The midwives, at any rate, if we accept the above exposition which may be based on much earlier traditions, were Jewish. They belonged to that noble galaxy of Hebrew heroines who risked their lives to save their people.
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. This text is a commentary on Shifra and Puah, the Egyptian midwives who violated Pharaoh's command to kill all the Jewish babies and instead saved them. Do you agree with Leibowitz's understanding of the midwives?
2. What model of activism do they represent?
Time Period: Contemporary (The Yom Kippur War until the present-day)