגַחֶלֶת, אִם יוֹשִׁיט יָדוֹ לַזָּהָב יֵשׁ בּוֹ דַּעַת וְהִרְגוּ אוֹתוֹ, וְאִם יוֹשִׁיט יָדוֹ לַגַּחֶלֶת אֵין בּוֹ דַּעַת וְאֵין עָלָיו מִשְׁפַּט מָוֶת. מִיָּד הֵבִיאוּ לְפָנָיו וְשָׁלַח יָדוֹ לִקַּח הַזָּהָב, וּבָא גַּבְרִיאֵל וְדָחָה אֶת יָדוֹ וְתָפַשׂ אֶת הַגַּחֶלֶת וְהִכְנִיס יָדוֹ עִם הַגַּחֶלֶת לְתוֹךְ פִּיו וְנִכְוָה לְשׁוֹנוֹ, וּמִמֶּנּוּ נַעֲשָׂה (שמות ד, י): כְּבַד פֶּה וּכְבַד לָשׁוֹן. וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ משֶׁה, מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל גּוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַרְבֵּה שֵׁמוֹת הָיוּ לוֹ לְמשֶׁה, לֹא נִִקְבַּע לוֹ שֵׁם בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁקְּרָאַתּוּ בִּתְיָה בַּת פַּרְעֹה, וְאַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא קְרָאָהוּ בְּשֵׁם אַחֵר: “The child grew and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he was a son to her. She named him Moses and she said: Because I drew him from the water” (Exodus 2:10).
“The child grew.” She nursed him for twenty-four months and you say “the child grew”? Rather, it was that he was growing in a manner that was atypical in the land.
“She brought her to Pharaoh’s daughter…” Pharaoh’s daughter was kissing, hugging, and loving him as though he were her son, and would not take him out of the king’s palace. Because he was beautiful, everyone desired to see him, and anyone who saw him would not leave him. Pharaoh would kiss him and hug him, and he would take Pharaoh’s crown and place it on his head, as he was destined to do when he grew older.
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He said to Ḥiram: “I have drawn fire from your midst….” (Ezekiel 28:18),60Meaning, the fire that will destroy him will originate in his household. and likewise Pharaoh’s daughter was raising the one who was destined to exact retribution from her father. The messianic king, too, who is destined to exact retribution from Edom, resides with them in the same country, as it is stated: “There the calf will graze and there it will lie [and consume its branches]” (Isaiah 27:10).
The magicians of Egypt were sitting there, and said: ‘we are afraid of this one who takes your crown and places it on his head, lest he be the one regarding whom we said that he is destined to wrest your kingdom from you.’ Some of them said to behead him, some said to burn him. Yitro was sitting in their midst and saying to them: ‘This boy has no intelligence. Rather, test him. Bring before him a bowl with gold and a hot coal. If he extends his hand to the gold, he has intelligence and [you should] execute him; and if he extends his hand to the coal, he has no intelligence and he has no sentence of death.’ Immediately, they brought it before him and he extended his hand to take the gold. Gabriel came and pushed his hand. He seized the coal and placed his hand with the coal into his mouth, and his tongue was burned. From that he became “slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Exodus 4:10).
“She named him Moses” – from here you learn the reward of those who perform of acts of kindness. Although Moses had many names, the name that was set for him throughout the Torah was only the one that Batya daughter of Pharaoh called him. Even the Holy One blessed be He did not call him by any other name.
וַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וַיִּגְדַּל משֶׁה, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה הָיָה משֶׁה בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים. וַיִּגְדַּל משֶׁה, וְכִי אֵין הַכֹּל גְּדֵלִים, אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לָךְ שֶׁהָיָה גָדֵל שֶׁלֹא כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל הָעוֹלָם. וַיֵּצֵא אֶל אֶחָיו, שְׁתֵּי יְצִיאוֹת יָצָא אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק וּכְתָבָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ. וַיֵּצֵא בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי, הֲרֵי שְׁתַּיִם. וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם. מַהוּ וַיַּרְא, שֶׁהָיָה רוֹאֶה בְּסִבְלוֹתָם וּבוֹכֶה וְאוֹמֵר, חֲבָל לִי עֲלֵיכֶם מִי יִתֵּן מוֹתִי עֲלֵיכֶם, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ מְלָאכָה קָשָׁה מִמְּלֶאכֶת הַטִּיט, וְהָיָה נוֹתֵן כְּתֵפָיו וּמְסַיֵּעַ לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מֵהֶן. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר רָאָה מַשֹּׂוֹי גָדוֹל עַל קָטָן וּמַשֹּׂוֹי קָטָן עַל גָּדוֹל, וּמַשֹּׂוֹי אִישׁ עַל אִשָּׁה וּמַשֹּׂוֹי אִשָּׁה עַל אִישׁ, וּמַשֹּׂוֹי זָקֵן עַל בָּחוּר וּמַשֹּׂוֹי בָּחוּר עַל זָקֵן. וְהָיָה מַנִּיחַ דְּרָגוֹן שֶׁלּוֹ וְהוֹלֵךְ וּמְיַשֵּׁב לָהֶם סִבְלוֹתֵיהֶם, וְעוֹשֶׂה כְּאִלּוּ מְסַיֵּעַ לְפַרְעֹה. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה הִנַּחְתָּ עֲסָקֶיךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ לִרְאוֹת בְּצַעֲרָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְנָהַגְתָּ בָּהֶן מִנְהַג אַחִים, אֲנִי מַנִּיחַ אֶת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְאֶת הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וַאֲדַבֵּר עִמְּךָ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמות ג, ד): וַיַּרְא ה' כִּי סָר לִרְאוֹת, רָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמשֶׁה שֶׁסָּר מֵעֲסָקָיו לִרְאוֹת בְּסִבְלוֹתָם, לְפִיכָךְ (שמות ג, ד): וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו אֱלֹהִים מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה. “It was in those days, Moses grew and went out to his brethren, and he saw their burdens; he saw an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew man of his brethren” (Exodus 2:11).
“It was in those days, Moses grew,” – Moses was twenty years old at that time, and some say forty years old. “Moses grew.” Doesn’t everyone grow? Rather, it is telling you that he grew in an atypical manner. “And went out to his brethren,” this righteous one went out twice61Moses left the palace twice to check on his brethren. and the Holy One blessed be He wrote them one after another; “he went out on the second day” (Exodus 2:13), these are two.
“He saw their burdens.” What is “he saw”? He would see their burdens and cry and say: ‘Woe is me over you; would that I could die for you. There is no labor more arduous than labor with mortar.’ He would shoulder [the burdens] and help each and every one of them. Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: He saw a large burden on a small man and a small burden on a large man; the burden of a man on a woman and the burden of a woman on a man; the burden of an elderly man on a lad and the burden of a lad on an elderly man. He would leave his royal guard and would arrange their burdens, feigning as though he was helping Pharaoh. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You left your affairs and went to observe the Israelite’s suffering, and you treated them in a brotherly manner; I will leave the upper and lower worlds to speak with you.’ That is what is written: “The Lord saw that he had turned to see” (Exodus 3:4); the Holy One blessed be He saw that he turned from his affairs to see their burdens; therefore, “God called to him from the midst of the bush” (ibid.).
דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם, רָאָה שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם מְנוּחָה, הָלַךְ וְאָמַר לְפַרְעֹה מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֶבֶד אִם אֵינוֹ נָח יוֹם אֶחָד בַּשָּׁבוּעַ הוּא מֵת, וְאֵלּוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ אִם אֵין אַתָּה מֵנִיחַ לָהֶם יוֹם אֶחָד בַּשָּׁבוּעַ הֵם מֵתִים. אָמַר לוֹ לֵךְ וַעֲשֵׂה לָהֶם כְּמוֹ שֶׁתֹּאמַר, הָלַךְ משֶׁה וְתִקֵּן לָהֶם אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לָנוּחַ. וַיַּרְא אִישׁ מִצְרִי, מָה רָאָה, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם בַּר קַפָּרָא בִּשְׁבִיל אַרְבָּעָה דְבָרִים נִגְאֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, אֶחָד שֶׁלֹא שִׁנּוּ שְׁמוֹתָם [כמו שכתוב בשיר השירים רבה, ובויקרא רבה פרשה לב]. וּמִנַיִן שֶׁלֹא נֶחְשְׁדוּ עַל הָעֶרְוָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי אַחַת הָיְתָה וּפִרְסְמָהּ הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כד, י יא): וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ שְׁלוֹמִית בַּת דִּבְרִי וגו'. אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה נוֹגְשִׂים הָיוּ מִן הַמִּצְרִיִּים וְשׁוֹטְרִים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, נוֹגֵשׂ מְמֻנֶּה עַל עֲשָׂרָה שׁוֹטְרִים. שׁוֹטֵר מְמֻנֶּה עַל עֲשָׂרָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וְהָיוּ הַנּוֹגְשִׂים הוֹלְכִים לְבָתֵּי הַשּׁוֹטְרִים בָּהַשְׁכָּמָה לְהוֹצִיאָן לִמְלַאכְתָּן לִקְרִיאַת הַגֶּבֶר, פַּעַם אַחַת הָלַךְ נוֹגֵשׂ מִצְרִי אֵצֶל שׁוֹטֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנָתַן עֵינָיו בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה יְפַת תֹּאַר בְּלִי מוּם, עָמַד לִשְׁעַת קְרִיאַת הַגֶּבֶר וְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִבֵּיתוֹ, וְחָזַר הַמִּצְרִי וּבָא עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ וְהָיְתָה סְבוּרָה שֶׁהוּא בַּעֲלָהּ וְנִתְעַבְּרָה מִמֶּנּוּ, חָזַר בַּעֲלָהּ וּמָצָא הַמִּצְרִי יוֹצֵא מִבֵּיתוֹ שָׁאַל אוֹתָהּ שֶׁמָּא נָגַע בָּךְ, אָמְרָה לוֹ הֵן, וּסְבוּרָה אֲנִי שֶׁאַתָּה הוּא, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּדַע הַנּוֹגֵשׂ שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ בּוֹ הֶחֱזִירוֹ לַעֲבוֹדַת הַפֶּרֶךְ וְהָיָה מַכֶּה אוֹתוֹ וּמְבַקֵּשׁ לְהָרְגוֹ. וְהָיָה משֶׁה רוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ וּמַבִּיט בּוֹ וְרָאָה בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מַה שֶּׁעָשָׂה בַּבַּיִת, וְרָאָה מַה שֶּׁעָתִיד לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ בַּשָֹּׂדֶה, אָמַר וַדַּאי זֶה חַיָּב מִיתָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ויקרא כד, כא): וּמַכֵּה אָדָם יוּמָת, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁבָּא עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל דָּתָן, עַל כָּךְ חַיָּב הֲרִיגָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כ, י): מוֹת יוּמַת הַנֹּאֵף וְהַנֹּאָפֶת, וְהַיְנוּ דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וגו', רָאָה מֶה עָשָׂה לוֹ בַּבַּיִת וּמֶה עָשָׂה לוֹ בַּשָֹּׂדֶה. Alternatively, “he saw their burdens,” – he saw that they had no respite. He went and said to Pharaoh: ‘One who has a slave, if he does not rest one day a week, he will die. These are your slaves. If you do not allow them to rest one day a week they will die.’ He said to him: ‘Go and do with them whatever you say.’ Moses went and instituted the day of Shabbat for rest.
“He saw an Egyptian man.” What did he see? Rav Huna said in the name of bar Kapara: Because of four matters, Israel was redeemed from Egypt: One, because they did not change their names.62The continuation of this list is found in Vayikra Rabba 32:5: They did not change their names or language, they did not speak slander, and none of them informed the Egyptians that they were not intending to return the vessels they borrowed before leaving Egypt.
From where is it derived that they were not suspected of licentiousness? The fact is that there was one woman63Only one woman engaged in licentiousness. and the verse publicized her, as it is stated: “[The son of an Israelite woman and he was the son of an Egyptian man]…and the name of his mother was Shelomit bat Divri….” (Leviticus 24: 10–11).
Our Sages, of blessed memory, say: The taskmasters were Egyptian and the foremen were Israelite; one taskmaster was appointed over ten foremen, and one foreman was appointed over ten Israelites. The taskmasters would go to the homes of the foremen early in the morning to get them out to work with the crowing of the rooster. Once, an Egyptian taskmaster went to an Israelite foreman and directed his glance to his wife, who was beautiful and flawless. He arrived there at the time of the crowing of the rooster and got him out of the house. The Egyptian returned and consorted with his wife, as she thought it was her husband, and she was impregnated. Her husband returned and saw the Egyptian emerging from his home. He asked her: ‘Did he touch you?’ She said: ‘Yes, and I thought he was you.’
Once the taskmaster realized that [the Israelite] had sensed what he had done, he returned him to hard labor, and was beating him, seeking to kill him. Moses was looking at him and watching him, and he saw by means of the Divine Spirit what he had done at his home and saw what he was going to do to him in the field. He said: ‘This one is certainly liable for execution, as it is written: “One who strikes a person shall be put to death” (Leviticus 24:21). Moreover, he consorted with Datan’s wife and for that he is liable for execution, as it is stated: “The adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death”’ (Leviticus 20:10). That is what is written: “He turned this way and that [and saw that there was no man; he smote the Egyptian and concealed him in the sand]” (Exodus 2:12) – he saw what he had done to him in the house and what he had done to him in the field.
וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ, כִּי בֶן מָוֶת הוּא. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר כִּי אֵין אִישׁ שֶׁיְקַנֵּא לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְיַהַרְגֶּנּוּ. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר רָאָה שֶׁאֵין מִי שֶׁיַּזְכִּיר עָלָיו אֶת הַשֵּׁם וְיַהַרְגֶּנּוּ. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי רָאָה שֶׁאֵין תּוֹחֶלֶת שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים עוֹמְדוֹת הֵימֶנּוּ וְלֹא מִזַּרְעוֹ עַד סוֹף כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה משֶׁה כָּךְ נִמְלַךְ בַּמַּלְאָכִים וְאָמַר לָהֶם חַיָּב זֶה הֲרִיגָה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ הֵן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ שֶׁיְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת. וַיַּךְ אֶת הַמִּצְרִי, בַּמֶּה הֲרָגוֹ רַבִּי אֶבְיָתָר אָמַר הִכָּהוּ בְּאֶגְרוֹף, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים מַגְרֵפָה שֶׁל טִיט נָטַל וְהוֹצִיא אֶת מֹחוֹ. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי הִזְכִּיר עָלָיו אֶת הַשֵּׁם וַהֲרָגוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ב, יד): הַלְּהָרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר. וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחוֹל, שֶׁלֹא הָיָה שָׁם אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל, טְמָנוֹ בִּפְנֵיהֶן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ לְחוֹל, אָמַר לָהֶם אַתֶּם מְשׁוּלִים כַּחוֹל מַה חוֹל הַזֶּה אָדָם נוֹטְלוֹ מִכָּאן וְנוֹתְנוֹ לְכָאן וְאֵין קוֹלוֹ נִשְׁמָע, כָּךְ יִטָּמֵן הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה בֵּינֵיכֶם וְלֹא יִשָּׁמַע. וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁלֹא נִשְׁמַע הַדָּבָר אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי הָעִבְרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֵּצֵא בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי וְהִנֵּה שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים עִבְרִים נִצִּים, זֶה דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם, קְרָאָם נִצִּים עַל שֵׁם סוֹפָם, הֵם הֵם שֶׁאָמְרוּ דָּבָר זֶה, הֵם הָיוּ שֶׁהוֹתִירוּ מִן הַמָּן, הֵם הָיוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (במדבר יד, ד): נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרָיְמָה, הֵם שֶׁהִמְרוּ עַל יַם סוּף. דָּבָר אַחֵר, נִצִּים, שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְכַּוְּונִים לַהֲרֹג זֶה אֶת זֶה, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (דברים כה, יא): כִּי יִנָּצוּ אֲנָשִׁים יַחְדָּו, וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּמַצּוּת שֶׁל מִיתָה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר. וַיֹּאמֶר לָרָשָׁע לָמָּה תַכֶּה רֵעֶךָ, הִכִּיתָ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא תַכֶּה, מִכָּאן שֶׁמִּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָדָם מֵרִים יָדוֹ לְהַכּוֹת חֲבֵרוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹא הִכָּהוּ נִקְרָא רָשָׁע. רֵעֶךָ, שֶׁהוּא רָשָׁע כַּיּוֹצֵא בְּךָ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם רְשָׁעִים. “He turned this way and that and saw that there was no man; he smote the Egyptian and concealed him in the sand” (Exodus 2:12).
“He saw that there was no man,” because he was deserving of death. Rabbi Yehuda says: There was no man who would be zealous on behalf of the Holy One blessed be He, and kill him. Rabbi Neḥemya says: He saw that there was no one who would invoke the name of God and kill him. The Rabbis say: He saw that there was no expectation that righteous people would emerge from him or from his descendants until the end of all the generations. When Moses saw this, he consulted with the angels and said to them: ‘Is this one liable for execution?’ They said: ‘Yes.’ That is what is written: “He saw that there was no man” – who would speak in his favor.
“He smote the Egyptian.” With what did he kill him? Rabbi Evyatar said: He struck him with a fist. Some say: He took a mortar rake and removed his brain. The Rabbis say: He invoked the name of God and killed him, as it is stated; “Do you propose [omer] to kill me [as you killed the Egyptian?]” (Exodus 2:14).
“He concealed him in the sand” as there was no one there other than Israelites. He concealed him before Israel, who were likened to sand. He said to them: ‘You were likened to sand; just as sand, a person takes it from here and places it there and no sound is heard, so too, this matter will remain concealed among you and will not be heard.’ Indeed, you find that the matter was heard only by means of the Hebrews, as it is stated: “He went out on the second day and behold, two Hebrew men were fighting [nitzim]; [he said to the wicked one: why do you strike your counterpart?]” (Exodus 2:13). These are Datan and Aviram, and it called them nitzim after their end.64“They are Datan and Aviram…who agitated [hitzu] against Moses…when they agitated [behatzotam] against the Lord” (Numbers 26:9). It was they who said this matter, it was they who left over some of the manna. It was they who said: “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt” (Numbers 14:4). And it was they who agitated at the Red Sea.
Alternatively, [they are called] nitzim because they intended to kill one another, as it is said: “If men fight together” (Deuteronomy 25:11), and Rabbi Elazar said: The verse is referring to a fight to the death.
“He said to the wicked one: Why do you strike your counterpart?” Why did you strike is not stated, but rather “why do you strike.” From here it is derived that from the moment that a person raises his hand against another, even if he does not strike him, he is called wicked. “Your counterpart,” who is wicked like you are; this teaches both of them were wicked.
וַיֹּאמֶר מִי שָׂמְךָ לְאִישׁ שַׂר וגו', רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה הָיָה משֶׁה בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ עֲדַיִן אֵין אַתָּה רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת שַׂר וְשׁוֹפֵט עָלֵינוּ, לְפִי שֶׁבֶּן אַרְבָּעִים לְבִינָה. וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה הָיָה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ וַדַּאי שֶׁאַתָּה אִישׁ, אֶלָּא שֶׁאִי אַתָּה רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת שַׂר וְשׁוֹפֵט עָלֵינוּ. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ וַהֲלוֹא בְּנָהּ שֶׁל יוֹכֶבֶד אַתָּה וְהֵיאַךְ קוֹרִין לְךָ בֶּן בַּתְיָה וְאַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ לִהְיוֹת שַׂר וְשׁוֹפֵט עָלֵינוּ, נוֹדִיעַ עָלֶיךָ מֶה עָשִׂיתָ לַמִּצְרִי. הַלְהָרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר, אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא אַתָּה אֹמֵר, מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁשֵּׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ הִזְכִּיר עַל הַמִּצְרִי וַהֲרָגוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע כֵּן נִתְיָרֵא מִלָּשׁוֹן הָרָע, וַיֹּאמַר אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר רַבִּי שָׁלוֹם בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא הַגָּדוֹל, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי אָמְרוּ, הָיָה משֶׁה מְהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר מֶה חָטְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ מִכָּל הָאֻמּוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע דְּבָרָיו אָמַר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע יֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶן הֵיאַךְ יִהְיוּ רְאוּיִין לַגְּאֻלָּה, לְכָךְ אָמַר: אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר, עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי בְּאֵיזֶה דָבָר הֵם מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִים. “He said: Who appointed you a ruler and judge over us? Do you propose to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? Moses was frightened and said: Indeed, the matter is known” (Exodus 2:14).
