וַיְמָרְר֨וּ אֶת־חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם בַּעֲבֹדָ֣ה קָשָׁ֗ה בְּחֹ֙מֶר֙ וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים וּבְכׇל־עֲבֹדָ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה אֵ֚ת כׇּל־עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־עָבְד֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃
the various labors that they made them perform. Ruthlessly-c they made life bitter for them with harsh labor at mortar and bricks and with all sorts of tasks in the field.
(טו) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה׃
(15) The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,
Most mepharshim say that:
Shifra --> Yocheved
Puah --> Miriam
Shifra --> Yocheved
Puah --> Miriam
שפרה. יוֹכֶבֶד, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁמְּשַׁפֶּרֶת אֶת הַוָּלָד (שם):
שפרה SHIPHRAH — This was Jochebed; she bore this additional name because she used to put the babe after its birth into good physical condition (משפרת) by the care she bestowed upon it (Sotah 11b).
Q) Who is Shifra? Why was she called this name?
A) Yocheved; b/c she beautified the baby and improved it's state
A) Yocheved; b/c she beautified the baby and improved it's state
פועה. זוֹ מִרְיָם, שֶׁפּוֹעָה וּמְדַבֶּרֶת וְהוֹגָה לַוָּלָד (שם), כְּדֶרֶךְ הַנָּשִׁים הַמְפַיְּסוֹת תִּינוֹק הַבּוֹכֶה.
פועה PUAH — This was Miriam, and she bore this additional name because she used to Call aloud and speak and croon to the babe just as women do who soothe a child when it is crying (Sotah 11b).
Q) Who is Puah? Why was she called this name?
A) Miriam, because she 'pooed'/soothed the baby and called it down
A) Miriam, because she 'pooed'/soothed the baby and called it down
Q) Why does the passim say מלך מצרים and not Paroh?
A) Paroh îs trying to scare/intimidate the midwives and manipulate them into doing what he wants them to do, and the name "King of Mitzarayim" sounds a lot scarier the Paroah
A) Paroh îs trying to scare/intimidate the midwives and manipulate them into doing what he wants them to do, and the name "King of Mitzarayim" sounds a lot scarier the Paroah
According to Abarbenel and Klei Yakar:
maybe the midwives were non-jewish and they were just midwives for the jews, since how could a jew possibly kill another jew?
maybe the midwives were non-jewish and they were just midwives for the jews, since how could a jew possibly kill another jew?
למילדות. רב ושמואל ח"א אשה ובתה יוכבד ומרים וח"א כלה וחמותה. יוכבד ואלישבע: ד"א למילדת חסר וי"ו למד שלא היתה כי אם מילדת אחת והיינו יוכבד אבל מרים נערה היתה ולא היתה מילדת אלא פועה לילד ולכך אמרו חז"ל פועה זו מרים מהרב משה כהן. ד"א שפועה לילד בבטן וקוראה לו צא והוא יוצא:
למילדת “to the midwife;” there is a disagreement in the Talmud regarding the identity of these two women. According to one opinion they were Yocheved and her daughter Miriam. According to the second opinion, they were mother-in- law Yocheved, and her daughter-in-law. Elisheva, wife of Aaron. (Talmud Sotah, folio 11) An alternate interpretation: this interpretation takes its cue from the fact that the Torah spelled the word מילדת in the singular mode instead of with the letter ו, seeing that there were two women. According to the spelling there was only a single midwife, Yocheved. Miriam was a teenager not capable yet of acting as a midwife, rather she acted as a bleater, to help the infant cry while still inside its mother’s womb encouraging it to emerge from the womb as fast as possible.
Q) who are the למילדות?
why is it written without a vav?
A) Rav: a mother and daughter (yocheved and Miriam)
Shmuel: a mother in law and daughter in law (yocheved and elisheva)
**another opinion: there was one vav since there were only one midwife who was yocheved. Miriam was too young to be a midwife. she was just there with her mother and soothed the baby.
why is it written without a vav?
A) Rav: a mother and daughter (yocheved and Miriam)
Shmuel: a mother in law and daughter in law (yocheved and elisheva)
**another opinion: there was one vav since there were only one midwife who was yocheved. Miriam was too young to be a midwife. she was just there with her mother and soothed the baby.
Aznyim La'Torah
Q) why even mention Puah if she isn't important enough to include a vav?
