דרש רב עוירא בשכר נשים צדקניות שהיו באותו הדור נגאלו ישראל ממצרים
R. Avira expounded: As the reward for the righteous women who lived in that generation the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt.
Ok, so us holy ladies saved the Jews from Egpyt, but what about all
of the other times that "they" tried to kill us?
שאף הן היו באותו הנס - כדאמרינן (סוטה דף יא:) בשכר נשים צדקניות שבאותו הדור נגאלו וכן גבי מקרא מגילה נמי אמרינן הכי דמשום דע"י אסתר נגאלו וכן גבי נר חנוכה במסכת שבת (ד' כג.):
...so too regarding the reading of the megillah we say that we were redeemed (from Haman) because of Queen Esther and similiarly regarding the miracle of channukah...
Yes. Now I know, scripturally speaking that we, the ladies, are awesome.
But what exactly did we do to merit this awesomeness?
(יז) וַתִּירֶ֤אןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְלֹ֣א עָשׂ֔וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ן מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים׃
(17) But the midwives feared God, and didn't do as the king of Egypt commanded them, and kept the male-children alive.
What does it mean to not "do as the King commanded?"
Do we have anything comparable to this in our lives today?
Rashi, Ran, Shabbos 23a
Yehudis, the daughter of Yochanan cohen Gadol fed the greek general cheese to increase his thirst, and then gave him wine to drink until he became inebriated. She then cut off his head, and this sight caused the enemy soldiers to flee.
Wow. She is hardcore. As I am sure you assumed, I am definitely not promoting
serving alcohol or beheading, so what can WE learn from this source?
Standing up against the Paroah of Egypt, Using Holy Chutzpah towards the King of Shushan, Beheading the Enemy General....these are all awesome deeds, but how can I relate to this?
"With timbrels and with dances." From this certainty and faith, she was considered righteous, because they believed that God would make miracles for them, and therefore they brought timbrels from Egypt.
Faith and Action