“These are the names” [1:1]. King Solomon, of blessed memory, said: “Like a ring of gold, a golden ornament, is a wise man’s reproof in a receptive ear” [Proverbs, 25:12]. The verse teaches us that the one who accepts the reproof of the sages, has the best attribute. Therefore, King Solomon says here in this verse, the reproof is the adornment of the body like a golden nose ring is for the body. The primary reproof is to children when they are young and they only desire pleasures. The good inclination first comes when one is thirteen years old and therefore one punishes him at that time. That is why King Solomon says that one who does not hit his son with the rod hates his son. The one who loves his son punishes him with words and hits him for a good purpose. King David did not punish his son Absalom and that is why he was evil. He slept with his father’s wives in Jerusalem and his father had to run away from Jerusalem before Absalom. However, Jacob punished all of his children and studied with them. Therefore, they were all pious and righteous. Therefore, the verse calls them proper children to their father. This is the meaning of the verse “These are the names of the sons of Israel” [1:1]. That is to say, they were their father’s children. This means a proper father who raises his children to be good.1Bahya, Exodus, Shemot, Introduction.
Rashi writes. Why does the verse here need to count the children of Israel with their names? Scripture counted them above in parshat Vayigash. The explanation is that Israel are compared to the stars in the sky, that the Holy One counts when the Holy One takes them out to illumine the night. He counts them again when the Holy One call the stars back during the day.2Rashi, Exodus, 1:1.
Zeror ha-Mor and Toldot Yizhak write. The righteous are therefore compared to the stars in the sky that the Holy One counts is when they go and return. This teaches us that when the righteous die, they have more honor and more light in the next world. Just like the stars that illumine at night more than during the day, so too are the righteous. When they die, they have more light and honor in the next world.3Zeror ha-Mor, Exodus, 1:1; Toldot Yizhak, Exodus, 1:1.
Bahya, Hizkuni, and Imre Noam write. The verse teaches us that Jacob gave each son and grandson a wife in the expectation that they should not take wives from the Egyptians. Therefore, the Egyptians had no pity for the Israelites, because they did not want to marry them.4Bahya, Exodus, 1:1; Hizkuni, Exodus, 1:1; Imre Noam, Exodus, 1:1.
The Midrash, Bahya, and Zeror ha-Mor also write. The verse tells us that God, blessed be He, also came with Israel into exile in Egypt. This is the meaning of the verse “each coming with his household” [1:1]. That is, the Holy One is called a man of war, who came with the children of Jacob to Egypt in order to redeem them.5Exodus Rabbah, 1.5; Bahya, Exodus, 1:1; Zeror ha-Mor, Exodus, 1:1.
Bahya asks a question. Why does the verse mention Joseph last? The explanation is that Joseph is mentioned last in the expectation that the children of Leah and Rachel should not seek lordship over the children of Zilpah and Bilhah, that they were the children of servants. Therefore, the verse mentions Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher between Benjamin and Joseph. He wants to show us that Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher, the children of Zilpah and Bilhah, should be as important as Benjamin and Joseph, who were from Rachel, Jacob’s most beloved wife. Therefore, Joseph is mentioned at the end. This shows us that Joseph was humble, even though he was a king. Therefore, the verse mentions him at the end of the list of the children, since the righteous, the more they have authority, the more they consider themselves humble in their own eyes.6Bahya, Exodus, 1:2–3.
“Joseph died and all his brothers” [1:6]. Bahya writes. “Joseph died and all his brothers and all that generation” [1:6]. This teaches us that even though Joseph had died, yet their God lived in Heaven. Therefore, the verse says, “Joseph died” and immediately afterwards it is written, “were fertile and prolific” [1:7]. This means that the children of Israel increased greatly. Each woman had six children at a time, in one womb.7Bahya, Exodus, 1:6.
Toldot Yizhak writes similarly. There were no women who could not bear children and none of them miscarried. They grew very quickly, like the animals and insects.8Toldot Yizhak, Exodus, 1:6–7.
Zeror ha-Mor writes that the number of seventy souls is mentioned again here because soon they became many thousands. Zeror ha-Mor writes. “That were Jacob’s issue” [1:5]. This means that seventy souls came from Jacob’s thigh. Since the angel had displaced Jacob’s thigh, so Jacob had to limp. However, if Jacob had not limped, he would have had more children. Therefore, the verse says “Jacob’s thigh.” This means that all seventy souls came from Jacob’s single thigh. Therefore, it is not written, Jacob’s thighs. This would mean that there were two thighs.9Zeror ha-Mor, Exodus, 1:5.
Rashi writes. “Joseph being already in Egypt” [1:5]. Why does the verse tell us that Joseph was in Egypt? We’ve known it for a long time. The explanation is that the Torah shows that Joseph was always righteous, even when he was in Egypt and was a king. Yet, he was the earlier Joseph with saintliness and piety.10Rashi, Exodus, 1:5.
Toldot Yizhak writes. “They increased very greatly” [1:7]. Israel increased very greatly. Rabbi Abraham said. He saw a woman who gave birth to four children at one time. Therefore, since it is normal that twins are weak, either both or one of them is weak. The strength that one child should have is divided into two parts for two children. Even more so when six children are in one womb, they would all be weak. Therefore, the verse tells us, “they increased very greatly” [1:7]. They were all strong, even though six children were in one womb at one time.11Toldot Yizhak, Exodus, 1:6–7.
“A new king arose” [1:8]. Hizkuni writes. It is not written, and he died. This would have meant that the first king died. This shows us that this was the old king. Why is it written, “A new king arose”? This shows us that the first king thought up many new evil decrees as soon as Joseph died and did not want to recognize the many positive things Joseph had done for the Egyptians.12Hizkuni, Exodus, 1:8.