A) the prevention of crying saved the babies from death. if the mitzryim would hear the babies cry then they would take the babies and throw them in the river. but since puah would sooth the babies and stopped them from crying the birthing of the babies went unnoticed and were saved
Q) why even mention Puah if she isn't important enough to include a vav?
A) the prevention of crying saved the babies from death. if the mitzryim would hear the babies cry then they would take the babies and throw them in the river. but since puah would sooth the babies and stopped them from crying the birthing of the babies went unnoticed and were saved
ויאמר מלך מצרים למילדות. שרות היו על כל המילדות כי אין ספק כי יותר מחמש מאות מילדות היו אלא אלו שתיהן שרות היו עליהן לתת מס למלך מהשכר וככה ראיתי היום במקומות רבות. והאם והבת היו בדרך קבלה כי נכון הוא:
AND THE KING OF EGYPT SPOKE TO THE HEBREW MIDWIVES. These midwives were in charge of all the other midwives. For there can be no doubt that there were more than five hundred midwives. These two midwives were in charge of all the other midwives and saw to it that they gave a tax to the king from the money they collected for their services. I have seen such a practice in many places. The opinion that the two midwives were mother and daughter was handed down by tradition, for it is correct.
Q) how can there only be two midwives for so many people?
A) they were the officers on all the midwives, b/c there is no doubt that there were 500 midwives, but rather these 2 were officers , to give tax to the king, from their salaries, and like this, I saw today in many places, but the mother and daughter (Yocheved and Miriam) are in the way of mesorah, b/c its correct.
**Even Ezrah is almost always a pshat
A) they were the officers on all the midwives, b/c there is no doubt that there were 500 midwives, but rather these 2 were officers , to give tax to the king, from their salaries, and like this, I saw today in many places, but the mother and daughter (Yocheved and Miriam) are in the way of mesorah, b/c its correct.
**Even Ezrah is almost always a pshat
למילדות העבריות לאותן שהיו בעיר מצרים, כי אמנם בעם כל כך רב לא היו שתי מילדות בלבד. אבל אחר שבגדו במלך מילדות מצרים, אחר שדבר להן המלך בעצמו, לא שם לבו לבטוח במילדות שאר מקומות:
למילדות העבריות, to the midwives resident in the capital. It was obviously impossible for such a large number of people residing in so many different parts of Egypt, to all be serviced by only two midwives. However, after the midwives in the capital, though Egyptian, betrayed the instructions by their king and explained to their king why they had done so, the king did not bother to rely on midwives anywhere else either, and the scheme was abandoned.
explanation: Pariah did a trial run on midwives in the city, and he wanted to see how it would work. These midwives betrayed him so Paroah stopped because it didn't work
Q) How can there only be two midvies?
A) disagrees with even ezrah; says that there were more midwives but they betrayed Paroah
Q) How can there only be two midvies?
A) disagrees with even ezrah; says that there were more midwives but they betrayed Paroah
Abarbenel:
***translation in notes - answers here
Q) How were there only two midwives?
A) Paroh hâd two groups of midwives and he spoke to all of them (shifra and Puah)
***translation in notes - answers here
Q) How were there only two midwives?
A) Paroh hâd two groups of midwives and he spoke to all of them (shifra and Puah)
Anayım La'Torah
Q) why does it say ויאמר twice if it didn't say anything in the first passuk?
A) There are many mephrashim that ask this question but in my opinion there is no question at all. the first time is kissing up to them (midwives). the second time is Paroah telling yer, to kill the babies.
maybe it wasn't only words with love, but also actions with love. Paroah gave them both new names so that thud feel great/important Paroah changed their names to flatter them and spoke to them in a kissing up way - first pasuk
Paroah told the midwives to kill the babies - second Pasuk
second answer to why their names were changed:
Paroah did this to increase their favor in the eyes of BN"Y and sp that BN"Y won't suspect that they would kill their babies
Q) why does it say ויאמר twice if it didn't say anything in the first passuk?
A) There are many mephrashim that ask this question but in my opinion there is no question at all. the first time is kissing up to them (midwives). the second time is Paroah telling yer, to kill the babies.
maybe it wasn't only words with love, but also actions with love. Paroah gave them both new names so that thud feel great/important Paroah changed their names to flatter them and spoke to them in a kissing up way - first pasuk
Paroah told the midwives to kill the babies - second Pasuk
second answer to why their names were changed:
Paroah did this to increase their favor in the eyes of BN"Y and sp that BN"Y won't suspect that they would kill their babies
(טז) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן֙ אֶת־הָֽעִבְרִיּ֔וֹת וּרְאִיתֶ֖ן עַל־הָאׇבְנָ֑יִם אִם־בֵּ֥ן הוּא֙ וַהֲמִתֶּ֣ן אֹת֔וֹ וְאִם־בַּ֥ת הִ֖וא וָחָֽיָה׃
(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.”