“Who appointed you a ruler [and judge [ish sar veshofet] over us?]” – Rabbi Yehuda says: Moses was twenty years old at that time. They said to him: ‘You are not yet eligible to be a ruler and a judge over us, because [only] one who is forty years old has understanding’ (Avot 5:25). Rabbi Neḥemya says that he was forty years old. They said to him: ‘Certainly you are a man [ish], but you are not eligible to be a ruler and a judge [sar veshofet] over us.’ The Rabbis say that they said to him: ‘Aren’t you the son of Yokheved? How do they call you son of Batya? You seek to be a ruler and a judge over us? We will inform about you, what you did to the Egyptian.’
“Do you propose [omer] to kill me?” Do you seek to kill me is not stated, but rather do you omer [literally, say]. From here you learn that he had invoked the ineffable name against the Egyptian, and killed him. When he heard this,65When Moses heard the response of the Hebrew man he had rebuked. he feared slander and he said: “Indeed, the matter is known.” Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Shalom [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina the Great, and our Rabbis said in the name of Rabbi Alexandri: Moshe was pondering in his heart and saying: What sin did Israel commit that caused them, more than all the nations, to be enslaved? When he heard his response, he said: ‘There is slander in their midst, how can they be deserving of redemption?’ Therefore he said: “Indeed the matter is known” – now I know the reason for their enslavement.
וַיִּשְׁמַע פַּרְעֹה, שֶׁעָמְדוּ דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם וְהִלְשִׁינוּ עָלָיו. וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת משֶׁה, שָׁלַח פַּרְעֹה וְהֵבִיאוּ סַיִּף שֶׁאֵין כְּמוֹתָהּ, וּנְתָנוֹ עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים עַל צַוָּארוֹ וְנַעֲשָׂה צַוָּארוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה כְּעַמּוּד הַשֵּׁן וְלֹא הִזִּיקַתּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ז, ה): צַוָּארֵךְ כְּמִגְדַּל הַשֵּׁן. וַיִּבְרַח משֶׁה מִפְּנֵי פַּרְעֹה, אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי וְכִי אֶפְשָׁר לְבָשָׂר וָדָם לִבְרֹחַ מִפְּנֵי הַמַּלְכוּת, אֶלָא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁתָּפְסוּ אֶת משֶׁה וְחִיְּבוּהוּ לְהַתִּיז אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ, יָרַד מַלְאָךְ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנִדְמָה לָהֶם בִּדְמוּת משֶׁה וְתָפְשׂוּ אֶת הַמַּלְאָךְ וּבָרַח משֶׁה. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי נַעֲשׂוּ כָּל הַסַּנְקְלִיטִין שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִין לִפְנֵי פַּרְעֹה מֵהֶם אִלְמִין מֵהֶן חֵרְשִׁין מֵהֶן סוּמִין, וְהָיָה אוֹמֵר לָאִלְמִין הֵיכָן משֶׁה וְלֹא הָיוּ מְדַבְּרִים, לַחֵרְשִׁין וְלֹא הָיוּ שׁוֹמְעִין, לַסּוּמִין וְלֹא הָיוּ רוֹאִין. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה (שמות ד, יא): מִי שָׂם פֶּה לָאָדָם, מִי שָׂם פֶּה לְפַרְעֹה שֶׁאָמַר בְּפִיו הָבִיאוּ אֶת משֶׁה לַבִּימָה לְהָרְגוֹ, (שמות ד, יא): אוֹ מִי יָשׂוּם אִלֵּם, מִי שָׂם הַסְּגָנִים אִלְמִים חֵרְשִׁים וְסוּמִין שֶׁלֹא הֱבִיאוּךָ. וּמִי עָשָׂה עַצְמְךָ פִּקֵּחַ שֶׁתִּבְרַח, (שמות ד, יא): הֲלֹא אָנֹכִי ה', שָׁם הָיִיתִי עִמְּךָ וְהַיּוֹם אֲנִי עוֹמֵד לְךָ. “Pharaoh heard this matter and he sought to kill Moses. Moses fled from before Pharaoh, and he settled in the land of Midyan, and sat alongside the well” (Exodus 2:15).
“Pharaoh heard” – because Datan and Aviram arose and informed on him. “He sought to kill Moses.” Pharaoh sent and they brought an incomparable sword and he struck his neck ten times, but Moses’s neck became like an ivory tower and it did not harm him, as it is stated: “Your neck is like an ivory tower” (Song of Songs 7:5).
“Moses fled from before Pharaoh.” Rabbi Yannai says: Is it possible for flesh and blood to flee from the monarchy? Rather, at the moment that they apprehended Moses and sentenced him to beheading, an angel descended from the heavens and appeared to them in the image of Moses. They seized the angel and Moses fled.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: All the legal advisers who were sitting before Pharaoh became [impaired]; some mute, some deaf, and some blind. He [Pharaoh] was saying to the mutes: ‘Where is Moses?’ but they did not talk; to the deaf, but they did not hear; to the blind, but they did not see. That is what the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Who gives a mouth to man?” (Exodus 4:11). Who gave a mouth to Pharaoh, who said with his mouth: ‘Bring Moses to the platform to execute him’? “Or who makes one mute,” (ibid.) – who rendered the deputies mute, deaf, and blind so they did not bring you? And who made you clever so you would flee? “Is it not I, the Lord?” (ibid.). I was with you there, and I stand with you today.
וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְיָן וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל הַבְּאֵר, קָלַט דֶּרֶךְ אָבוֹת, שְׁלשָׁה נִזְדַּוְּגוּ לָהֶם זִוּוּגֵיהֶם מִן הַבְּאֵר, יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב וּמשֶׁה. בְּיִצְחָק כְּתִיב (בראשית כד, סב): וְיִצְחָק בָּא מִבּוֹא בְּאֵר וגו'. וְעוֹד שֶׁנִּזְדַּוְגָה רִבְקָה לֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר לַמַּעְיָן. יַעֲקֹב (בראשית כט, ב): וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה בְאֵר בַּשָֹּׂדֶה. משֶׁה, וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל הַבְּאֵר. וּלְכֹהֵן מִדְיָן שֶׁבַע בָּנוֹת. וַהֲלוֹא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׂוֹנֵא עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, וְנָתַן מָנוֹס לְמשֶׁה אֵצֶל עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים. אֶלָּא אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, יִתְרוֹ כֹּמֶר לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים הָיָה, וְרָאָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ מַמָּשׁ וּבִסֵּר עָלֶיהָ, וְהִרְהֵר לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה עַד שֶׁלֹא בָּא משֶׁה, וְקָרָא לִבְנֵי עִירוֹ וְאָמַר לָהֶם, עַד עַכְשָׁיו הָיִיתִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶתְכֶם, מֵעַתָּה זָקֵן אֲנִי בַּחֲרוּ לָכֶם כֹּמֶר אַחֵר, עָמַד וְהוֹצִיא כְּלֵי תַּשְׁמִישֵׁי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְנָתַן לָהֶם הַכֹּל, עָמְדוּ וְנִדּוּהוּ שֶׁלֹא יִזְדַּקֵּק לוֹ אָדָם וְלֹא יַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ מְלָאכָה וְלֹא יִרְעוּ אֶת צֹאנוֹ, וּבִקֵּשׁ מִן הָרוֹעִים לִרְעוֹת לוֹ אֶת צֹאנוֹ וְלֹא קִבְּלוּ, לְפִיכָךְ הוֹצִיא בְּנוֹתָיו. וַתָּבֹאנָה וַתִּדְלֶנָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ מַקְדִּימוֹת לָבוֹא מִפְּנֵי פַּחַד הָרוֹעִים. וַיָּבֹאוּ הָרֹעִים וַיְגָרֲשׁוּם, אֶפְשָׁר הוּא כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן וְהָרוֹעִים מְגָרְשִׁים בְּנוֹתָיו, אֶלָא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁנִּדּוּהוּ וְגֵרְשׁוּ בְּנוֹתָיו כְּאִשָּׁה גְרוּשָׁה, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (בראשית ג, כד): וַיְגָרֶשׁ אֶת הָאָדָם, וַיָּקָם משֶׁה וַיּוֹשִׁיעָן, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁיָּשַׁב לָהֶם בַּדִּין, אָמַר דֶּרֶךְ אֲנָשִׁים דּוֹלִים וְנָשִׁים מַשְׁקוֹת, וְכָאן נָשִׁים דּוֹלוֹת וַאֲנָשִׁים מַשְׁקִים. וַיַּצִּילָן לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא וַיּוֹשִׁיעָן, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר דָּבָר שֶׁל גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת בָּאוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמָּהֶן וְעָמַד משֶׁה וְהוֹשִׁיעָן, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן וַיּוֹשִׁיעָן, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (דברים כב, כז): צָעֲקָה הַנַּעֲרָה הַמְּאֹרָשָׂה וְאֵין מוֹשִׁיעַ לָהּ, מַה לְּהַלָּן גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת אַף כָּאן גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִשְׁלִיכוּ אוֹתָן לַמַּיִם וְהוֹצִיאָן משֶׁה, וְאֵין וַיּוֹשִׁיעָן אֶלָּא לָשׁוֹן הַצָּלַת מַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים סט, ב): הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי אֱלֹהִים כִּי בָאוּ מַיִם עַד נָפֶשׁ. וַיַּשְׁק אֶת צֹאנָם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁדָּלָה משֶׁה לָהֶם וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת צֹאנָם כְּשֵׁם שֶׁעָשָׂה יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל. וַתָּבֹאנָה אֶל רְעוּאֵל אֲבִיהֶן, זֶה יִתְרוֹ, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ רְעוּאֵל, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה רֵעַ לָאֵל. וַיֹּאמֶר מַדּוּעַ מִהַרְתֶּן בֹּא, מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁכָּל הַיָּמִים בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה הָיוּ בָּאוֹת. וַתֹּאמַרְןָ אִישׁ מִצְרִי הִצִּילָנוּ מִיַּד הָרֹעִים, וְכִי מִצְרִי הָיָה משֶׁה, אֶלָּא לְבוּשׁוֹ מִצְרִי, וְהוּא עִבְרִי. דָּבָר אַחֵר אִישׁ מִצְרִי, מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד שֶׁנְּשָׁכוֹ הֶעָרוֹד וְהָיָה רָץ לִתֵּן רַגְלָיו בְּמַיִם, נְתָנָן לַנָּהָר וְרָאָה תִּינוֹק אֶחָד שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹקֵעַ בַּמַּיִם, וְשָׁלַח יָדוֹ וְהִצִּילוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ הַתִּינוֹק אִילּוּלֵי אַתָּה כְּבָר הָיִיתִי מֵת. אָמַר לוֹ לֹא אֲנִי הִצַּלְתִּיךָ אֶלָּא הֶעָרוֹד שֶׁנְּשָׁכַנִּי וּבָרַחְתִּי הֵימֶנּוּ, הוּא הִצִּילֶךָ. כָּךְ אָמְרוּ בְּנוֹת יִתְרוֹ לְמשֶׁה, יִישַׁר כֹּחֲךָ שֶׁהִצַּלְתָּנוּ מִיַּד הָרוֹעִים, אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה אוֹתוֹ מִצְרִי שֶׁהָרַגְתִּי הוּא הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם, וּלְכָךְ אָמְרוּ לַאֲבִיהֶן אִישׁ מִצְרִי, כְּלוֹמַר מִי גָרַם לָזֶה שֶׁיָּבוֹא אֶצְלֵנוּ, אִישׁ מִצְרִי שֶׁהָרַג. דָּלֹה דָלָה, דְּלִיָּה אַחַת דָּלָה, וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת כָּל הַצֹּאן שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם וְנִתְבָּרְכוּ הַמַּיִם עַל יָדוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיַּשְׁק אֶת הַצֹּאן, צֹאנֵנוּ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא הַצֹּאן, שֶׁאַף צֹאן הָרוֹעִים הִשְׁקָה, וּמָה לָנוּ, שֶׁאַף לָנוּ דָּלָה, שֶׁהָרוֹעִים הִשְׁלִיכוּנוּ לַמַּיִם וְהוּא הוֹצִיאָנוּ. וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל בְּנֹתָיו וְאַיּוֹ וגו', אָמַר לָהֶם סִימָן שֶׁאַתֶּן אוֹמְרוֹת שֶׁדָּלָה וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת כָּל הַצֹּאן, זֶה מִבְּנֵי בָנָיו שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב שֶׁעָמַד עַל הַבְּאֵר וְהַבְּאֵר מִתְבָּרֶכֶת בִּשְׁבִילוֹ, לָמָּה זֶה עֲזַבְתֶּן אֶת הָאִישׁ וגו', שֶׁמָּא יִשָֹּׂא אַחַת מִכֶּם, וְאֵין אֲכִילַת לֶחֶם הָאָמוּר כָּאן אֶלָּא אִשָּׁה, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ (בראשית לט, ו): כִּי אִם הַלֶּחֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא אוֹכֵל. מִיָּד רָצְתָה צִפֹּרָה אַחֲרָיו כְּצִפּוֹר וְהֵבִיאָה אוֹתוֹ, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ צִפֹּרָה, שֶׁטִּהֲרָה הַבַּיִת כְּצִפּוֹר. “He settled in the land of Midyan, and sat alongside the well.” He learned the way of the patriarchs. Three were paired with their mates at the well; Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Regarding Isaac, it is written: “Isaac came from going to Be’er [laḥai ro’i]” (Genesis 24:62).66This is the well where God had once appeared to Hagar. This is the context in which Isaac met Rebecca, who was returning with Abraham’s servant, identified by the midrash as Eliezer. Isaac then married her; see Genesis 24:63-67. Moreover, Rebecca met Eliezer near the spring. Jacob, “he saw, and behold, there was a well in the field” (Genesis 29:2); 67It was there that Jacob first met Rachel; see Genesis 29:10-11. Moses, “and he sat alongside the well.”
