The Israelite Women
וַיַּ֗עַשׂ אֵ֚ת הַכִּיּ֣וֹר נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וְאֵ֖ת כַּנּ֣וֹ נְחֹ֑שֶׁת בְּמַרְאֹת֙ הַצֹּ֣בְאֹ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר צָֽבְא֔וּ פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ {ס}
He made the laver of copper and its stand of copper, from the mirrors of the women who performed tasks at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
במראת הצבאת. בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ בְיָדָן מַרְאוֹת שֶׁרוֹאוֹת בָּהֶן כְּשֶׁהֵן מִתְקַשְּׁטוֹת, וְאַף אוֹתָן לֹא עִכְּבוּ מִלְּהָבִיא לְנִדְבַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וְהָיָה מוֹאֵס מֹשֶׁה בָּהֶן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעֲשׂוּיִם לְיֵצֶר הָרָע, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה קַבֵּל, כִּי אֵלּוּ חֲבִיבִין עָלַי מִן הַכֹּל, שֶׁעַל יְדֵיהֶם הֶעֱמִידוּ הַנָּשִׁים צְבָאוֹת רַבּוֹת בְּמִצְרַיִם; כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בַעְלֵיהֶם יְגֵעִים בַּעֲבוֹדַת פֶּרֶךְ, הָיוּ הוֹלְכוֹת וּמוֹלִיכוֹת לָהֶם מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה, וּמַאֲכִילוֹת אוֹתָם וְנוֹטְלוֹת הַמַּרְאוֹת, וְכָל אַחַת רוֹאָה עַצְמָהּ עִם בַּעְלָהּ בַּמַּרְאָה, וּמְשַׁדַּלְתּוֹ בִדְבָרִים, לוֹמַר אֲנִי נָאָה מִמְּךָ, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ מְבִיאוֹת לְבַעְלֵיהֶן לִידֵי תַאֲוָה וְנִזְקָקוֹת לָהֶם וּמִתְעַבְּרוֹת וְיוֹלְדוֹת שָׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר תַּחַת הַתַּפּוּחַ עוֹרַרְתִּיךָ (שיר השירים ח'), וְזֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּמַרְאֹת הַצּוֹבְאוֹת. וְנַעֲשָׂה הַכִּיּוֹר מֵהֶם, שֶׁהוּא לָשׂוּם שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ – לְהַשְׁקוֹת מִמַּיִם שֶׁבְּתוֹכוֹ לְמִי שֶׁקִּנֵּא לָהּ בַּעְלָהּ וְנִסְתְּרָה; וְתֵדַע לְךָ שֶׁהֵן מַרְאוֹת מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר וּנְחֹשֶׁת הַתְּנוּפָה שִׁבְעִים כִּכָּר וְגוֹ', וַיַּעַשׂ בָּהּ וְגוֹמֵר, וְכִיּוֹר וְכַנּוֹ לֹא הֻזְכְּרוּ שָׁם, לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה נְחֹשֶׁת שֶׁל כִּיּוֹר מִנְּחֹשֶׁת הַתְּנוּפָה, כָּךְ דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא, וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס בְּמֶחְזְיָת נְשַׁיָא וְהוּא תַרְגּוּם שֶׁל מַרְאוֹת, מירוריי"ש בְּלַעַז. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ וְהַגִּלְיוֹנִים (ישעיה ג') – מְתַרְגְּמִינָן מֶחְזְיָתָא:
במראת הצבאת OF THE MIRRORS OF THE WOMEN CROWDING — The Israelitish women possessed mirrors of copper into which they used to look when they adorned themselves. Even these did they not hesitate to bring as a contribution towards the Tabernacle. Now Moses was about to reject them since they were made to pander to their vanity, but the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Accept them; these are dearer to Me than all the other contributions, because through them the women reared those huge hosts in Egypt!” For when their husbands were tired through the crushing labour they used to bring them food and drink and induced them to eat. Then they would take the mirrors, and each gazed at herself in her mirror together with her husband, saying endearingly to him, “See, I am handsomer than you!” Thus they awakened their husbands’ affection and subsequently became the mothers of many children, at it is said, (Song 8:5) “I awakened thy love under the apple-tree”, (referring to the fields where the men worked).