והנה עצה חכמה יעץ פרעה בדבר זה לבל יוכלו עלות מהארץ, והוא כי באמצעות שיהרגו כל זכר ויתרבו הנשים והן האשה טב למיתב טן דו ויתחברו נשי ישראל עם המצריים ויתחתנו בהם ומעתה אין מציאות לעלות מן הארץ כשיהיו לעם אחד. גם יפגימו הנפשות הקדושות בערבוב הנפשות הטמאות ויהיו שם עד עולם ב''מ. ותמצא שאמרו רז''ל (ויק''ר פ. ל''ב) שלא נגאלו ישראל עד שהיו בהם ד' דברים וא' מהם ששמרו עצמם מן העריות, ועל זה מפורש בקבלה (שה''ש ד') גן נעול וגו', ואם היו מתחתנים עם המצריים לא היתה בר מינן תקומה לשונאיהם:
Pharaoh displayed a double portion of shrewdness since it was also his objective to prevent the Jews from emigrating. As the proportion of females would increase they would be forced to look for Egyptian husbands due to the dearth of eligible Jewish males. Once the two peoples began to merge through intermarriage there was no longer any fear that they would try to emigrate. Moreover, from a mystical point of view, intermarriage results in holy souls becoming so intertwined with souls of impure origin that any eventual separation would become well nigh impossible. After all, our sages are on record in Vayikra Rabbah 32,5 that the Jewish people could not be redeemed from Egypt until 4 conditions existed, one of which was careful abstention from all kinds of incest and sexual licentiousness. Kabbalists interpret the words גן נעול in Song of Songs 4,12 as "chaste as a garden locked," i.e. that if the Jews had intermarried in Egypt they would never have been redeemed.
Q) why does it say you have to see it on the birthing stones, why couldn't it just say to kill the boys?
Q) paroh told them that if it faces down its a boy, and if it faces up its a girl; why do we need to know this ?
A) before the baby ever comes out they have to see if its facing down; boy must choke the baby before it come out, if facing up girl let it live
Q) why does it say and you should kill but there is no action first?
A) the first thing poi have to do is see if its a boy or girl, second thing is kill if its a boy
Q) Why didn't he decree on the girls (all the jews)?
Q) why does it have to say don't kill the girls, "if it says kill the boys" isn't it obvious not to kill the girls?
A) b/c then this way they won't suspect the midwives are killing the boys the midwives aren't going to say that "your baby boy was born dead" they'll just say your baby
Q) paroh told them that if it faces down its a boy, and if it faces up its a girl; why do we need to know this ?
A) before the baby ever comes out they have to see if its facing down; boy must choke the baby before it come out, if facing up girl let it live
Q) why does it say and you should kill but there is no action first?
A) the first thing poi have to do is see if its a boy or girl, second thing is kill if its a boy
Q) Why didn't he decree on the girls (all the jews)?
Q) why does it have to say don't kill the girls, "if it says kill the boys" isn't it obvious not to kill the girls?
A) b/c then this way they won't suspect the midwives are killing the boys the midwives aren't going to say that "your baby boy was born dead" they'll just say your baby
Rav Solevachick:
Q) Why did Paroh give the task to kill jewish baby boys to jewish midwives?
A) Paroah did not want the mitzryim to have sympathy on BN"Y because they were killing their own people
Q) Why did Paroh give the task to kill jewish baby boys to jewish midwives?
A) Paroah did not want the mitzryim to have sympathy on BN"Y because they were killing their own people
וַתִּירֶ֤אןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְלֹ֣א עָשׂ֔וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ן מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים׃
The midwives, fearing God, did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.
