Lang: he;
Title: שמות פרק ב;
Content:
(א) וַיֵּלֶךְ אִישׁ מִבֵּית לֵוִי וַיִּקַּח אֶת בַּת לֵוִי.
(ב) וַתַּהַר הָאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתֵּרֶא אֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא וַתִּצְפְּנֵהוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה יְרָחִים.
(ג) וְלֹא יָכְלָה עוֹד הַצְּפִינוֹ וַתִּקַּח לוֹ תֵּבַת גֹּמֶא וַתַּחְמְרָה בַחֵמָר וּבַזָּפֶת וַתָּשֶׂם בָּהּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף עַל שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר.
(ד) וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹק לְדֵעָה מַה יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ.
(ה) וַתֵּרֶד בַּת פַּרְעֹה לִרְחֹץ עַל הַיְאֹר וְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ הֹלְכֹת עַל יַד הַיְאֹר וַתֵּרֶא אֶת הַתֵּבָה בְּתוֹךְ הַסּוּף וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת אֲמָתָהּ וַתִּקָּחֶהָ.
(ו) וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד וְהִנֵּה נַעַר בֹּכֶה וַתַּחְמֹל עָלָיו וַתֹּאמֶר מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים זֶה.
(ז) וַתֹּאמֶר אֲחֹתוֹ אֶל בַּת פַּרְעֹה הַאֵלֵךְ וְקָרָאתִי לָךְ אִשָּׁה מֵינֶקֶת מִן הָעִבְרִיֹּת וְתֵינִק לָךְ אֶת הַיָּלֶד.
(ח) וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ בַּת פַּרְעֹה לֵכִי וַתֵּלֶךְ הָעַלְמָה וַתִּקְרָא אֶת אֵם הַיָּלֶד.
(ט) וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ בַּת פַּרְעֹה הֵילִיכִי אֶת הַיֶּלֶד הַזֶּה וְהֵינִקִהוּ לִי וַאֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת שְׂכָרֵךְ וַתִּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה הַיֶּלֶד וַתְּנִיקֵהוּ.
(י) וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד וַתְּבִאֵהוּ לְבַת פַּרְעֹה וַיְהִי לָהּ לְבֵן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ מֹשֶׁה וַתֹּאמֶר כִּי מִן הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיתִהוּ.
(יא) וַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וַיִּגְדַּל מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּצֵא אֶל אֶחָיו וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם וַיַּרְא אִישׁ מִצְרִי מַכֶּה אִישׁ עִבְרִי מֵאֶחָיו.
(יב) וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ וַיַּךְ אֶת הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחוֹל.
(יג) וַיֵּצֵא בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי וְהִנֵּה שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים עִבְרִים נִצִּים וַיֹּאמֶר לָרָשָׁע לָמָּה תַכֶּה רֵעֶךָ.
(יד) וַיֹּאמֶר מִי שָׂמְךָ לְאִישׁ שַׂר וְשֹׁפֵט עָלֵינוּ הַלְהׇרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר כַּאֲשֶׁר הָרַגְתָּ אֶת הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּירָא מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמַר אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר.
(טו) וַיִּשְׁמַע פַּרְעֹה אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת מֹשֶׁה וַיִּבְרַח מֹשֶׁה מִפְּנֵי פַרְעֹה וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְיָן וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל הַבְּאֵר.
(טז) וּלְכֹהֵן מִדְיָן שֶׁבַע בָּנוֹת וַתָּבֹאנָה וַתִּדְלֶנָה וַתְּמַלֶּאנָה אֶת הָרְהָטִים לְהַשְׁקוֹת צֹאן אֲבִיהֶן.
(יז) וַיָּבֹאוּ הָרֹעִים וַיְגָרְשׁוּם וַיָּקׇם מֹשֶׁה וַיּוֹשִׁעָן וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת צֹאנָם.