Rashi also writes that Rav and Samuel argue in the Talmud. One says that it was the old king and one says that it was a new king.13Rashi, Exodus, 1:8.
Zeror ha-Mor writes. “A new king arose” [1:8]. The Egyptians saw that the Israelites were increasing greatly. They got together and they decided that they would not make a king who would be born from a king, but they would take a new king. They hated the descendants of the first king, that they had made Joseph a king. Therefore, they chose an evildoer, an uncompassionate person. Therefore, the verse says, “the Israelite people are much too numerous for us” [1:9]. That is to say, we must kill the Israelites all together for three reasons. The Israelites are used to miracles and wonders. Remember what Jacob did with his brother, Esau. He went against him with four hundred men and could do nothing to Jacob. Remember also what two of his children did to the city of Shechem, and what evil they did that they sold their brother. The second thing is that they are very numerous. The third is that they are very strong. Therefore, the verse says, “let us deal shrewdly with them” [1:10]. We must begin to think with wisdom against their wisdom, since the king was afraid. He saw that he was a stranger. Perhaps all the earlier king’s relatives will gather together with the Israelites, and they will kill us.14Zeror ha-Mor, Exodus, 1:8.
Therefore, we must think about which mode of death we should use to kill them. Their God had sworn that he would not bring water again to destroy the world with a flood. Therefore, we will throw their children into the water, in the expectation that God will not destroy us with water, since their God repays measure for measure. However, they did not know that the Holy One would keep His oath that He would not bring water from heaven to destroy them. However, He would bring them into the water of the sea that is long and wide. The Egyptians would all drown in the sea, measure for measure.15Exodus Rabbah, 1.9.
Hizkuni writes. The Talmud says in [tractate] Sotah that Balaam also sat as an advisor to destroy Israel and to torment them.16B. Sotah, 11a. How is it possible that Balaam lived for so long, until Israel were in the wilderness and waged war with Midian, at which time Phinehas killed Balaam? How is it possible that he lived for so long? We also find in [tractate Sanhedrin], chapter ten, that Balaam was only thirty-three years old when he was killed.17B. Sanhedrin, 106b. The explanation is that there were two Balaam’s. The son was named after the father. The one who advised Pharaoh was the father of the Balaam who was killed in the wilderness.18Hizkuni, Exodus, 1:9.
“They may join our enemies” [1:10]. Toldot Yizhak writes. They feared that the Israelites would not fight but would surrender, as soon as an enemy would attack a city. They would surrender if only they would be left alive. The custom was that when a city surrendered, they would let the people live and the enemy would take the city.19Toldot Yizhak, Exodus, 1:10.
“They set taskmasters over them” [1:11]. Pharaoh imposed masters to collect taxes from the Israelites. Pharaoh did not want to show that he hated the Israelites and wanted to torment them by imposing taxes. The Talmud states in the first chapter of [tractate] Sotah that three sat with Pharaoh to advise him. The first was Balaam who said that the Israelites should all be killed. Therefore, he was killed by the Israelites in the wilderness. The second one was Job, who remained silent and he was punished with sufferings. However, Jethro ran away from the meeting. Thus, he had the merit that his children were worthy to sit in the Sanhedrin.20B. Sotah, 11a.
Rabbati writes. “They set taskmasters over them” [1:11]. Pharaoh took a brick and hung it around his neck. Whichever Jew said that he could not work, they said to him: why do you want to be better than the king himself? With this Pharaoh introduced it to the Israelites.21B. Sotah, 11a; Exodus Rabbah, 1.10. So too writes the Tanhuma.22It is not found in Midrash Tanhuma (either edition), but is found in Yalkut Shimoni, Shemot, Remez, 163.
Pharaoh gathered all the Israelites and asked them to do him a favor and work. Pharaoh himself took a shovel to dig lime. All the Israelites also took shovels and dug lime. They worked this way until night. When night came, Pharaoh had the bricks counted, how many bricks had they made. They had made many bricks the first day since they were strong. Pharaoh said that they should make the same number of bricks every day. Pharaoh placed masters to calculate the number of bricks they made every day. Guards were placed over them who would also count the number of bricks. When the amount was not fulfilled, Pharaoh had the guards beaten because they did not finish the work. These guards allowed themselves to be beaten by others for the sake of Israel, and did not want to hand over Israelites to be beaten because of the numbers. Therefore, the guards were worthy that they were placed over Israel. Sanhedrin, they were the seventy elders in Egypt who were with Moses at all the miracles in front of Pharaoh. From here our sages learn that whoever allows himself to be persecuted for Israel will be worthy to attain greatness and honor.23Midrash Tanhuma, Beha’alotekha, 13; Midrash Tanhuma, (ed. Buber), Beha’alotekha, 23.
Yalkut writes. “With all sorts of tasks in the field” [1:14]. The king commanded that the men should sleep in the field at night, in the expectation that they would be separated from their wives, so that they would not have many children. However, the wives brought good food and drink to the field and consoled their husbands. They said that the Holy One would redeem us from this difficult exile. With that, the men’s spirits were raised and they had relations with their wives who became pregnant from their husbands. The Holy One gave them a good reward that they would have much gold and silver. The sea would throw up the dead Egyptians on the dry land before the Israelites, and the Israelites would take the gold and silver of the Egyptians.24Yalkut Shimoni, Shemot, Remez, 163.