ותחיין את הילדים. מְסַפְּקוֹת לָהֶם מַיִם וּמָזוֹן. תַּרְגּוּם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְקַיָּמָא, וְהַשֵּׁנִי וְקַיֵּמְתֻּן, לְפִי שֶׁלְּשׁוֹן עָבָר לִנְקֵבוֹת רַבּוֹת תֵּבָה זוֹ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהּ מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת לְשׁוֹן פָּעֲלוּ וּלְשׁוֹן פְּעַלְתֶּם, כְּגוֹן "וַתֹּאמַרְןָ אִישׁ מִצְרִי" (שמות ב'), (לְשׁוֹן עָבָר) כְּמוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ לִזְכָרִים, "וַתְּדַבֵּרְנָה בְּפִיכֶם" (ירמיהו מ"ד), לְשׁוֹן דִּבַּרְתֶּן, כְּמוֹ וַתְּדַבְּרוּ לִזְכָרִים, וְכֵן "וַתְּחַלְּלֶנָה אֹתִי אֶל עַמִּי" (יחזקאל י"ג), לְשׁוֹן עָבָר חִלַּלְתֶּן, כְּמוֹ וַתְּחַלְּלוּ לִזְכָרִים:
ותחיין את הילדים This may mean THEY MAINTAINED THE CHILDREN IN LIFE — they provided them with food (Sotah 11b). The Targum renders ותחיין the first time it occurs (i. e. in this verse) by וקימא (which means, “and they — the women — preserved the babes”). and the second time (Exodus 1:18) by וקימתן (which means, “and ye women have preserved etc.”) The Targum is able to distinguish between the two meanings of this word, but this cannot be done in Hebrew because in the Hebrew language in the case of fem. plur. this word and similar forms (ending in נָה or ןָ) are used in the sense of “they did something” (3rd person) and in the sense of “ye did something” (2nd person). For example: (Exodus 2:19) “And they (the daughters of Jethro) said, (וַתֹּאמַרְןָ) “An Egyptian man etc.”, which is the past tense (the Rashi text must read here לשון עָבַר) (imperf. with Vau conv.), just as one would use וַיֹאמְרוּ if one were speaking of men; (Jeremiah 54:25) “Ye women have spoken (ותדברנה) with your mouths”, having the same meaning as דברתן, and corresponding to ותדברו when used of men; (Ezekiel 13:19) “And ye (women) have profaned Me (ותחללנה) among My people” which is a past tense, the same as חללתן corresponding to ותחללו when used of men.
Q) the words ותחיין את הילדים seem extra, why?
A) put emphasis that they purposely let the boys live
A) put emphasis that they purposely let the boys live
וַיִּקְרָ֤א מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ן מַדּ֥וּעַ עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ן הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים׃
So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, letting the boys live?”
וַתֹּאמַ֤רְןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה כִּ֣י לֹ֧א כַנָּשִׁ֛ים הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת כִּֽי־חָי֣וֹת הֵ֔נָּה בְּטֶ֨רֶם תָּב֧וֹא אֲלֵהֶ֛ן הַמְיַלֶּ֖דֶת וְיָלָֽדוּ׃
The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women: they are vigorous. Before the midwife can come to them, they have given birth.”
כי חיות הנה. בְּקִיאוֹת כַּמְיַלְּדוֹת, תַּרְגּוּם מְיַלְּדוֹת חַיָּתָא. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ הֲרֵי הֵן מְשׁוּלוֹת כְּחַיּוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה (סוטה י"א), שֶׁאֵינָן צְרִיכוֹת מְיַלְּדוֹת. וְהֵיכָן מְשׁוּלוֹת לְחַיּוֹת? גּוּר אַרְיֵה, זְאֵב יִטְרָף (בראשית מ"ט), בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ (דברים ל"ג), אַיָּלָה שְׁלֻחָה (בראשית מ"ט), וּמִי שֶׁלֹּא נִכְתַּב בּוֹ, הֲרֵי הַכָּתוּב כְּלָלָן וַיְבָרֶךְ אוֹתָם (שם), וְעוֹד כְּתִיב מָה אִמְּךָ לְבִיָּא (יחזקאל י"ט):
כי חיות הנה signifies they are just as skilful as midwives. The Aramaic for מילדות, midwives, is חיתא (hence the term חיות in this verse). Our Rabbis, however, (taking this word in the sense of animals) gave the following explanation (Sotah 11b): they have been compared to the beasts of the field which do not require the help of midwives. And where are they compared to animals? (Genesis 49:9) “Judah is a young lion”; (Genesis 27) “Benjamin is a wolf that leareth”; (Deuteronomy 33:17) “Joseph is the firstling of his ox”; (Genesis 49:21) “Naphtali is a hind sent forth”. As for the ancestors of those tribes about whom such a comparison is not expressly written Scripture implicitly includes them in the several blessings bestowed upon their brothers, (and thus they also are compared, as their brothers, to animals), for Scripture states, (Genesis 49:28) “And he blessed them etc.” (cf. Rashi on these words). Then, again, it is written, (Ezekiel 19:2) “How was thy mother a lioness!” (The prophet is addressing the princes of Israel as the representatives of the people, and by the term “thy mother” means the progenitors of the nation; the chapter proceeds to speak of the mother’s offspring as “whelps”).