This is what it refers to when it states, מראות הצבאת “the mirrors of the women who reared the hosts (צבאות)” (Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 9). And it was for this reason that the laver was made of them (the mirrors) — because it served the purpose of promoting peace between man and wife viz., by giving of its waters to be drunk by a woman whose husband had shown himself jealous of her and who nevertheless had associated with another (cf. Numbers ch. V) thus affording her an opportunity to prove her innocence (cf. Sotah 15b). You may know that the מראות mentioned in the text were text really means mirrors (and that the word does not mean visions, or appearance, etc.), for it is said, (v. 29) “And the copper of the wave-offering was seventy talents etc. … and therewith he made [the sockets etc.]” — the laver, however, and its base are not mentioned there amongst the articles made from that copper; hence you may learn that the copper of which the laver was made was not a part of the copper of the weave-offering, which is the only copper mentioned as having been contributed by the people. Thus did R. Tanchuma 2:11:9 explain the term מראת הצבאת mar'at ha-tzva-ot (mirrors of hosts) . And so does Onkelos also render it: במחזית נשיא (women's mirrors), and this first word is the Targum translation of מראות, in the sense of mireors in old French, for we find that for the word מחזיתא (Isaiah 3:23) “And the גליונים”, which are mirrors, we have in the Targum the same word .
The Midwives
(טו) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה׃ (טז) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן֙ אֶת־הָֽעִבְרִיּ֔וֹת וּרְאִיתֶ֖ן עַל־הָאׇבְנָ֑יִם אִם־בֵּ֥ן הוּא֙ וַהֲמִתֶּ֣ן אֹת֔וֹ וְאִם־בַּ֥ת הִ֖וא וָחָֽיָה׃ (יז) וַתִּירֶ֤אןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְלֹ֣א עָשׂ֔וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ן מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים׃ (יח) וַיִּקְרָ֤א מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ן מַדּ֥וּעַ עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ן הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים׃ (יט) וַתֹּאמַ֤רְןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה כִּ֣י לֹ֧א כַנָּשִׁ֛ים הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת כִּֽי־חָי֣וֹת הֵ֔נָּה בְּטֶ֨רֶם תָּב֧וֹא אֲלֵהֶ֛ן הַמְיַלֶּ֖דֶת וְיָלָֽדוּ׃ (כ) וַיֵּ֥יטֶב אֱלֹהִ֖ים לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת וַיִּ֧רֶב הָעָ֛ם וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ מְאֹֽד׃ (כא) וַיְהִ֕י כִּֽי־יָרְא֥וּ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם בָּתִּֽים׃
(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:birthstool More precisely, the brick or stone supports used by Egyptian women during childbirth. if it is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.” (17) The midwives, fearing God, did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live. (18) So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, letting the boys live?” (19) 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.” (20) And God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and increased greatly. (21) And [God] established households for the midwives, because they feared God.
Yocheved and Miriam
ויאמר מלך מצרים למילדות וגו'. מה היו המילדות? . . . רבי שמואל בר נחמן אמר: אשה ובתה, יוכבד ומרים... אשר שם האחת שפרה, שהיתה משפרת את התינוק, כשהוא יוצא מלא דם... פועה, שהיתה מפיעה את התינוק, כשהיו אומרים מת... דבר אחר: פועה, שהופיעה פנים כנגד פרעה, וזקפה חטמה בו. ואמרה לו: אוי לו לאותו האיש, כשיבוא האלהים לפרע ממנו, נתמלא עליה חמה להרגה. שפרה, שהיתה משפרת על דברי בתה, ומפיסת עליה. אמרה לו: אתה משגיח עליה תינוקת היא, ואינה יודעת כלום...
פועה, שהופיעה פנים כנגד אביה, שהיה עמרם ראש סנהדרין באותה שעה, כיון שגזר פרעה, ואמר (שמות שם, כב): כל הבן הילוד. אמר עמרם: ולריק ישראל מולידים?! מיד הוציא את יוכבד ופרש עצמו מתשמיש המטה, וגרש את אשתו כשהיא מעוברת משלשה חודשים. עמדו כל ישראל וגרשו את נשותיהן. אמרה לו בתו: גזרתך קשה משל פרעה, שפרעה לא גזר אלא על הזכרים, ואתה על הזכרים ונקבות! פרעה רשע הוא, וגזרתו ספק מתקימת ספק אינה מתקימת, אבל אתה צדיק, וגזרתך מתקימת! עמד הוא והחזיר את אשתו, עמדו כל ישראל והחזירו את נשותיהם. הוי, פועה, שהופיעה פנים כנגד אביה:
"And the king of Egypt said to the midwives . . ." (Ex. 1:13) [The rabbis ask,] Who are the midwives? . . . Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman says a woman and her daughter, [that is] Yocheved and Miriam.