The Talmud writes in the first chapter of [tractate] Sotah. Israel went out of the Egyptian exile because of the merit of the pious women. When a woman went to draw water, the Holy One caused that the jug was half full of fish and half full of water. She cooked the fish in a pan and warmed it in the water and brought it to their husband in the field. They washed their husband, bathed, anointed, fed him and had relations and became pregnant from her husband. When the time came for her to deliver, she went to the field and had her child under an apple tree and no person was with her. The Holy One sent from heaven that the child was cleaned. Its navel fell off just like a midwife had cut it. The Holy One sent each child two rocks. From one, oil dripped out and from the other honey dripped out, so that the child would have nourishment without its mother. When Pharaoh became aware of them, he sent people to kill the children on the field. The Holy One created a miracle and caused the children to be swallowed up by the earth, so that Pharaoh would not find them. Pharaoh ordered that they plow with oxen over the children. However, the Holy One protected them from the hands of Pharaoh. Soon the Holy One allowed these children to grow up and they came out of the ground, like a grass that grows, and many thousands of such children came out of the earth. These children recognized the Holy One. When He came to Israel at the crossing of the sea, these children shouted, “this is my God and I will enshrine Him” [Exodus, 15:2]. This is my God and I will beautify Him with love.25B. Sotah, 11b.
“The king spoke to the Hebrew midwives” [1:15]. The king said to the Israelite midwives that they should secretly kill the Israelite children, when they will have male children.
“Look at the birth stool” [1:16]. Pharaoh said: you should look as soon as the child emerges from the mother and if the face it toward the ground, then it is certainly a son. Then you should kill it immediately, so that the mother should not know about it. She would think that the child was stillborn. However, when the child is born with its face up and not facing down, then this would be a daughter and you should let her live. So writes Hizkuni,26Hizkuni, Exodus, 1:15. and the Talmud in Sotah.27B. Sotah, 11b. Rashi also writes that he ordered them to kill the males because his astrologers told him that a redeemer of the Israelites would be born.28Rashi, Exodus, 1:16. Hizkuni writes. The males go to war. Therefore, Pharaoh commanded that the males should be killed.29Hizkuni, Exodus, 1:15.
Bahya and the Talmud in [tractate] Sotah write. Why was the stool where the woman sits to give birth called ha-avnaim? This shows us that when the woman is ready to give birth, her feet and other limbs become cold, like a stone. Therefore, the stone is called avnaim. That is, a stone that is cold and so will her body also be cold. Therefore, you should see that when someone’s body becomes cold, then she would certainly give birth. Therefore, you should notice it.30Bahya, Exodus, 1:15–16; B. Sotah, 11b.
One midwife was called Shifrah, this was Yocheved, because she washed and cleaned the children nicely. The other midwife was called Puah. This was Miriam, the daughter of Yocheved, the mother of Moses, Aaron and Miriam. She was called Puah because she quieted the children when they cried and screamed.31Rashi, Exodus, 1:15.
Baal ha-Turim writes. Yocheved was called Shifrah because it happened that a woman had a stillborn child, she took a quill from a feather and blew into the child’s innards and it came back to life. Yocheved did this and therefore she was called Shifrah. This means, a straw with which one blows. The two midwives allowed them to live and gave enough food to all the children.32Baal ha-Turim, Exodus, 1:15.
Hizkuni, Toldot Yizhak, and Imre Noam say that the two midwives were the supervisors of many midwives. It was not possible for two midwives could not have enough time for all the Israelites.33Hizkuni, Exodus, 1:15; Toldot Yizhak, Exodus, 1:15–19; Imre Noam, Exodus, 1:17.
The Talmud says in [tractate] Sotah and the Baal ha-Turim also cites the Talmud that Pharaoh wanted to sleep with the two women and they refused, even though he was the king. They were very pious and did not want to engage in illicit sexual relations.34B. Sotah, 11b; Baal ha-Turim, Exodus, 1:15.
Imre Noam also writes that Pharaoh wanted to give the midwives a big bribe to kill the children. However, they did not want it, because they were God fearing.35Imre Noam, Exodus, 1:17.
“He said to them, why have you done this” [1:18]. Pharaoh had them called and said to them. Why did you allow the children to live? They said: the Israelite women are like animals of the field. They give birth without a midwife. Another explanation is that they are their own midwives and they do not need us.
“He established households for them” [1:21]. Rashi and also the Talmud in [tractate] Sotah write that the Holy One rewarded each of the midwives. To Yocheved the Holy One gave that from her were descended priests and levites. From Miriam kings were descended.36Rashi, Exodus, 1:21; B. Sotah, 11b.
Bahya writes. “He established households for them” [1:21], means that Pharaoh placed an Egyptian between two Israelite houses, to watch over the Israelites so that if a woman would have a son, it should be thrown into the water.37Bahya, Exodus, 1:21.
Hizkuni writes. Pharaoh had houses built in which to place the Israelite women who were pregnant, to watch over them in the houses, so that when they would have their children, they could throw them into the water.38Hizkuni, Exodus, 1:21.
Bahya asks a question. Why is it written “for them” as if it was talking to a man? It should have said “for them,” because they were women. The explanation is that the Holy One gave the women a reward just like when a man does a pious deed; the Holy One gives him a good reward, since the men fulfill the commandments properly. So too, the women fulfilled the commandment very properly, as if they had been men and they received a reward as if they were men.39Bahya, Exodus, 1:21.
“Pharaoh charged all his people” [1:22]. Rashi writes, Tanhuma, and the Talmud in [tractate] Sotah also write. The astrologers said to Pharaoh that on that day a Messiah for Israel would be born. We do not know if he will be born among the Israelites or the Egyptians. The Messiah will be punished in water. Therefore, let all the children even the Egyptians be thrown into the water. However, the astrologers did not know that the water meant that Moses would be punished because Moses hit the rock in the wilderness in order to give water to the Israelites. The Holy One punished him that he would not come into the land of Israel.40Rashi, Exodus, 1:22; B. Sotah, 12b; Midrash Tanhuma, Vayakhel, 4.
