Who are the Midwives?
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ByRachel Buckman
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Pesach

In this lesson, you will:

  • Read and understand the narrative in Shemot 1:15-16
  • Think of two ways to translate the phrase, "מְיַלְּדֹת הָעִבְרִיֹּת."
  • Write a dialogue between the midwives as they discuss whether or not they should follow Pharaoh's decree.

In order to complete the source sheet, click "Save" in the top right-hand corner of the sheet and enter the highlighting mode by selecting "Highlight Mode" from the "File" menu.

שמות א׳:ט״ו-ט״ז
(טו) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה׃ (טז) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן֙ אֶת־הָֽעִבְרִיּ֔וֹת וּרְאִיתֶ֖ן עַל־הָאָבְנָ֑יִם אִם־בֵּ֥ן הוּא֙ וַהֲמִתֶּ֣ן אֹת֔וֹ וְאִם־בַּ֥ת הִ֖יא וָחָֽיָה׃
Exodus 1:15-16
(15) The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, (16) saying, “When you deliver the Hebrew women, look at the birthstool: if it is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.”

1. Highlight all of the words with the shoresh י.ל.ד in pink.

2. Highlight all of the words with the shoresh ח.י.ה green.

3. Put the names of the מְיַלְּדֹת in bold.

4. Put what פרעה said to the מְיַלְּדֹת in פסוק ט״ז in italics.

5. What do you think the מְיַלְּדֹת should do? Write an imaginary dialogue between the מְיַלְּדֹת as they discuss whether or not they should follow פרעה’s decree.

שמות א׳:ט״ו
(טו) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה׃
Exodus 1:15
(15) The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,

The midwives are described as מְיַלְּדֹת הָעִבְרִיֹּת.

  1. What are two different ways to translate the phrase?
  2. Click on the verse above to open the resource panel. In "commentaries", read various opinions on how this phrase should be translated. Make sure to look at Rashi and Shadal's commentaries.
  3. Write a summary of opinions below.

When you wrote your dialogue, did you assume that the midwives were Jewish or Egyptian? Did that affect your dialogue? Re-write the dialogue using the opposite interpretation.