“The priest of Midian had seven daughters; they came and they drew water and filled the troughs to give their father’s flock to drink” (Exodus 2:16).
“The priest of Midian had seven daughters.” But doesn’t the Holy One blessed be He hate idol worship, and yet He provided Moses haven with an idol worshipper? Rather, our Rabbis said: Yitro was a priest for idol worship and he saw that it lacked substance, and he scorned it, and he thought about repenting before Moses arrived. He called the residents of his city and said: ‘Until now, I have served you. Now I am old; choose another priest.’ He arose and removed the service vessels of idol worship and gave them all to them. They arose and ostracized him so that no one should have ties with him, no one should perform labor for him, and no one should herd his flocks. He asked the shepherds to herd his flocks for him, but they did not agree; therefore, he sent his daughters out.
“They came and they drew.” It teaches that they would arrive early due to fear of the shepherds.
“The shepherds came and drove them away; Moses rose and rescued them and gave their flocks to drink” (Genesis 2:17).
“The shepherds came and drove them away.” Is it possible that he was the priest of Midyan and the shepherds were driving away his daughters? Rather, it teaches you that they ostracized him and drove away his daughters like a divorced woman, like you say: “He drove out the man” (Genesis 3:24).68In this verse, God permanently banished man from the Garden of Eden. So too, the shepherds sought to permanently banish Yitro’s daughters.
“Moses rose and rescued them.” This teaches that he sat in judgment regarding them.69This is derived from the fact that the verse says that he rose, indicating that beforehand he was sitting. He said: Typically, men draw the water and women give the flocks to drink, while here, women draw and men give the flocks to drink. It does not say “he saved them [vayatzilan],” but rather, “he rescued them [vayoshian].” Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: They came to engage with them in a matter of forbidden sexual relations; here it is stated: “Moses rose and rescued them ,” and there it is stated: “The betrothed young woman screamed, and there was no one to rescue her” (Deuteronomy 22:27). Just as there, it is referring to forbidden sexual relations, here too it is referring to forbidden sexual relations.
The Rabbis say: This teaches that they cast them into the water and Moses saved them. Vayoshian is nothing other than an expression of saving from water, as it is stated: “Rescue me God, as the water has reached my soul” (Psalms 69:2). “And gave their flocks to drink.” This teaches that Moses drew water for them and gave their flocks to drink, just as Jacob did for Rachel.
“They came to their father Reuel. He said: Why were you quick to come today?” (Exodus 2:18).
“They came to their father Reuel.” This is Yitro. Why is he named Reuel? It is because he became a companion to God. “He said: Why were you quick to come today?” From here you learn that on all days they would come last.
“They said: An Egyptian man saved us from the shepherds and also drew water for us and gave the flock to drink” (Exodus 2:19).
“They said: An Egyptian man saved us from the shepherds.” Was Moses an Egyptian? Rather, his garb was Egyptian, but he was a Hebrew. Alternatively, “an Egyptian man,” this is analogous to one who was bitten by a deadly snake and was running to put his legs in water. He placed them in the river and saw a certain child sinking in the water, and he extended his hand and saved him. The child said to him: ‘Were it not for you, I would have died.’ He said to him: ‘It is not I who saved you, but rather, the deadly snake that bit me and I fled from it; it saved you.’ Similarly, Yitro’s daughters said to Moses: ‘Well done that you saved us from the shepherds.’ Moses said to them: ‘That Egyptian whom I killed, he saved you.’ That is why they said to their father, “an Egyptian man saved us,” in other words: Who caused this one to come to us? It is the Egyptian man whom he killed.
“Drew water [dalo dala],” he drew one drawing of water and gave water to all the flocks to drink, and the water was blessed for his sake. That is what is written: “and gave the flock to drink.” Our flock is not written, but rather “the flock,” as he gave even the flocks of the shepherds to drink. What then is “for us”? It means that he drew us out, too, as the shepherds cast us into the water and he took us out.
“He said to his daughters: Where is he? Why did you leave the man? Call him so that he will eat bread” (Exodus 2:20).
“He said to his daughters: Where is he?” He said to them: ‘The fact that you say that he drew water and gave water to all the flocks is an indicator that he is one of the descendants of Jacob who stood at the well and the water was blessed for his sake.’
“Why did you leave the man? [Call him so that he will eat bread],” – perhaps he will marry one of you. The eating of bread mentioned here refers to nothing other than a wife, similar to: “Except for the bread that he eats” (Genesis 39:6).70Joseph stated this in reference to Potifar’s wife. Immediately, Tzipora ran after him like a bird [tzipor] and brought him. Why was she named Tzipora? It is because she purified the house like a bird.71The bird plays a central role in the purification process of a leprous house; see Leviticus 14:48-53
וַיּוֹאֶל משֶׁה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּע לוֹ, וְאֵין וַיּוֹאֶל אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן שְׁבוּעָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א יד, כד): וַיֹּאֶל שָׁאוּל אֶת הָעָם, וְלָמָּה הִשְׁבִּיעוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁיַּעֲקֹב אֲבִיכֶם כְּשֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ לָבָן בְּנוֹתָיו, נְטָלָן וְהָלַךְ לוֹ חוּץ מִדַּעְתּוֹ, שֶׁמָּא אִם אֶתֵּן לְךָ אֶת בִּתִּי אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה לִי כָּךְ. מִיָּד נִשְׁבַּע לוֹ וְנָתַן לוֹ אֶת צִפֹּרָה, וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר קִבֵּל עָלָיו לָלוּן עִמּוֹ, וְאֵין וַיּוֹאֶל אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן לִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים יט, ו): הוֹאֶל נָא וְלִין. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אָמְרוּ קִבֵּל עָלָיו לִרְעוֹת אֶת צֹאנוֹ, וְאֵין וַיּוֹאֶל אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן הַתְחָלָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנָּשָׂא בִּתּוֹ הִתְחִיל וְקִבֵּל עָלָיו לִרְעוֹת אֶת צֹאנוֹ, וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ גֵּרְשֹׁם, דֶּרֶךְ הַצַּדִּיקִים לָשׂוּם שֵׁם לִבְנֵיהֶם לְעִנְיַן הַמְאֹרָע, בְּיוֹסֵף מַהוּ אוֹמֵר (בראשית מא, נא נב): וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַבְּכוֹר מְנַשֶּׁה, וְאֶת שֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִי קָרָא אֶפְרָיִם, כְּדֵי לְהַזְכִּיר אֶת הַנִּסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִמּוֹ. אַף משֶׁה קָרָא שֵׁם בְּנוֹ גֵּרְשֹׁם עַל הַנֵּס שֶׁעָשָׂה לוֹ ה', שֶׁגֵּר הָיָה בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָּה וְהִצְלִיחוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִשָּׁם. “Moses decided to dwell with the man, and he gave his daughter Tzipora to Moses” (Exodus 2:21).