“Married a Levite woman” [2:1]. Rashi, Hizkuni, Ramban, Bahya and the Talmud in [tractate] Sotah write that Amram, Yocheved’s husband, was a leader of the generation. When Pharaoh commanded that all children should be thrown into the water, Amram separated from his wife and divorced her. Immediately, many righteous people among the Israelites also did the same. Miriam came to her father and said: your decree is worse than Pharaoh’s decree. Pharaoh only ordered that the males be killed and you cause both males and females to be destroyed. Amram immediately remarried his wife. All of them also remarried their wives. Therefore, it is written, “Married a Levite woman” [2:1]. This shows us that Amram erected a wedding canopy to remarry his wife. Aaron and Miriam danced before them like one dances before bride and groom and sang, my father has remarried my mother.41Rashi, Hizkuni, Ramban, Bahya, all on Exodus, 2:1; B. Sotah, 12a.
Ramban writes. How is it that Aaron was not yet three years old, so how did he have the sense to sing, dance, and rejoice? The explanation is that the Holy One gave him the sense to rejoice. Also, Miriam taught Aaron and led him to dance.42Ramban, Exodus, 2:1.
Yocheved was one hundred and thirty years old at the time and the verse called her “daughter.” That is to say, young as a young girl. This teaches us that she became young again, like a maiden, and became pregnant and she also became beautiful in her face, not wrinkled. Her pregnancy was not painful and she gave birth without pain. This teaches us that the pious women do not have pain with pregnancy or childbirth.43B. Sotah, 12a.
Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer writes. All the children that were thrown into the water, the water threw them out into the wilderness. The Holy One sent each one of them two stones. Out of one ran oil and honey ran out of the other one.44Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer, chap. 42.
“When she could hide him no longer” [2:3]. She had given birth to a son. This was Moses, and she could no longer hide him. For three months she had hidden Moses in her house. Afterwards, the Egyptians came and searched for him, since the Egyptians had made a calculation since the time that Amram had remarried her. They came to search after nine months, when a woman gives birth. However, Moses was born after six months and one day. Therefore, she still hid him for three months in the house, since the Egyptians had not come to search. When the nine months were up, the Egyptians came and asked what happened to the child? She said that they had taken it and thrown it into the water. Moses was born on the seventh of Adar and he was hidden until the sixth of Sivan. He was thrown into the water on the sixth day of Sivan, just like the same day that Moses received the Torah, which was also the sixth of Sivan. Thus the Torah also saved him from the water. So write Bahya and Hizkuni.45Bahya, Exodus, 2:2; Hizkuni, Exodus, 2:2–3.
“She saw how beautiful he was” [2:2]. The woman saw that the house was filled with light when Moses was born, and she saw that he was born already circumcised, and he did not need to be circumcised. Therefore, the woman thought to protect him and made a box, which she sealed with lime and tar. She sent the box with the child on the water. The daughter of Pharaoh came and wanted to bathe when she saw the box. She ordered the box to be taken out and her maids did not want to take him out of the box. The Holy One brought an unnatural death to these maids. The Holy One made a miracle and made Pharaoh’s daughter’s arms long, so that she could reach the box in the water. When she opened the box she saw the Shekhinah with the child. The child was crying and she heard a loud voice from the child, like from a grown child. The angel Gabriel came and hit the child so that he would cry loudly, so that the daughter of Pharaoh should have compassion. The daughter of Pharaoh said: this child must be Hebrews. His mother feared that the child should not be killed in the water. Therefore, she took it out herself.46B. Sotah, 12a-b.
Ramban writes. She saw that the child was circumcised. Thus, she said it is a child of the Hebrews.47Ramban, Exodus, 2:6.
Miriam was the sister of the child and she said prophetically that her mother would have a son who would redeem Israel from Egypt. Therefore, Miriam stood at a distance from the water. They called many Egyptian women to nurse the child. However, the child did not want to nurse from a gentile, since the mouth that would speak with the Holy One, it was not just to nurse from a gentile. Miriam said to Pharaoh’s daughter: shall I call a Hebrew woman to nurse the child? She said: go and call her. Miriam went and called the mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said: take what is yours. That is to say, the prophecy was fulfilled in her mouth when she said: have what is yours. That is to say, your child. She said: nurse the child for me alone. That is to say, I will pay you well, but do not take another child to nurse.48B. Sotah, 12b. From here we learn that when a woman rents herself out to nurse a child, she is not allowed to take another child to nurse.
Bahya writes. The Holy One does great kindness for the righteous. It is not enough that she had her child again, and was given a good reward for nursing her child. When the child was weaned, the mother brought her child again to Pharaoh’s daughter who considered the child like her own son. Pharaoh’s daughter kissed him and embraced him. When Pharaoh himself kissed and embraced the child, and played with him as one does with a young child. Moses took the crown from Pharaoh’s head and threw it on the ground. That is to say, it was a hint that the Holy One would cause through Moses that Pharaoh’s crown would be abrogated through Moses later on. She gave him a name and called him Moses because he was drawn out of the water. So had the Holy One given into the mind of Pharaoh’s daughter that she should call him this, and the name remained Moses.49Bahya, Exodus, 2:9–10.
When Moses was grown, he went out into the field and saw that the Israelites were working very hard and he was saddened. He saw that one judge used to wake the Hebrews when the rooster crowed, in the middle of the night. That same judge woke a Hebrew and the Hebrew left the house. The judge then slept with that Hebrew’s wife. The wife thought that it was her husband, and she became pregnant from him and gave birth to a son who was an evildoer. He cursed God and he was stoned. When the Hebrew came home he learned what happened and the judge also learned that the Hebrew knew about this. The judge beat the Hebrew at work. Moses knew all this that the judge had slept with his wife and also beaten him. He also saw that from him would come no child who would convert to Judaism. He laid his hands on the judge and killed him with the Ineffable Name of God. He hid him in the sand, so that no person could see him and find him.50Exodus Rabbah, 1.27–29.