(יח) וַתָּבֹאנָה אֶל רְעוּאֵל אֲבִיהֶן וַיֹּאמֶר מַדּוּעַ מִהַרְתֶּן בֹּא הַיּוֹם.
(יט) וַתֹּאמַרְןָ אִישׁ מִצְרִי הִצִּילָנוּ מִיַּד הָרֹעִים וְגַם דָּלֹה דָלָה לָנוּ וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת הַצֹּאן.
(כ) וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל בְּנֹתָיו וְאַיּוֹ לָמָּה זֶּה עֲזַבְתֶּן אֶת הָאִישׁ קִרְאֶן לוֹ וְיֹאכַל לָחֶם.
(כא) וַיּוֹאֶל מֹשֶׁה לָשֶׁבֶת אֶת הָאִישׁ וַיִּתֵּן אֶת צִפֹּרָה בִתּוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה.
(כב) וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ גֵּרְשֹׁם כִּי אָמַר גֵּר הָיִיתִי בְּאֶרֶץ נׇכְרִיָּה.
(כג) וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָרַבִּים הָהֵם וַיָּמׇת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעֲבֹדָה וַיִּזְעָקוּ וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים מִן הָעֲבֹדָה.
(כד) וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת נַאֲקָתָם וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ אֶת אַבְרָהָם אֶת יִצְחָק וְאֶת יַעֲקֹב.
(כה) וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים.
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Lang: en;
Title: Shemot 2;
Content:
(1) A man from the house of Levi wentwent | וַיֵּלֶךְ – The verb seems superfluous, but see Ramban that often it connotes an arousing of the self to action, as in Bereshit 35:22 or 37:27. Cf. Ibn Ezra who reads the word more literally, that the man physically went from one city to another to wed. See also Shemot Rabbah, that the man "went after the advice of his daughter", suggesting that Amram (Moshe's father) had divorced his wife due to Paroh's decree that all baby boys be killed and his daughter convinced him to remarry. and tooktook | וַיִּקַּח – This refers to marriage even though the verse omits the usual object, "אשה" (a wife). a daughter of Levi.daughter of Levi | בַּת לֵוִי – Many commentators assume that this implies that Yocheved, Moshe's mother, was the biological daughter of Levi, as per Bemidbar 26:59. Cf. Hoil Moshe who suggests that both verses mean only that Yocheved was "born to the tribe of Levi" (not to Levi himself). He is motivated to say so due to the assumption that the nation was in Egypt for a full 430 years (Shemot 12:40). Since Moshe is born 80 years before the Exodus, if Yocheved was literally Levi's daughter, even if she was born in the year of his death at 137 years of age, this would make Yocheved over 250 years old when bearing Moshe. See Duration of the Bondage for discussion.
(2) The woman conceived and bore a son; she saw that he was good,good | טוֹב – This might refer to good looks (Ibn Ezra, and compare usage of the word in Bereshit 6:2), to health, with the verse emphasizing that the baby was fully formed and viable and thus worth saving (Rashbam), or to behavior, that he did not cry (Shadal). Cf. Rashi and Ramban that perhaps there was something unique or supernatural about the baby or birth which led the mother to believe that a miracle would occur. The wording of the verse recalls Hashem's observations during creation: "And God saw… and it was good" (Rashbam). and she hid him for three months.
(3) When she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basketpapyrus basket | תֵּבַת גֹּמֶא – The word "תֵּבָה" appears only here and in the story of the Flood, where it refers to Noach's ark. It might be an Egyptian loanword, related to "Ṯ-b-t" which means "chest" (BDB, "תֵּבָה"). The word "גֹּמֶא", too, might be a loanword, from the Ethiopic "ጎሜዕ", which refers to some type of rush (BDB, "גֹּמֶא"). Cf. Shadal that it might relate to the root "גמא", to swallow liquids, and is perhaps so called since papyrus grows on the water, appearing to soak it up. for him and covered it with tar and with pitch. She placed the child in it and placed it in the reedsin the reeds | בַּסּוּף – This might be a loan-word from the Egyptian "ṭwfi", meaning "reeds" or "rush" (BDB, "סוּף"). on the bank of the river.