[The Midrash asks, Why does the Torah call them "Shifra and Puah" if they were really Yocheved and Miriam?] [Yocheved] was [called] Shifra because she beautified (mishaperet) the baby when it would come out full of blood. . . . [The Torah calls Miriam] Puah: because she would cause the newborn to cry out when it was thought to be stillborn.
. . . She [Miriam] was called Puah because she rebuked (hofi’ah panim) her father. Amram was head of the Sanhedrin when Pharaoh ordered the Israelite boys to be cast into the Nile, and Amram said: “Shall an Israelite lie with his wife in vain?” He immediately separated from Yocheved, stopped having intimate relations with her, and divorced her, when she was three months pregnant.
[When the Israelites saw this action by Amram, the head of the Sanhedrin,] all Israelite men stood up and divorced their wives.
His daughter [Miriam/Puah] said to him, “Father, your decree is harsher than that of Pharaoh! He only decreed against the males, but you have decreed against both the males and the females. Pharaoh is an evil man, and it is doubtful whether his decrees will come to pass; but you are righteous, and so your decree will be fulfilled!”
He stood up and returned to his wife, and [following his lead] all the other Israelite men returned to their wives. Miriam was accordingly given the name of Puah, since she rebuked (hofi’ah panim) her father.
Pharaoh's Daughter
וַתֵּרֶד בַּת פַּרְעֹה לִרְחוֹץ עַל הַיְאֹר אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי מְלַמֵּד שֶׁיָּרְדָה לִרְחוֹץ מִגִּלּוּלֵי [בֵּית] אָבִיהָ וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר אִם רָחַץ יהוה אֵת צוֹאַת בְּנוֹת צִיּוֹן וְגוֹ׳ וְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ הוֹלְכוֹת וְגוֹ׳ אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֵין הֲלִיכָה זוֹ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן מִיתָה וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת וַתֵּרֶא אֶת הַתֵּיבָה בְּתוֹךְ הַסּוּף כֵּיוָן דַּחֲזוֹ דְּקָא בָעוּ לְאַצּוֹלֵי לְמֹשֶׁה אָמְרוּ לָהּ גְּבִירְתֵּנוּ מִנְהָגוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם גּוֹזֵר גְּזֵירָה אִם כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ אֵין מְקַיְּימִין אוֹתָהּ בָּנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵיתוֹ מְקַיְּימִין אוֹתָהּ וְאַתְּ עוֹבֶרֶת עַל גְּזֵירַת אָבִיךְ בָּא גַּבְרִיאֵל וַחֲבָטָן בַּקַּרְקַע וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת אֲמָתָהּ וַתִּקָּחֶהָ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה חַד אָמַר יָדָהּ וְחַד אָמַר שִׁפְחָתָהּ מַאן דְּאָמַר יָדָהּ דִּכְתִיב אַמָּתָהּ וּמַאן דְּאָמַר שִׁפְחָתָהּ מִדְּלָא כְּתִיב יָדָהּ וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר שִׁפְחָתָהּ הָא אָמְרַתְּ בָּא גַּבְרִיאֵל וַחֲבָטָן בַּקַּרְקַע דְּשַׁיַּיר לַהּ חֲדָא דְּלָאו אוֹרְחַהּ דְּבַת מַלְכָּא לְמֵיקַם לְחוֹדַהּ וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר יָדָהּ לִיכְתּוֹב יָדָהּ הָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן דְּאִישְׁתַּרְבַּב אִישְׁתַּרְבּוֹבֵי דְּאָמַר מָר וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּאַמָּתָהּ שֶׁל בַּת פַּרְעֹה וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּשִׁינֵּי רְשָׁעִים דִּכְתִיב שִׁנֵּי רְשָׁעִים שִׁבַּרְתָּ וְאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אַל תִּיקְרֵי שִׁבַּרְתָּ אֶלָּא שֶׁרִיבַּבְתָּה וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד וַתֵּרֶא מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא שֶׁרָאֲתָה שְׁכִינָה עִמּוֹ וְהִנֵּה נַעַר בֹּכֶה קָרֵי לֵיהּ יֶלֶד וְקָרֵי לֵיהּ נַעַר תָּנָא הוּא יֶלֶד וְקוֹלוֹ כְּנַעַר דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אִם כֵּן עֲשִׂיתוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ בַּעַל מוּם אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁעָשְׂתָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ חוּפַּת נְעוּרִים בַּתֵּיבָה אָמְרָה שֶׁמָּא לֹא אֶזְכֶּה לְחוּפָּתוֹ וַתַּחְמֹל עָלָיו וַתֹּאמֶר מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים זֶה מְנָא יָדְעָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא שֶׁרָאֲתָה אוֹתוֹ מָהוּל זֶה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּתְנַבְּאָה שֶׁלֹּא מִדַּעְתָּהּ זֶה נוֹפֵל וְאֵין אַחֵר נוֹפֵל וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מַאי דִּכְתִיב וְכִי יֹאמְרוּ אֲלֵיכֶם דִּרְשׁוּ אֶל הָאֹבוֹת וְאֶל הַיִּדְּעֹנִים הַמְצַפְצְפִים וְהַמַּהְגִּים צוֹפִין וְאֵינָם יוֹדְעִין מָה צוֹפִין מְהַגִּים וְאֵינָן יוֹדְעִים מָה מְהַגִּים רָאוּ שֶׁמּוֹשִׁיעָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמַּיִם הוּא לוֹקֶה עָמְדוּ וְגָזְרוּ כׇּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ כֵּיוָן דְּשַׁדְיוּהּ לְמֹשֶׁה אָמְרוּ תּוּ לָא חָזֵינַן כִּי הָהוּא סִימָנָא בַּטִּלוּ לִגְזֵירְתַּיְיהוּ וְהֵם אֵינָן יוֹדְעִין שֶׁעַל מֵי מְרִיבָה הוּא לוֹקֶה
The verse states: “And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe [lirḥotz] in the river” (Exodus 2:5). Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: This teaches that she came down to the river to cleanse herself from the impurity of her father’s idols, as she was immersing herself as part of the conversion process. And similarly it states: “When the Lord shall have washed [raḥatz] away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of destruction” (Isaiah 4:4). This washing clearly refers to the purging of spiritual sins, rather than bathing for the sake of cleanliness.
The verse continues: “And her maidens walked along [holekhot] by the riverside” (Exodus 2:5). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This walking is nothing other than the terminology of going toward death, and similarly it states: “Behold, I am going [holekh] to die” (Genesis 25:32). The verse continues: “And she saw the ark among the willows” (Exodus 2:5). Once her maidens saw that the daughter of Pharaoh was intending to save Moses, they said to her: Our mistress, the custom of the world is that when a king of flesh and blood decrees a decree, even if all the world does not fulfill it, at least his children and members of his household fulfill it, and yet you are violating the decree of your father. After the maidens tried to convince her not to save Moses, the angel Gabriel came and beat them to the ground and they died.
The verse concludes: “And she sent amatah to take it” (Exodus 2:5). Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya disagree as to the definition of the word “amatah.” One says that it means her arm, and one says that it means her maidservant. The Gemara explains: The one who says that it means her arm explained it in this manner, as it is written “amatah,” which denotes her forearm. And the one who says that it means her maidservant explained it in this manner because it does not explicitly write the more common term: Her hand [yadah]. Therefore, he understands that this is the alternative term for a maidservant, ama.
The Gemara asks: And according to the one who says that it means her maidservant, didn’t you say earlier: Gabriel came and beat them to the ground and the maidservants died, so how could Pharaoh’s daughter send her? The Gemara answers: It must be that Gabriel left her one maidservant, as it is not proper that a princess should stand alone. The Gemara asks: And according to the one who says that it means her hand, let the Torah write explicitly: Her hand [yadah]. Why use the more unusual term amatah? The Gemara answers: This verse teaches us that her arm extended [ishtarbav] many cubits. As the Master said in another context: And similarly you find with regard to the hand of Pharaoh’s daughter that it extended, and similarly you find with regard to the teeth of evildoers, as it is written: “You have broken [shibbarta] the teeth of the wicked” (Psalms 3:8), and Reish Lakish said: Do not read the word as shibbarta, rather read it as sheribbavta, you have extended. The next verse states: “And she opened it and saw it [vatirehu], even the child” (Exodus 2:6).