Q) Why is BN"Y compared to animals?
A) Pshat) we are like animals b/c we don't need a midwife to give birth
Drahs) throughput birkat Yakov BN"Y are compared to animals
A) Pshat) we are like animals b/c we don't need a midwife to give birth
Drahs) throughput birkat Yakov BN"Y are compared to animals
וַיֵּ֥יטֶב אֱלֹהִ֖ים לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת וַיִּ֧רֶב הָעָ֛ם וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ מְאֹֽד׃
And God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and increased greatly.
וַיְהִ֕י כִּֽי־יָרְא֥וּ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם בָּתִּֽים׃
And because the midwives feared God, He established households for them.
Q) How did Hashem do good to the midwives?
A) pshat) they multiplied and became strong
Drash) Hashem made them houses
Rashi:
Q) What type of house?
A) כהוני ולוויה --> yocheved
kingship --> miriam
Rashbam:
Q) What type of house?
A) pshat) paroh built these houses to guard them, so that they don't go to women giving birth so that they cannot kill their babies, jail houses
A) pshat) they multiplied and became strong
Drash) Hashem made them houses
Rashi:
Q) What type of house?
A) כהוני ולוויה --> yocheved
kingship --> miriam
Rashbam:
Q) What type of house?
A) pshat) paroh built these houses to guard them, so that they don't go to women giving birth so that they cannot kill their babies, jail houses
(כב) וַיְצַ֣ו פַּרְעֹ֔ה לְכׇל־עַמּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹ֑ר כׇּל־הַבֵּ֣ן הַיִּלּ֗וֹד הַיְאֹ֙רָה֙ תַּשְׁלִיכֻ֔הוּ וְכׇל־הַבַּ֖ת תְּחַיּֽוּן׃ {פ}
(22) Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, “Every boy that is born you shall throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”
לכל עמו. אַף עֲלֵיהֶם גָּזַר (סוטה י"ב), יוֹם שֶׁנּוֹלַד מֹשֶׁה אָמְרוּ לוֹ אִצְטַגְנִינָיו, הַיּוֹם נוֹלָד מוֹשִׁיעָן, וְאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים אִם מִמִּצְרַיִם אִם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וְרוֹאִין אָנוּ שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לִלְקוֹת בַּמַּיִם, לְפִיכָךְ גָּזַר אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם אַף עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד, וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר הַיִּלּוֹד לָעִבְרִים; וְהֵם לֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לִלְקוֹת עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה:
לכל עמו This may be translated AND PHARAOH GAVE COMMAND REGARDING ALL (לכל) HIS PEOPLE — Regarding them, too, he made a decree (Sotah 12a). For on the day when Moses was born his astrologers said to him, “To-day their deliverer has been born, but we know not whether he is born of an Egyptian father or of an Israelite; but we see by our astrological art that he will ultimately suffer misfortune through water”. Pharaoh therefore made a decree that day regarding the Egyptians also, as it is said here, “Every son that is born [ye shall cast into the river]”, and it is not stated “[every son] who is born to the Hebrews”. They (the astrologers), however, were not aware that Moses was ultimately to suffer misfortune through the waters of Meribah and not through the waters of the Nile (Exodus Rabbah 1:18; Sotah 12a; cf. also Rashi on Numbers 20:13).
Q) Why the whole nation?
A) even on his nation he decreed, on the day that Moshe was born, his astrologers told him, today the savior was born and we dont know weather he is Egyptian or jewish and we that his end will be that he will be punished by water, therefore he decreed even on the mitzryim, as it says, every boys whose born and dosent say just from the jews
A) even on his nation he decreed, on the day that Moshe was born, his astrologers told him, today the savior was born and we dont know weather he is Egyptian or jewish and we that his end will be that he will be punished by water, therefore he decreed even on the mitzryim, as it says, every boys whose born and dosent say just from the jews