(4) His sister stationed herselfstationed herself | וַתֵּתַצַּב – Alternatively: "[her mother] stationed her" (R"Y Bekhor Shor), or: "she stood". Since this is an anomalous form (one would have expected "וַתִּתְיַצֵּב"), it is difficult to know which possibility should be preferred. at a distance to know what would be done to him.
(5) Paroh's daughter went down to bathe in the riverin the river | עַל הַיְאֹר – Literally: "on the river" but sometimes "עַל" can mean "in", as in Shemot 29:3, "וְנָתַתָּ אוֹתָם עַל סַל" (Chizkuni). Alternatively, the word order of the verse is inverted and should read: "She went to the river to bathe", reading "על" as "אל" (to) as in Shemuel I 2:11 (Rashi, Ramban). It is also possible that the word "עַל" reflects that the river had levels and that Paroh's daughter went to the upper one (Ramban, Rav Hirsch). while her maidens were walking by the river. She saw the basket in the reeds and sent her handmaid,handmaid | אֲמָתָהּ – Cf. the opinion in Shemot Rabbah that the word means "her arm", understanding "אמה" to refer to the measurement of a cubit. However, that "אַמָּה" (cubit) is spelled with a dagesh in the "מ" (Rashi). and she took it.
(6) She opened it and saw him, the child,the child | אֶת הַיֶּלֶד – These words appear superfluous as the preceding pronoun, "him" would have sufficed. Many suggest that it is simply the way of the text to sometimes add an explanatory reference. Compare Shemot 29:9, 35:5 and Daniel 11:11 (Ibn Ezra, R. D"Z Hoffmann). Shadal suggests that the extra words hint to the surprise of Paroh's daughter at finding the baby, while Shemot Rabbah suggests that she saw the Divine presence with the baby. and behold, it was a boythe boy | נַעַר – As the word "נער" is often used in Tanakh for older males, some suggest that the word describes not Moshe's biological age but his maturity, either his deep voice (Rashi) or developed limbs (Ibn Ezra). However, see Ramban that elsewhere, too, the term is applied to infants (see Shofetim 13:8 or Shemuel Ii 12:16). Cf. Chizkuni that the word refers not to Moshe, but to his brother Aharon who was crying nearby. See also Rashbam who suggests that the word highlights not Moshe's age but his gender; Paroh's daughter noticed that he was male and thus understood that he was hidden and not abandoned. crying. She took pity on him and said, "This is one of the children of the Hebrews."
(7) His sister said to Paroh's daughter, "Shall I go and call for you one of the nursing women from the Hebrews, and she shall nurse the child for you?"
(8) Paroh's daughter said to her, "Go," and the young woman went and called the child's mother.
(9) Paroh's daughter said, "Take this child and nurse him for me and I will give your wages." The woman took the child and nursed him.
(10) The child grew up, and she brought him to Paroh's daughter, and he was a son to her. She named him MosheMoshe | מֹשֶׁה – The root "משה" means to draw forth. As it seems unlikely that Paroh's daughter chose a Hebrew name, Ibn Ezra suggests that "מֹשֶׁה" must simply be the Hebrew equivalent of the Egyptian name given him. Cf. the opinion in Chizkuni that it was Yocheved, Moshe's mother, rather than Paroh's daughter, who named him. It is also possible that the name is originally Egyptian, relating to the hieroglyphic "ms", meaning "child" or "be born", as in the name "Ptah-mose", "Ptah is born" " (BDB, "משה", and see U. Cassuto, Shemot 2:10). and said, "For I drew him from the water."