The next day, Moses again went out to the field. Two people, Dothan and Abiram, were arguing. Moses came and said: you evildoer, why do you want to beat your friend? From here we learn that when one Jew lifts a hand against his friend, he is an evildoer. Here, nobody had beaten his friend, but had raised their hands to fight. Thus, he called them evildoers. Dothan and Abiram said to Moses. Who made you a judge or a lord over us? Moses was only twelve years old then. Therefore, they said: you are a youth, and you want to be a judge over us? You killed the Egyptian yesterday and buried him in the sand and you want to kill us also. Moses became frightened and said: as long as Israelites are in the Egyptian exile they are informers. They inform for the gentiles. Pharaoh heard about this, since Dothan and Abiram told this to Pharaoh and Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses. However, Moses made himself invisible with the aid of the Ineffable Name of God and they could not see him and he ran away. The Midrash says that they wanted to chop off his head. The sword could not chop his neck and Moses ran away to the land of Midian and sat down at a well.51Exodus Rabbah, 1.29–31.
Jethro was lord over the land of Midian and Jethro had separated himself from foreign gods. The land excommunicated him and therefore Jethro had nobody to guard his sheep. Therefore, his daughters had to guard his flocks since he had no sons. All the shepherds took away the daughters’ water that they drew to water the flocks. When Moses saw that the shepherds wanted to take away the water from the daughters, Moses helped the daughters get away from the shepherds and watered the flocks. The daughters came to their father. Their father asked: why have you come so early? They said: a man, an Egyptian, helped us. That is to say, the Torah calls him an Egyptian because he killed an Egyptian and that is why he came to Midian. The daughters said: he drew the water and the water came up to him from the well. Therefore, Jethro said: why did you not invite him, so that he would take one of you as a wife. Jethro knew well that Moses must be a descendant of Jacob’s children to whom the water used to rise toward them.52Exodus Rabbah, 1.32.
“Moses consented” [2:21]. Bahya asks a question. Why did Moses marry Jethro’s daughter? The explanation is that Moses had run away from Pharaoh and was afraid that he would be sought and found. That is why he wanted to marry into a priestly family. The king had no authority over the priests, just like when someone is guilty of the death penalty, he runs to the priests and they cannot do anything to him. He would take a wife from the priests if she converted, in the expectation that they would not give him up, if Pharaoh would search for him. That is why Moses came to Jethro, who had many daughters, in the expectation that he would give him one, since he had so many. This explains the question, why does the verse have to say that he had seven daughters. The explanation is that he had so many daughters, therefore Moses ran there. He thought: he would not deny me a daughter. Moses swore to Jethro that he would not leave the land of Midian without Jethro’s knowledge.53Bahya, Exodus, 2:21.
Jethro gave his daughter as a wife to Moses and she was called Zipporah. She was called Zipporah because she, just like a bird runs quickly, so Zipporah ran quickly to Moses. Another explanation of why she was called Zipporah is that she shined like the morning star; she was beautiful.54Hizkuni, Exodus, 2:21.
“He named him Gershom” [2:22]. Zipporah was pregnant and she gave birth to a son. She called him Gershom. That is to say, Moses was a stranger in a foreign land.
“The king of Egypt died” [2:23]. The king of Egypt became leprous and every day he slaughtered one hundred Israelite children and bathed in their blood.55Rashi, Exodus, 2:23. Therefore the Israelites were mourning and the Holy One heard their great outcry. He thought about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who were very pious.
“Moses was tending the flocks” [3:1]. The custom of all the righteous ones was to tend flocks in the wilderness, in the expectation that they would remove themselves from people. When one is among people, many transgressions come from gossip, envy, slander and encroaching on the property of others. Therefore, it is written, “into the wilderness” [3:1]. That is to say, he did not want to feed his flocks in the fields of others. The sages say that Moses was in Egypt for forty years, forty years in Midian, and forty years in the desert. Similarly, Rabbi Akiva was in business for forty years, forty years he studied and for forty years he taught at his academy.56Bahya, Exodus, 3:1.
When Moses came to Mount Horeb, where the Torah would be given, the Shekhinah appeared as a fire. The fire was on the thorn bush and the thorn bush was not burned. Hizkuni and Bahya write. Why did the Holy One appear through fire? This was in the expectation that he would become accustomed to seeing fire, so that when he would come to Mount Sinai there would be much fire when the Torah would be given.57Bahya, Exodus, 3:1; Hizkuni, Exodus, 3:2.
Why on a thorn bush? The Holy One said that when Israel will be in exile, it is like I am also in exile. Therefore, the Holy One appeared on a thorn bush, which sticks when one touches it.58Exodus Rabbah, 2.5.
Moses said: I will see why the thorn bush is not burnt. The Holy One said to him: Moses, Moses. Moses responded: here I am. The Holy One said to him: remove your shoes; the earth on which you are standing is holy. You, Moses, must go barefoot. Why did he say, Moses, Moses, twice? The explanation is that the voice from Heaven is very strong. The person thought that there were two voices. Another explanation is that he had to talk twice, since the first time the Heavenly shout frightens the person. Therefore, he had to call the same person a second time.59Bahya, Exodus, 3:4.