The Gemara comments: The verse states: “And she saw it”; it should have stated: And she saw. Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: In addition to Moses, she saw the Divine Presence with him. This is indicated by the usage of “saw it.”
The verse states: “And saw it, even the child [yeled]; and behold a lad [na’ar] that wept” (Exodus 2:6). The verse calls him “a child [yeled],” and the same verse calls him “a lad [na’ar].” A Sage teaches: He is the age of a child but his voice is as loud and deep as a lad; this is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Neḥemya said to him: If that is so, you made Moses our teacher blemished, since his voice was unusually deep. Rather, this teaches that his mother made a canopy of youth, i.e., a small canopy, for him in the ark, as she said: Perhaps I will not merit to see his wedding canopy. The verse concludes: “And she had compassion on him, and said: This [zeh] is one of the Hebrews’ children” (Exodus 2:6).
The Gemara asks: From where did she know that he was a Hebrew child? Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: As she saw that he was circumcised.
The Gemara comments: The Pharaoh’s daughter said: “This [zeh] is one of the Hebrews’ children” (Exodus 2:6). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This teaches that she prophesied unknowingly, as the intention of the word “zeh” was: This one falls, i.e., is cast, into the water, but no other will fall by means of water, for on that day Pharaoh’s decree was canceled. The Gemara explains: And this is what Rabbi Elazar said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And when they shall say to you: Seek unto the necromancers and the diviners, that chirp [metzaftzefim] and that mutter [mahggim]” (Isaiah 8:19)? The explanation of their chirping and muttering is: They see [tzofin], but they do not know what they are seeing; they enunciate [mahggim], but they do not know what they are enunciating. Although necromancers and diviners do have some insight into the future, they do not see clearly enough to understand what they are actually seeing.
The Gemara applies this to Pharaoh: Pharaoh’s astrologers saw that the savior of the Jewish people would be stricken by water. Therefore, they arose and decreed: “Every son that is born you shall cast into the river” (Exodus 1:22); they thought that their vision indicated that Moses would be killed in the water. Once Jochebed cast Moses into the water, although he was protected in an ark, the astrologers said: We no longer see in the stars anything like that sign we saw as to the downfall of the leader of the Jews by water, and therefore at that moment they canceled their decree. But they did not know that what they saw foretold that Moses would be stricken on account of the waters of Meribah. They envisioned a downfall for Moses by water but didn’t fully comprehend their vision.
Sh'mot: Another View by Susan Niditch
from The Torah: A Women's Commentary
The presence of these five women [Shiphrah, Pu'ah, Moses' mother, Moses' sister and Pharaoh's daughter] at the opening of this critical Israelite foundation myth is immensely significant. Deeply wise in fundamental, life-sustaining ways, these women understand instinctively that Pharaoh should be disobeyed; with initiative, they act on this knowledge. Ultimately, these women's defiance demeans the male tyrant. Thus, from these women filled with a power rooted in moral reason, an ethical concern for life, and the capacity to empathize, we learn a valuable lesson in political ethics: the very weakest in society can contribute to liberation by judiciously engaging in acts of civil disobedience.
Tzipporah
(כד) וַיְהִ֥י בַדֶּ֖רֶךְ בַּמָּל֑וֹן וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֣הוּ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ הֲמִיתֽוֹ׃ (כה) וַתִּקַּ֨ח צִפֹּרָ֜ה צֹ֗ר וַתִּכְרֹת֙ אֶת־עׇרְלַ֣ת בְּנָ֔הּ וַתַּגַּ֖ע לְרַגְלָ֑יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֧י חֲתַן־דָּמִ֛ים אַתָּ֖ה לִֽי׃ (כו) וַיִּ֖רֶף מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אָ֚ז אָֽמְרָ֔ה חֲתַ֥ן דָּמִ֖ים לַמּוּלֹֽת׃ {פ}
(24) At a night encampment on the way, יהוה encountered him and sought to kill him. (25) So Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched his legs with it, saying, “You are truly a bridegroom of blood to me!” (26) And when [God] let him alone, she added, “A bridegroom of blood because of the circumcision.”
