Daily Chumash & Rashi – Parshas Shemos Sheiyni: Moshe Rabbeinu is born and placed in the river (Monday, 16th Teves)

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Sheiyni

  • Pharaoh confronted the midwives and they replied that the Jewish people are akin to wild animals who give birth on their own. The Jewish people thus continued to multiply. Hashem gave the midwives homes in reward of them fearing Him.
  • The decree to kill all the male born children in Egypt: Pharaoh then commanded his entire nation to kill their male born children, while sparing the females.
 
  • Moshe Rabbeinu is born and placed in the river:
  • A Levite man took a Levite daughter for a wife and the woman became pregnant and had a son. The mother saw that he was good and so she hid him for three months.
  • Moshe is placed in the river: After this time expired, his mother placed him in a reed basket, smeared it with clay and tar, and entered him into the reeds of the banks of the Nile river. His sister stood from a distance to see what would happen to him.

Baby Moshe is rescued:

  • Batya rescues Moshe: The daughter of Pharaoh [i.e. Basya] was strolling with her maidservants by the river and when she saw the basket, she stretched her hand and took it. She opened it and saw a lad crying and had mercy on him. She exclaimed that the child is from the Jewish people.
  • Yocheved nurses Moshe: The sister of Moshe [i.e. Miriam] offered Basya to bring a Jewish wet nurse to nurse the boy. After her acceptance, she summoned the boy’s mother who nursed her son in exchange for payment from Basya.
  • Moshe grows up: The child grew up and became adopted by the daughter of Pharaoh as a son. She named him Moshe, as he was drawn from the river.

Q&A on Rashi

Q1: Why did the midwives say, “The Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women”?

Because Hebrew women were skilled in childbirth and gave birth before the midwife arrived. Rashi adds that they were compared to wild animals that give birth independently, as seen in verses comparing tribes to animals (lion, wolf, ox, deer).

 

Q2: What does “God dealt kindly with the midwives” mean?

It means G‑d rewarded them for their righteousness. Rashi explains the grammatical nuance of וַיֵּיטֶב as a causative form, meaning “He caused good for them.”

 

Q3: What reward did the midwives receive?

G‑d gave them “houses”—dynasties of priesthood and royalty: Yocheved became the ancestor of the priestly and Levitic families, and Miriam became the ancestor of the royal family.

 

Q4: Why did Pharaoh decree that all boys—even Egyptian boys—be cast into the Nile?

Because his astrologers foresaw that the savior of Israel was born that day but could not tell if he was Egyptian or Hebrew. They also saw he would be punished through water, so Pharaoh decreed death by water for all newborn boys.

 

Q5: Why does the Torah say “a Levite man went and married Levi’s daughter”?

Rashi explains that Amram had previously divorced Yocheved due to Pharaoh’s decree but remarried her after Miriam’s advice. Yocheved miraculously regained her youth at age 130.

 

Q6: What does “she saw how good he was” mean regarding Moshe’s birth?

When Moshe was born, the entire house filled with light, showing his special nature.

 

Q7: Why did Yocheved use clay inside and pitch outside for Moshe’s basket?

To prevent Moshe from smelling the foul odor of pitch, as he was righteous.

 

Q8: Why did Pharaoh’s daughter’s arm miraculously extend?

Because the basket was far away, and Rashi explains that “her maidservant” can also mean “her arm,” which stretched many cubits to reach Moshe.

 

Q9: Why did Moshe refuse to nurse from Egyptian women?

Because he was destined to speak with the Divine Presence and did not want to defile his mouth.

 

Q10: What does the name “Moshe” mean?

It means “I drew him out,” from the root מָשָׁה, as Pharaoh’s daughter said, “I drew him out of the water.”

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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