The vast majority of commentators accept that the midwives, Shifra and Puah, are alternative names for Moshe’s mother and sister, Yocheved and Miriam. However, there remains the question of why there are only two midwives for the entire Hebrew population. Answers to this problem include: Shifra and Puah were official representatives in charge of all the Hebrew midwives. (Hizkuni, Ibn Ezra)Shifra and Puah were the midwives in the Egyptian capital. After Pharaoh saw that he was unable to …
Parshat Shemot: Why did the children of Israel cry out when Pharaoh died?
The connection between the death of the Pharaoh and the children of Israel crying out is not clear. After years of suffering, why would they suddenly feel more desperate because their oppressor was dead? Ramban and Hizkuni argue that while the first Pharaoh was alive they retained hope that slavery would be a temporary decree limited to the lifespan of that king. Once a new king had come to the throne it became clear that it was permanent. Rabbeinu Bahya suggests that they were afraid that …
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Parshat Shemot: Who are the Hebrews?
From Shemot 1:15 to 2:22, the children of Israel are referred to exclusively as ‘Hebrews’ (עבריים\עבריות). The term is used occasionally in the Tanakh, particularly in Shemot and Sefer Shmuel. The first incident of it being used is in Bereishit 14:13 where Avraham is referred to as ‘Avram the Hebrew’ when learning that Lot has been kidnapped by the four Kings who made war on Sodom. There are two possible etymologies for the term. The first is that it refers to the descendants of Ever (עבר), the …
Why was Pharaoh worried that children of Israel would leave Egypt?
If Pharaoh was worried that the children of Israel were too numerous, why was he concerned about the possibility of them going ‘up from the land’? Rashbam suggests that Pharaoh was worried about the land becoming depopulated.Sa’adya Gaon, Rashi and Rabeinu Bahya follow a midrashic explanation according to which Pharaoh was expressing in a roundabout way his concern that the children of Israel would force the Egyptians out of the land.Ramban suggests that Pharaoh’s concern was that they would …
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When do you light Hanukka candles?
Short answer: משתשקע החמה עד שתכלה רגל מן השוק. Long answer: listen to this shiur. …