“Moses decided [vayoel]” – Rabbi Yehuda says that he took an oath to him, as vayoel is nothing other than an expression of an oath, as it is stated: “Saul administered an oath [vayoel] to the people” (I Samuel 14:24). Why did he administer an oath to him? He said to him: ‘I know that Jacob your ancestor, when Lavan gave him his daughters, he took them and left without [Lavan’s] knowledge. Perhaps, if I give you my daughter you will do the same to me.’ Immediately, [Moses] took an oath to him, and [Yitro] gave him Tzipora.
Rabbi Neḥemya said: He accepted upon himself to stay the night with him, as vayoel is nothing other than an expression of staying the night, as it is stated: “Please agree [hoel] and stay the night” (Judges 19:6). Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said that he accepted upon himself to herd his flocks, as vayoel is nothing other than an expression of beginning. When he married his daughter, he began and accepted upon himself to herd his flocks.
“She bore a son and he named him Gershom because he said: I was a stranger [ger] in a foreign land” (Exodus 2:22).
“She bore a son and he named him Gershom.” It is the way of the righteous to name their sons after an event. In Joseph’s regard what does it say? “He named the firstborn Manasseh…and the second he named Ephraim”72Manasseh, “because God has made me forget [nashani] all my toil and all my father’s household.” Ephraim, “because God has made me fruitful [hifrani] in the land of my affliction.” (Genesis 41:51–52), in order to recall the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on his behalf. Moses, too, named his son Gershom after the miracle that the Lord performed on his behalf; that he was a stranger in a foreign land, and the Holy One blessed be He brought him success there.
וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָרַבִּים הָהֵם, יָמִים שֶׁל צַעַר הָיוּ, לְפִיכָךְ קוֹרֵא אוֹתָן רַבִּים. וּדְכַוָּתָהּ (ויקרא טו, כה): וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ יָמִים רַבִּים, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ שֶׁל צַעַר, קוֹרֵא אוֹתָן רַבִּים, וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁנִּצְטָרַע וְהַמְצֹרָע חָשׁוּב כְּמֵת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יב, יב): אַל נָא תְהִי כַּמֵּת, וְאוֹמֵר (ישעיה ו, א): בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ, וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לָמָּה נִתְאַנְּחוּ, לְפִי שֶׁאָמְרוּ חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם אֵין לְךָ רְפוּאָה אִם לֹא נִשְׁחֹט מִקְטַנֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים בָּעֶרֶב וּמֵאָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים בַּבֹּקֶר, וּרְחַץ בִּדְמֵיהֶם שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בַּיּוֹם כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּזֵרָה קָשָׁה, הִתְחִילוּ מִתְאַנְחִים וְקוֹנְנִים. וְאֵין וַיִּזְעָקוּ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן קִינָה, כְּדִכְתִיב (יחזקאל כא, יז): זְעַק וְהֵילֵל בֶּן אָדָם. וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים, אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר צַעֲקָתָם אֶלָּא שַׁוְעָתָם, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (איוב כד, יב): וְנֶפֶשׁ חֲלָלִים תְּשַׁוֵּעַ. וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת נַאֲקָתָם, נַאֲקַת הַחֲלָלִים, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (יחזקאל ל, כד): וְנָאַק נַאֲקוֹת חָלָל, וּכְמָה דְתֵימָא (איוב כד, יב): מֵעִיר מְתִים יִנְאָקוּ. וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ, וְלֹא הָיוּ רְאוּיִן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִנָּצֵל לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ רְשָׁעִים, אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת אָבוֹת נִגְאָלוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ, אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, נַעֲשָׂה לָהֶם נֵס וְנִתְרַפֵּא מִצָּרַעְתּוֹ. “It was during those many days that the king of Egypt died and the children of Israel sighed due to the work, and they cried out. Their plea rose to God due to the work” (Exodus 2:23).
“It was during those many days.” They were days of suffering; therefore, it calls them many. Similarly, “and a woman, if her flow of blood shall flow many days” (Leviticus 15:25); because they are days of suffering, it calls them many.
“The king of Egypt died.” He was afflicted with leprosy, and a leper is considered as dead, as it is stated: “Let her not be like a corpse” (Numbers 12:12),73Aaron said this when Miriam was afflicted with leprosy. and it says: “It was during the year of the death of King Uzziahu” (Isaiah 6:1).74King Uziahu was afflicted with leprosy.
“The children of Israel sighed [due to the work, and they cried out [vayizaku]].” Why did they sigh? It is because the magicians of Egypt said [to Pharaoh]: ‘Your only cure is to slaughter from among the Israelite young, one hundred and fifty in the evening and one hundred and fifty in the morning, and bathe in their blood twice a day.’ When Israel heard the harsh decree, they began groaning and lamenting. Vayizaku is nothing other than a term denoting lamentation, as it is written: “Cry out [ze’ak] and lament, son of man” (Ezekiel 21:17).
“Their plea [shavatam] rose to God.” It does not say “their outcry [tza’akatam],” but rather, their plea [shavatam], as it is stated: “And the souls of the dead plead [teshave’a]” (Job 24:12).
“God heard their moaning and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24).
“God heard their moaning [na’akatam],” the moaning of the slain, as it is said: “He will moan [vena’ak] the moans of the slain” (Ezekiel 30:24), and as it is said: “They moan [yinaku] from a populated [metim]75The term metim is expounded as though it were vocalized with a tzerei, meaning “the dead,” instead of a sheva, which is how it is vocalized in the verse. When vocalized with a sheva, it means “populated.” city” (Job 24:12).
“God remembered His covenant.” Israel was not worthy of being saved, because they were wicked, but they were redeemed because of the merit of the patriarchs. That is what is written: “God remembered His covenant.” Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, say: A miracle was performed on their behalf and [Pharaoh] was cured from his leprosy.
וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמָה דְּתֵימָא (שמות ג, ז): רָאֹה רָאִיתִי אֶת עֳנִי עַמִּי. וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים (שמות ג, ז): כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת מַכְאֹבָיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, שֶׁלֹא הָיָה בְּיָדָם מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים שֶׁיִּגָּאֲלוּ בִּשְׁבִילָם, וְכֵן הוּא מְפֹרָשׁ עַל יְדֵי יְחֶזְקֵאל (יחזקאל טז, ז): רְבָבָה כְּצֶמַח הַשָֹּׂדֶה נְתַתִּיךְ לֹא הָיָה צֹרֶךְ לוֹמַר אֶלָּא: וּשְׂעָרֵךְ צִמֵּחַ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ: שָׁדַיִם נָכֹנוּ, שֶׁקֹּדֶם בָּא סִימָן הַתַּחְתּוֹן מִן הָעֶלְיוֹן, אֶלָּא מַהוּ שָׁדַיִם נָכֹנוּ, זֶה משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן שֶׁהָיוּ נְכוֹנִים לְגָאֳלָם, דִּכְתִיב (שיר השירים ד, ה): שְׁנֵי שָׁדַיִךְ כִּשְׁנֵי עֳפָרִים. וּשְׂעָרֵךְ צִמֵּחַ, הִגִּיעַ הַקֵּץ שֶׁל גְּאֻלָּה. וְאַתְּ עֵרֹם וְעֶרְיָה, בְּלֹא מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, שֶׁאֵין בְּיָדָם מַעֲשִׂים לִגָּאֵל בָּהֶן. “God saw the children of Israel, and God knew” (Exodus 2:25).