וַיְהִי בַדֶּרֶךְ בַּמָּלוֹן, חֲבִיבָה מִילָה שֶׁלֹא נִתְלָה משֶׁה עָלֶיהָ אֲפִלּוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת, לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁהָיָה בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְנִתְעַסֵּק בַּמָּלוֹן וְנִתְעַצֵּל לָמוּל לֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ, מִיָּד וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ יהוה וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתוֹ. אַתְּ מוֹצֵא מַלְאָךְ שֶׁל רַחֲמִים הָיָה וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתוֹ. וַתִּקַּח צִפֹּרָה צֹר, וְכִי מִנַּיִן יָדְעָה צִפּוֹרָה שֶׁעַל עִסְקֵי מִילָה נִסְתַּכֵּן משֶׁה, אֶלָּא בָּא הַמַּלְאָךְ וּבָלַע לְמשֶׁה מֵרֹאשׁוֹ וְעַד הַמִּילָה. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאֲתָה צִפּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹא בָּלַע אוֹתוֹ אֶלָּא עַד הַמִּילָה הִכִּירָה שֶׁעַל עִסְקֵי הַמִּילָה הוּא נִיזֹּק, וְיָדְעָה כַּמָּה גָדוֹל כֹּחַ הַמִּילָה שֶׁלֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לְבָלְעוֹ יוֹתֵר מִכָּאן, מִיָּד וַתִּכְרֹת אֶת עָרְלַת בְּנָהּ וַתַּגַּע לְרַגְלָיו, וַתֹּאמֶר כִּי חֲתַן דָּמִים אַתָּה לִי, אָמְרָה חֲתָנִי תִּהְיֶה אַתָּה נָתוּן לִי בִּזְכוּת דָּמִים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁל מִילָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי קִיַּמְתִּי הַמִּצְוָה, מִיָּד וַיִּרֶף הַמַּלְאָךְ מִמֶּנּוּ. אָז אָמְרָה חֲתַן דָּמִים לַמּוּלֹת, אָמְרָה כַּמָּה גָּדוֹל כֹּחַ הַמִּילָה שֶׁחֲתָנִי הָיָה חַיָּב מִיתָה שֶׁנִּתְעַצֵּל בְּמִצְוַת הַמִּילָה לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ, וְלוּלֵי הִיא לֹא נִצָּל.
And it came to pass on the way at the lodging place (Ex. 4:24): So beloved is circumcision, that Moses' punishment for its neglect was not suspended even for one hour; for this reason, when he was on the way and delayed to circumcise Eleazar his son [For Gershom, his first-born, would have been circumcised a year before this. Hence the passage can only refer to Eleazar, who was born just about the time he was sent to Pharaoh.], immediately [Scripture says] The Lord met him, and sought to kill him (ibid). Though he was an angel of mercy [The word "Lord" implying "mercy], still he sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a flint (ib. v. 25) . . . How did Zipporah know that Moses was in jeopardy because of this delay to perform the circumcision? Because the angel came and swallowed Moses from his head to his circumcised membrum. When Zipporah perceived that, she realised that he was being threatened on account of this delay in circumcising, and she recognised the great protective power of circumcision, seeing that he could not swallow him further than that membrum. So immediately [Scripture says] She cut of the foreskin of her son, and cast it at her feet; and she said, "Surely a bridgroom of blood art thou to me" (ibid. 25). She said, "Thou shalt be my affianced by a covenant: thou art given unto me by merit of this blood of circumcision, because I have fulfilled the command." Immediately The angel let him alone (ib. 26); then she said, "A bridegroom of blood in regard of the circumcision (ib.). She said, "How great is the power of circumcision! My husband was deserving of death for having been tardy in the performance of the command of circumcision, and but for that he would not have been saved.
- Translation from Midrash Rabbah: Exodus, edited by Freedman & Simon, translation by Rabbi Dr. S. M. Lehrman, Soncino Press: London (1939)
ומנהג אנשים לקרוא לבן כאשר יומל חתן.
[A BRIDEGROOM OF BLOOD.] It is the custom of women to refer to a child as a bridegroom when he is circumcised.
ויהי בדרך. היתה קבלה בידם שלא יומל הבן ביום השמיני אם הוא חולה או הוא בדרך שאין יכולת במוליכו להתעכב. ובעבור כי משה לא יוכל להתעכב בשליחות השם. ראה בעצתו שלא יומל כי יסתכן הנער אם יוליכו אותו בדרך. והנה שלח השם מלאך להזכיר משה שיניח עצתו ויומל הנער וילך לו לבדו. והנער יהיה עם אמו עד שיתרפא.
AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE WAY. They had a tradition that a child should not be circumcised on the eighth day if he was sick, or while traveling when it was not possible for his guardian to tarry and circumcise him. Now because Moses could not tarry in carrying out God’s mission he concluded that he should not circumcise his son, because the child would be in danger if he were taken along. God therefore sent an angel to tell Moses to put his decision aside and to circumcise the lad. The child would then remain with his mother until healed and Moses would continue on by himself.
והנה טעם ויפגשהו שבא חולי על משה מהשם שלא עלה על לבו. וזהו ויבקש המיתו אם לא יומל בנו. ובעבור שאחזתו רעדה לא יוכל הוא למולו ומלה אותו צפורה כי הוא גלה לה זה הסוד. ואל תתמה בעבור שהוא כתוב ויפגשהו ה'. כי מלאך ה' הוא. וכמוהו וה' הולך לפניהם יומם ושם כתוב ויסע מלאך האלהים. ורב שמואל בן חפני אומר חלילה להיות השם מבקש להמית משה שהולך בשליחותו להוציא עמו. רק בקש להמית אליעזר. והוא סימן ויפגשהו גם המיתו. ואחרי כן פירש שהוא אליעזר. על כן כתיב את ערלת בנה ולא הזכירו בתחלה. כי עוד לא נקרא שמו. וכמוהו ויהי בלדתה ויתן יד:
[THAT THE LORD MET HIM.] Its meaning is that God sent an illness upon Moses because it did not occur to him. This then is the meaning of and sought to slay him: God sought to slay Moses if he would not circumcise his son. Now because Moses was seized with trembling he could not circumcise his son. Zipporah circumcised him, for Moses revealed this secret to her. Do not be surprised that it is written, That the Lord met him; the reference is to an angel of the Lord. And the Lord went before them (Ex. 13:21) is similar, and there it is written, And the angel of God…removed (Ex. 14:19). However, Rabbi Samuel ben Hofni says: Perish the thought that God would seek to slay Moses who was on God’s mission to redeem His people. It was rather Eliezer whom the Lord sought to slay, and it is to Eliezer that the third person pronominal suffixes of va-yifgeshehu (met him) and hamito (slay him) refer. Scripture then goes on to explain that the reference is to Eliezer. Scripture therefore states, and cut off the foreskin of her son. He is not at first mentioned because he did not as yet have a name. And it came to pass, when she travailed, that one put out a hand (Gen. 38:28) is similar.
וטעם ותגע לרגליו לפי דעתי לרגלי משה כדרך וראה הדם על המשקוף ולא יתן המשחית. ע"כ וירף ממנו ממשה שסר החולי והרעדה. ורב שמואל אמר כי לרגליו לרגלי אליעזר גם כן וירף ממנו. א"כ יש להשיב עליו אם החלי היה על אליעזר איך מלה אותו להוסיף לו מכאוב על מכאובו.
[AND CAST IT AT HIS FEET.] In my opinion the reference is to Moses’ feet. Our verse is like and when He seeth the blood upon the lintel, and upon the side-posts, the Lord…will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to destroy you (Ex. 12:23). Therefore He let him, that is, Moses, alone; his illness and shivering ceased. However, Rabbi Samuel says that his feet refers to Eliezer’s feet, and similarly He let him alone. This being the case we can refute him by asking, “If the illness befell Eliezer how could Zipporah circumcise him, thereby adding pain to his pain?”
אז אמרה חתן דמים למולות. כשהיית חתן אמרת שנוציא דמים בשתי מילות שהן כריתת המילה והפריעה:
אז אמרה חתן דמים למולות, when you were a bridegroom you said that the circumcision involves the removal of some blood during two stages of the circumcision, first the cutting off of the foreskin, then the severing of membrane over the corona.