“I am the God of your father” [3:6]. He said: I am the God of your father Amram. He showed that his father Amram had died. When one does not mention the name of the Holy One in connection with a person, they are still alive, but only when the person has died. Here, the name of the Holy One is mentioned in connection with him. Through this, the Holy One showed that his father Amram had died. The Holy One knew well that Moses would not want to take any position of authority while his father was still alive.60Hizkuni, Exodus, 3:6.
Moses hid his face and was ashamed to speak with God. The Holy One said to Moses: I have seen the great troubles that the Israelites have in Egypt. Therefore, I have come to protect Israel and to bring them to a good land in which honey and milk will flow. Therefore, you Moses must go to Pharaoh to take Israel out of Egypt. Moses responded: who am I that I should go to the king of Egypt? What merit does Israel have that they should go out of Egypt? That is, Moses said: I am lowly and I should speak with a king? Perhaps he will kill me? Who am I that I should take out such an important and understanding people? What if they will want to go out from the heavy labor, but they will not want to go to the land of Canaan? They will fear the strong nations. The Holy One responded to Moses concerning these two things Moses feared. The first thing the Holy One said, I will be with you always. Therefore, do not fear Pharaoh. Concerning what you asked, what merit do they have? They will receive the Torah on the mountain. As the result of this merit, they will go out of the Egyptian exile. The fire that you see should be a sign that you should not be afraid of Pharaoh and Israel should also not fear the strong nations in the land of Canaan. I am God, pure fire, and I will burn them with fire. Moses responded: when Israel will ask, what is the name of the God who will take us out. The Holy One said: I am called Eheye. That is to say, I am always with you in this exile and in other exiles.
“Assemble” [3:16]. Go and assemble the elders of Israel and tell them, the God of your ancestors has sent me to you. He wants to take you out of Egypt.
“I have taken note of you” [3:16]. You should use this language, since Jacob also said, “I have taken note of you” [3:16]. Joseph also said, “When God will take note of you” [Genesis, 50:24]. This means, God will remember you for good. Thus, Israel will believe that God has sent you, when you will mention the word, note.61Rashi, Exodus, 3:18.
“Manifested Himself to us” [3:18]. Go to Pharaoh and say that the God of the Israelites has appeared and ordered us to go to the desert to bring sacrifices. The Holy One said to Israel: I know well that Pharaoh will not allow you to go, but I must first show him My strong hand, with wonders and plagues. Afterwards, he will send you out of Egypt and I will cause that Israel will have grace in the eyes of Egypt, in the expectation that Israel should borrow gold and silver when they leave Egypt.62Exodus, 3:18–22.
You will empty Egypt of gold and silver [3:22]. Bahya asks a question here. How appropriate is it that they will loan it and will steal it? The explanation is that the Holy One had said: you should ask and they will give you silver and gold as a gift. I will give your grace in the eyes of Egypt.63Bahya, Exodus, 3:22.
Moses said to the Holy One. Perhaps Israel will not want to believe that I was sent by God. “What is that in your hand” [4:2]? The Holy One said: what do you have in your hand? I know well that it is a staff. I will make a snake from it. Therefore, throw the staff on the ground. Moses threw the staff and it became a snake. Moses ran away; he was afraid of the snake. The Holy One said: grab the tail of the snake. Moses grabbed the snake and the snake became a staff.64Exodus, 4:1–4.
Rashi writes. The Holy One showed that he had made a snake. That is to say, you Moses say about Israel that they will not believe in God, just like the snake spoke slander against the Holy One.65Rashi, Exodus, 4:3.
Then the Holy One said to Moses: put your hand in your bosom. His hand became leprous. That is, the Holy One showed him that whoever speaks slander; he is afflicted with leprosy, like you Moses, who spoke slander against Israel that they will not believe in God.66Rashi, Exodus, 4:6. The Holy One said to Moses again. Put your hand in your bosom again. He put it in his bosom again and it was healed as before. The Holy One said to Moses. You should show these two signs before Israel. When they will not believe your first sign, you will say how you became leprous in your hand because you spoke slander about Israel. Then they will believe because they have known for a long time that whoever wants to do evil to Israel, they will be stricken with leprosy. We find that with Pharaoh who took Sarah. He wanted to sleep with her and he became leprous. Similarly, Abimelech who also took Sarah, he also became leprous. If Israel will not believe your two signs, take water from the river and pour it on the earth, and it will become blood.
Moses said to the Holy One. I ask you God; I cannot speak well. Moses had once taken the crown off Pharaoh’s head and thrown it on the ground. The king wanted to have him killed. The astrologers said to the king: we have said that this one will take Israel out of Egypt. Pharaoh put Jethro, Job, and Balaam in charge of the trial. One of them said that he is guilty of the death penalty. The second said that he is a child; he has no intelligence. They brought a bowl with gold and with fire. They said; if the child will take the gold and not the fire, then it will have intelligence. Moses wanted to take the gold, but an angel came and pushed Moses toward the fire. Moses took a burning coal and put it in his mouth and burned his tongue. Therefore, Moses could not speak well. Therefore, Moses said: from my youth I could not speak well and even more so in my old age. Bahya asks a question here. Why did the Holy One not heal Moses? The explanation is that Moses did not pray to the Holy One that He should heal him, in the expectation that Moses would have an excuse that he could not speak well. Therefore, the Holy One should not send him to Pharaoh on his mission.67Bahya, Exodus, 4:10.
“Who gives man speech?” [4:11]. The Holy One responded: You do not want to go because you cannot speak? Who made you speak before Pharaoh? They wanted to kill you because you killed an Egyptian before Pharaoh.