(11) In those days, Moshe grew up and went out to his brothers and saw their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian man strikingstriking | מַכֶּה – In this verse and the next, it is unclear if the root "נכה" refers to striking with intent to kill, or simply smiting another. The different possibilities impact how one views Moshe's deed. Was he harshly avenging an unjust beating or was he intervening to save the life of the Hebrew? See Moshe's Killing of the Egyptian for discussion. a Hebrew man of his brothers.
(12) He turned this way and that and saw that there was no man,there was no man | אֵין אִישׁ – The simplest understanding is that Moshe looked to see if there was anyone to witness his deed. Alternatively, "אִישׁ" refers to a person of authority or courage (as per its usage in Yeshayahu 59:16, and see the note on verse 14 here). Moshe looked to see if there was anyone about courageous enough to act in the face of evil (Shemot Rabbah) or if there was any authority figure to whom he could report it (Netziv). and he struck the Egyptian and buried him in the sand.
(13) He went out on the second day, and behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the guilty one, "Why do you strike your fellow?"
(14) He said, "Who set you as a chiefas a chief | לְאִישׁ שַׂר – Literally, "as a ruling man", but see R. D"Z Hoffmann, that elsewhere, too, this phraseology serves simply to classify a person within a certain profession or role and the word "man" is itself insignificant. Compare the terms "אִישׁ נָבִיא", (prophetic man) in Shofetim 6:8 or "אִישׁ כֹּהֵן" (priestly man) in Vayikra 21:9. Alternatively, "אִישׁ" here means "adult" or "personage", with the men noting that Moshe was just a lad, not old enough to criticize them (Rashi and compare Bereshit Rabbah). and judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" And Moshe was afraid and said, "Indeed the matter is known."
(15) Paroh heard of this matter and sought to kill Moshe. But Moshe fled from before Paroh and dwelled in the land Midyan, and he sat down by the well.
(16) And the priestpriest | כֹּהֵן – Alternatively: "official", "minister", or "governor", as per its usage in Shemuel II 8:18 or Iyyov 12:19 (R. Elazar HaModai in Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Targum Onkelos). The different possibilities impact how one views Yitro's Religious Identity and Moshe's Marriage to Zipporah. of Midyan had seven daughters, and they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
(17) The shepherds came and drove them away, and Moshe rose and saved them and watered the flock.
(18) They came to their father, Reuel,Reuel | רְעוּאֵל – This verse implies that Reuel was Moshe's father-in-law, yet in subsequent chapters (Shemot 3:1, 4:18 and Chapter 18) it is Yitro who is identified as Moshe's "חותן" (often translated as "father-in-law") and a "priest of Midyan". On the relationship between the figures, see Yitro's Names. and he said, "Why have you come so quickly today?"
(19) They said, "An Egyptian man delivered us from the hand of the shepherds and, moreover, he even drew watereven drew water | דָּלֹה דָלָה – This form (an infinitive absolute followed by another form of the verb) generally expresses emphasis. Here the daughters might be stressing Moshe's continued willingness to help them, how he not only saved them but even drew water for them. for us and watered the flock."
(20) He said to his daughters, "And where is he? Why did you leave the man? Call him and he shall eat bread."
(21) Moshe agreed to dwell with the man, and he gave his daughter, Zipporah, to Moshe.
(22) She bore a son and he named him Gershom,Gershom | גֵּרְשֹׁם – The name is a composite of two words, "גר" (a sojourner) and "שם" (there). for he said, "I was a sojourner in a foreign land."
(23) During that long period of time,During that long period of time | וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָרַבִּים הָהֵם – More literally: "It was in those many days". In Tanakh, the word "יָמִים" can refer not only to twenty-four hour days, but to any unspecified unit of time, including years. the king of Egypt died, and the Children of Israel sighed from the servitude, and they cried out, and their outcry from the servitude rose to God.
(24) God heard their moans, and God remembered His covenant with Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.
(25) God saw the Children of Israel and God knew.God knew | וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים – See Ibn Ezra that "God saw" the public oppression, and also "knew" what was done in secret. Cf. Ralbag that "knowing" refers to God's providential caring (compare his comments on Shemot 33:12).