“God saw the children of Israel,” as it is stated: “I have seen the affliction of My people” (Exodus 3:7). “And God knew” (Exodus 2:25); “as I know its pains” (Exodus 3:7).
Alternatively, “God saw” that they did not have good deeds for which their redemption would be warranted. Likewise, it is explicated by Ezekiel: “I rendered you as numerous as the plants of the field [and you increased and grew, and you came to great beauty: Breasts developed and your hair grew, but you were naked and bare]” (Ezekiel 16:7). It should have said “and your hair grew” and only then “breasts developed,” as the lower sign of puberty precedes the upper one. Rather, what is “breasts developed [nakhonu]”? These are Moses and Aaron, who were prepared [nekhonim] to redeem them, as it is written: “Your two breasts76This phrase is expounded as referring to Moses and Aaron. are like two fawns” (Song of Songs 4:5). “And your hair grew,” the time of the redemption has arrived.77Pubic hair serves as the sign of the culmination of childhood and the beginning of adulthood. “But you were naked and bare,” bereft of good deeds; therefore, it states: “God saw” that they did not have any good deeds for which their redemption would be warranted.
וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים, יָדַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁעָלָיו לְגָאֳלָם לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ בַּעֲבוּר הַבְּרִית שֶׁכָּרַת עִם הָאָבוֹת, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות ב, כד): וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ, וְכָךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר עַל יְדֵי יְחֶזְקֵאל (יחזקאל כ, ט): וָאַעַשׂ לְמַעַן שְׁמִי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁהֵן עֲתִידִין לְהַמְרוֹת עַל יַם סוּף, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים קו, ז): וַיַּמְּרוּ עַל יָם בְּיַם סוּף. וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים, יָדַע שֶׁהֵן עֲתִידִין לוֹמַר (שמות טו, ב): זֶה אֵלִי. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר, רָאָה שֶׁעֲתִידִין לוֹמַר (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים, שֶׁעֲתִידִים לְהַקְדִּים נַעֲשֶׂה לְנִשְׁמָע. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, שֶׁעָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה הַבֵּינוֹנִים, וְגַם הָרְשָׁעִים הִרְהֲרוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה, דִּכְתִיב (שיר השירים ב, יג): הַתְּאֵנָה חָנְטָה פַגֶּיהָ. וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ אֶחָד בַּחֲבֵרוֹ לֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְבַדּוֹ, וְזֶה מְכַוֵּן אֶת לִבּוֹ וְזֶה מְכַוֵּן אֶת לִבּוֹ וְעוֹשִׂין תְּשׁוּבָה, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה, לֹא יָצְאוּ מִשָּׁם אִלְמָלֵא זְכוּת הָאָבוֹת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמִּדַּת הַדִּין מְקַטְרֶגֶת עֲלֵיהֶן עַל הָעֵגֶל שֶׁהָיוּ עֲתִידִין לַעֲשׂוֹת, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (שמות יב, כב): וּלְקַחְתֶּם אֲגֻדַּת אֵזוֹב, כְּנֶגֶד שֶׁהִשְׁפִּילוּ עַצְמָן לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה כָּאֵזוֹב. (שמות יב, כב): וּטְבַלְתֶּם בַּדָּם אֲשֶׁר בַּסָּף, בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁעֲתִידִין לְקַבֵּל, דִּכְתִיב בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה (שמות כד, ח): וַיִּקַּח משֶׁה אֶת הַדָּם, וּכְתִיב (שמות יב, כב): וְהִגַּעְתֶּם אֶל הַמַּשְׁקוֹף, שֶׁאַבְרָהָם גָּדוֹל בַּגֵּרִים, וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהַמַּשְׁקוֹף גָּבוֹהַּ כָּךְ הָיָה גָּדוֹל שֶׁבָּאָבוֹת. (שמות יב, כב): וְאֶל שְׁתֵּי הַמְזוּזֹת, בִּזְכוּת יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁבִּזְכוּת כָּל אֵלּוּ יָצָאוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, פְּרִישׁוּת שֶׁבֵּינֵיהֶם. וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים, יָדַע שֶׁקָּרַב הַזְּמַן שֶׁאָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם, וְנִגְלָה עַל משֶׁה לְהוֹדִיעוֹ כְּשֶׁהָיָה רוֹעֶה: “God saw the children of Israel, and God knew.” The Holy One blessed be He knew that it was incumbent upon Him to redeem them for the sake of His name, and because of the covenant that he made with the patriarchs. Likewise it says: “God remembered His covenant” (Exodus 2:24). And that is what He said by means of Ezekiel: “But I acted for the sake of My name” (Ezekiel 20:9).
Alternatively, “God saw,” – Reish Lakish said that He saw that they were destined to be defiant at the Red Sea, as it is written: “They were defiant at the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7). “And God knew,” He knew that they were destined to say: “This is my God” (Exodus 15:2).
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: He saw that they were destined to say: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4).78This was stated in reference to the golden calf. “And God knew” that they were destined to say “we will do” before “we will listen.”79By accepting the obligation to perform the commandments before even hearing what they were, the Israelites demonstrated their faith in God (see Exodus 24:7).
The Rabbis say: “God saw” that the mediocre people repented, and even the wicked contemplated repenting, as it is written: “The fig tree developed its unripe figs” (Song of Songs 2:13).80The unripe figs represent the wicked; they began to develop, even though their repentance was not outwardly discernible. The verse continues: “And the vines in blossom emitted fragrance,” which is a reference to the mediocre people, who actually repented, and therefore their repentance was outwardly discernible, like a fragrance. “And God knew” [indicates] that one did not even know about another; only the Holy One blessed be He knew. This one was focusing his heart, and that one was focusing his heart, and they were repenting. But even though they repented, were it not for the merit of the patriarchs, they would not have emerged from there, because the attribute of justice was denouncing them because of the calf that they were destined to craft.
Regarding this, it is written: “You shall take a bundle of hyssop” (Exodus 12:22), because they lowered themselves like a hyssop, to repent. “And dip it into the blood that is in the basin,” (ibid.), due to the merit of the Torah that they were destined to receive, as it is written at the revelation at Sinai: “Moses took the blood” (Exodus 24:8). And it is written: “And touch the lintel” (Exodus 12:22), as Abraham was the greatest of the converts; just as the lintel is high, so too, he was the greatest of the patriarchs; “and the two doorposts” (ibid.), in the merit of Isaac and Jacob, to teach you that it was due to the merit of all of them [the patriarchs] that they emerged.
Alternatively, “God saw” the forced separation between them. “And God knew” that the time that He said to Abraham was approaching, and He appeared to Moses to inform him, while he was herding the flocks.