“Who makes him dumb?” [4:11]. Who made Pharaoh dumb, so that he did not immediately have you killed? Or, who made the servants deaf that the servants of Pharaoh did not hear that you should be killed? Or, who made the servants blind so that they did not see that you had run away? The One who did all this can make you speak before Pharaoh. Moses responded: send Aaron, he is more suited to it. Furthermore, I will not lead Israel into the land of Israel, but I will die in the wilderness. Therefore, allow these messengers to go to Pharaoh; those will come to the land of Israel. The Holy One became very angry at Moses that he would not go to Pharaoh, but said to Moses: As a result of this, you will not be a priest, but Aaron your brother will be a priest and you Moses will be a Levite. Therefore, Aaron will also speak for you before Pharaoh. Aaron will come to meet you and will rejoice in his heart. He will not envy you that you are important. Therefore, Aaron merited wearing the breastplate of judgment with only pure precious stones on his heart because he did not envy you in his heart. Therefore, go and tell Aaron everything that I have told you and you should be a master who will give orders to Aaron. Aaron will speak for you before Pharaoh.68Rashi, Exodus, 4:11–16. Take the staff with you to do all the signs.
“Moses went back to his father-in-law Jeter” [4:18]. Moses went and asked permission from Jethro, his father-in-law, to go to Egypt. He wanted to see his brothers who were still in Egypt. Jethro said: go in peace. God said to Moses: go to Egypt, Dothan and Abiram, who informed against you, have died. That is, even though Dothan and Abiram were still alive, but they had become very poor and that is like they had died, since when a person is poor it is as if he is dead. They will not be able to gossip. Their words are not accepted because they are poor.69Rashi, Exodus, 4:19.
Moses took his wife and child and had them ride on a donkey. This same donkey was the one that Abraham rode on when he wanted to bring Isaac as a sacrifice. When the Messiah will come, the Messiah will ride on that same donkey.70Rashi, Exodus, 4:20.
The Holy One said to Moses: when you come to Egypt, you should do all the signs before Pharaoh with the staff that is in your hand. I will strengthen Pharaoh’s heart that he should not send Israel out. When he will not send out Israel, say to Pharaoh: God, who sent me, says, “Israel is my firstborn son” [4:22]. That is to say, you should send my important people Israel to worship Me. If you will not send them, I will kill your son, your firstborn. Even though it was the last plague, yet the Holy One wanted to frighten him with the harshest plague.71Rashi, Exodus, 4:23.
“At a night encampment” [4:24]. When Moses was on the way, an angel encountered him and wanted to kill him because he had not circumcised his son Eliezer when he was eight days old. Rabbi Yose said: Heaven forbid. How is it that Moses would not observe the commandment of circumcision with his son Eliezer? The explanation is that Moses said: how should I circumcise my children while I am on the way to Egypt. It is a danger to travel with a wound. Should I wait three days and first circumcise my child before I go on the journey? I do not want to delay the journey. Here one asks a question. Why did the angel want to kill Moses Our Teacher when he was not guilty? The explanation is that Moses came to an inn on the journey. He took care of his needs and put the circumcision aside. Therefore, the angel came and wanted to kill Moses. Bahya asks a question here. The angel came and swallowed Moses from his head to his place of circumcision. Then he swallowed him from his feet to his place of circumcision. Then Zipporah understood that this was because of the circumcision. She immediately took a flint stone and circumcised the child. Then the angel ran away. Why did Moses himself not circumcise the child? Rabbenu Hananel said: Moses was not there and the angel did not swallow Moses, but the angel swallowed the child. However, Rashi writes that Moses was there and the angel swallowed him, but Moses was sick. That is why he could not circumcise the child, but Zipporah his wife had to circumcise the child.72Bahya, Exodus, 4:24.
Bahya writes because it is written here, “He let him alone” [4:26]; this means that the angel left him alone. However, it is not written, and He went. This teaches us that the angel did not go away. He saw that Zipporah had only done the circumcision, but had not done the uncovering of the corona. Therefore, the angel waited until Zipporah also uncovered the corona of the child. Therefore, the verse says, “a bridegroom of blood because of the circumcision” [4:26]. That is, two circumcisions. The first is the circumcision and the second is to uncover the corona.73Bahya, Exodus, 4:26.
The Midrash says that the child was circumcised with a flint stone and not a knife. In previous times the custom was to circumcise with a flint stone. However, when King David came to kill the Philistine, King David had a stone in his hand and in his sling, wanting to kill the Philistine. The Philistine had an iron hat on his head and the stone could not enter it. The angel who was appointed over stones came and said to the angel who was over iron. Let the stone go through your iron. That is to say, allow your iron that is on the Philistine’s head to split, so that the stone should hit the head of the Philistine. Thus, I will cause the children to be circumcised with iron. I will forego the honor that they used to do with a stone. From then on, they began to circumcise with a knife, because of what the iron accomplished concerning the Philistine.74Torah Shelemah, Exodus 4:25, note 153, cites this midrash and quotes Yalkut Shimoni as the source. However, I have not been able to find it in Yalkut Shimoni.
“Go to meet Moses” [4:27]. The Holy One said to Aaron: go to Moses. Aaron went to him and kissed Moses. Moses told him all the signs that the Holy One had shown him. They assembled the elders and performed the signs with the staff. The Israelites believed that the Holy One had sent Moses to redeem them from the Egyptian exile. The people prostrated themselves and bowed over the good news.
The elders separated themselves. They were afraid to go to Pharaoh, but Moses and Aaron went alone. Therefore, the elders did not merit to go up Mount Sinai with Moses, but Moses went alone.75Rashi, Exodus, 5:1.
Moses and Aaron said to Pharaoh. The God of Israel has told the Israelites that they should have a holiday in the wilderness. Pharaoh responded: I do not know your God. The Midrash says that Pharaoh had a book in which was inscribed all the foreign gods. Therefore, Pharaoh said: in my book the name of your God is not found.76Bahya, Exodus, 5:2.