ויבקש המיתו. (המלאך ל)מֹשֶׁה: לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא מָל אֶת אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ, וְעַל שֶׁנִּתְרַשֵּׁל נֶעֱנַשׁ מִיתָה. תַּנְיָא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לֹא נִתְרַשֵּׁל אֶלָּא אָמַר, אָמוּל וְאֵצֵא לַדֶּרֶךְ, סַכָּנָה הִיא לַתִּינוֹק עַד שְׁלוֹשֶׁת יָמִים, אָמוּל וְאֶשְׁהֶה ג' יָמִים, הַקָּבָּ"ה צִוַּנִי לֵךְ שֻׁב מִצְרָיִם וּמִפְּנֵי מָה נֶעֱנַשׁ? לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְעַסֵּק בַּמָּלוֹן תְּחִלָּה (מכילתא). בְּמַסֶּכֶת נְדָרִים: וְהָיָה הַמַּלְאָךְ נַעֲשֶׂה כְּמִין נָחָשׁ וּבוֹלְעוֹ מֵרֹאשׁוֹ וְעַד יְרֵכָיו וְחוֹזֵר וּבוֹלְעוֹ מֵרַגְלָיו וְעַד אוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם, הֵבִינָה צִפּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל הַמִּילָה הוּא (נדרים ל"ב):
ויבקש המיתו AND HE SOUGHT TO PUT HIM TO DEATH — the angel sought etc., because he had not circumcised his son Eliezer; and because he had showed himself remiss in this, he brought upon himself the punishment of death. It has been taught in a Boraitha (Nedarim 31b): Rabbi José said: God forbid that this was so; Moses had not been remiss in this duty; but he thought, “If I circumcise him and immediately proceed on the journey, the child’s life will be in danger for three days. If, on the other hand, I circumcise him and wait three days — the Holy One, blessed be He, has commanded me, “Go return to Egypt!” Consequently, he obeyed His command, intending to circumcise the child as soon as the opportunity presented itself. There was therefore no remissness on his part; why, then, was he threatened with punishment? Because he busied himself with the affairs of the lodging place first, (i. e. because when he arrived at the inn he troubled himself first about eating and drinking. He should first have circumcised his son. Being now so much nearer Egypt, the danger that follows upon the circumcision was not so great, since the interval of time between the operation and his arrival in Egypt was now shorter than if he had circumcised him before he set out on the journey). See this in Treatise Nedarim. — The angel became a kind of serpent and swallowed him (Moses) from his head to his thigh, spued him forth, and then again swallowed him from his legs to that place (the membrum). Zipporah thus understood that this had happened on account of the delay in the circumcision of her son (Nedarim 32a; cf. Exodus Rabbah 5:8).
ותגע לרגליו. הִשְׁלִיכַתּוּ לִפְנֵי רַגְלָיו שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה:
ותגע לרגליו AND CAST IT AT HIS FEET — i. e. she cast it before Moses’ feet (Talmud Yerushalmi Nedarim 3:9).
כי חתן דמים אתה לי. אַתָּה הָיִיתָה גּוֹרֵם לִהְיוֹת הֶחָתָן שֶׁלִּי נִרְצָח עָלֶיךָ – הוֹרֵג אִישִׁי אַתָּה לִי:
כי חתן דמים אתה לי which means, thou hast brought it about that my bridegroom (Moses) was on the point of being killed because of thee: thou hast been to me my husband’s murderer.
אז אמרה. מהו אז אמרה מתחלה כשראתה המלאך בולעו עד המילה לא הית' יודעת אם בשביל איחור מילת בנו אם בשביל מילת עצמו שהיה בא עליה ואינה הוגנת לו. ומ"מ כרתה ערלת בנה ותגע לרגליו ואמרה כי חתן דמים שמא בשבילו אתה נענש וירף ממנו אז אמרה חתן דמים למולות יודעת אני עתה בבירור שאתה אינך נענש כי אם בשביל איחור מילת בנך מה"ר אליהו כהן ז"ל:
אז אמרה, “then she said, etc.” what is the reason for the introductory word: אז, “then,” at this point? At first Tzipporah was not sure when she saw that the angel stopped at the part of the body that is subject to circumcision whether it was on account of the delay in circumcising the infant, or whether it was on account of her attitude to circumcision altogether. It had become clear to her now that the problem was the delay in circumcising the infant. When she had performed the circumcision and the angel had desisted, and she had thrown the foreskin at his feet (either Moses, or the baby’s), she realised that the problem had been the delay in performing this commandment. She told her husband then that he was about to be punished for the delay, she had been given back to her husband (or her son) for having performed the commandment in his place. (Attributed to Rabbi Eliyahu Cohen)