Bahya writes. Pharaoh was very wise. He knew each angel that ruled over each land and he said: the name of your God has no land on the earth associated with him that He should rule over. However, he did not know that the Holy One rules over all the kings who rule over the whole world. Our sages gave a parable. A priest has a servant who is a fool. The priest goes away and the servant wants to find his master. The servant goes to a cemetery and shouts, is my master here? People respond to him: is not your master a priest? The servant says, yes he is a priest. The people say to him. You fool, how does a priest come to a cemetery? So too, Moses said to Pharaoh. Your foreign gods are all dead and corpses. However, our God lives eternally and is a king over all the kings. Pharaoh said: what does your God know? Moses responded: He created heaven and earth, makes rain fall and makes everything grow on the earth. He makes kings on the earth and He deposes kings on the earth. Pharaoh responded: I am the lord of the earth and I have created myself. Therefore, who is your God? The Holy One said: because Pharaoh makes himself so important with the river water, therefore, you Moses should turn the water of the Nile river to blood. Furthermore, Pharaoh said: I am not obligated to hear the words of your God. He has not appeared to me, but to Abimelech. He took Sarah and your God appeared to him at night. However, your God has not appeared to me and because I do not know Him, I do not want to hear his words.77Bahya, Exodus, 5:2.
They said to Pharaoh: let us go. The Holy One will punish you with plagues and with the sword. Pharaoh said to Moses. You should not disturb the people in their work. All of Israel are hearing you talk and do not work as a result.78Rashi, Exodus, 5:4.
“Get to your labors” [5:4]. Pharaoh said to Moses and Aaron: go home to your work and do not disturb Israel from their work. However, Pharaoh did not tell Moses and Aaron to work, since the tribe of Levi was exempt from the work. Pharaoh had said: let the tribe of Levi teach Torah to Israel and let them show you proper laws and ordinances.79Bahya, Exodus, 5:4.
Hizkuni writes. Therefore, the tribe of Levi did not work at first when Pharaoh himself worked with the people, in the expectation that Israel would work quickly. Thus, Israel worked with Pharaoh and the tribe of Levi did not want to work. Jacob their father had commanded that the tribe of Levi had commanded that they not carry his coffin when he died, because the tribe of Levi would carry the Ark with the Tablets and other holy vessels. It was not appropriate to carry the coffin of dead people; that of Jacob. Therefore, the tribe of Levi did not want to work with Pharaoh the first day. Pharaoh also did not force them to work and thereafter left them without having to work.80Hizkuni, Exodus, 5:4.
“That same day Pharaoh charged the taskmasters” [5:6]. Pharaoh said to Moses and Aaron. You are disturbing Israel from their work. Therefore, you are causing that no more straw will be given to you to mix in with the clay. You must collect the straw yourselves, and the amount of bricks that you have to make every day is the same as you used to make, in the expectation that the work will be harder for you. Thus, you will not talk about going to the desert festival, but Israel spread out to collect straw and the taskmasters hit the Israelite foremen, who were placed over Israel that they should work. They said: finish your work. The foremen were Israelites and when they counted the bricks and when Israel did not finish the amount, the taskmasters beat the foremen. They said: why did you not force Israel to finish the proper amount of bricks?
The foremen allowed themselves to be beaten. Therefore, they merited to be the seventy elders and were the Sanhedrin over Israel, because the foremen did not beat the Israelites to force them to work.81Rashi, Exodus, 5:14.
“Now the foremen of the Israelites found themselves in trouble” [5:19]. The foremen saw that the Israelites must work very hard and they were not given any straw and had to fill the quota of bricks every day. The foremen encountered Moses and Aaron when they were leaving Pharaoh. They said to them. God should judge you for making the work harder. Moses again went to God and said: “why did you bring harm” [5:22]? Why did you harm Israel and the shouting is about me? Because I am the messenger of God, Pharaoh has now made the work much harder than previously and he does not want to allow Israel to leave.
God said to Moses, “you shall soon see” [6:1]. That is, you are not like Abraham to whom I said, your primary descendant will be Isaac, and afterwards, when Isaac was thirty-seven years old, I said to Abraham. Take your son Isaac and slaughter him as a sacrifice. Abraham did not question it. He wanted to slaughter Isaac very quickly. However, you Moses speak much about My deeds. Therefore, you will see what signs I will do to Pharaoh, but you will not see the signs that I will do to thirty-one kings when Joshua will lead the Israelites to the land of Israel. However, you Moses will not be there.82Rashi, Exodus, 6:1.
Bahya writes. “Why did you bring harm” [5:22]? How is it that things are going badly for Israel? Pharaoh and his whole people, who are all evildoers, are doing well and Israel is having great troubles. Troubles come to two types of people. One is people that God punishes for their transgressions that they did. The other one that God punishes is the righteous one, in the expectation that he will have it good in the next world. Therefore, Moses asked: for what reason is it going badly for Israel? The Holy One responded, “you shall soon see” [6:1]. That is to say, you will soon see the catastrophe and plagues on Pharaoh and his people, the evildoers. Their joy will soon end and therefore, I have made the work of Israel very hard, in the expectation that their reward should be doubled when they will suffer the troubles with love. I want to punish Pharaoh for his transgressions. So as it was with the redemption from Egypt, so too will it be with the redemption from Egypt, so too will it be with the redemption from this exile that you are having in Edom, where the exile is lengthy and is worse every day with false accusations. Here God will also reward us double in the end when we will be redeemed with love. God will punish the nations much more for their sins that they committed against us in this great exile.83Bahya, Exodus, 5:22.