Parashat Shemot 5786
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites
The Book of Exodus opens with one of the central challenges of any people seeking to survive: establishing its existence and ensuring continuity. The Torah tells us that when the Israelites went down to Egypt, there were only seventy souls, but over the years they:
“multiplied and grew exceedingly, and filled the land.”
(Exodus 1:7)
The numerical rise of the Israelites arouses fear in Pharaoh. He worries that this growth could turn against him: immigrants who might join Egypt’s enemies and destabilize its rule. He imposes harsh decrees on the Israelites – forced labor and various pressures intended to reduce their population. Yet the result is the opposite, and as the Torah says:
“The more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread.”
(Exodus 1:12)
Then the Egyptian magicians add a warning that magnifies Pharaoh’s fears: a leader will arise from the Israelites who will take them out of Egypt. This fear leads Pharaoh to lose all reason and issue the cruelest decree of all:
“Every son that is born, you shall cast into the Nile.”
(Exodus 1:22)
The sages describe that this decree was enforced with great rigor. Against this backdrop, a dramatic event occurs. Amram, the leader of the generation, decides to divorce his wife, Yocheved, claiming there is no point in marriage if continuity is impossible. Others follow his example. The Midrash recounts:
“Amram was the leader of the generation. When he saw Pharaoh’s evil decree, he said, ‘Why are we laboring in vain?’ He stood and divorced his wife, and all others did likewise. His daughter said to him, ‘Father, your decree is harsher than Pharaoh’s. Pharaoh only decreed against the males, but you decreed against both males and females.’ Immediately, he stood and took back his wife, and everyone else took back their wives.”
At that time, Miriam, Amram’s daughter, was only five years old. With a clear and moral argument, she succeeds in convincing her father, and the entire leadership, that forsaking family life means forsaking the future. Even if the sons are in danger, the daughters to be born will ensure the people’s continuity, for according to Jewish law, Jewish identity is passed through the mother.
It is astonishing to consider that from this act, Moses was born – the man destined to stand before Pharaoh, lead Israel out of Egypt, split the Sea of Reeds, and bring the Torah of Israel into the world. It is moving to think that none of this would have happened without the steadfast courage of little Miriam.
Yocheved, also called Shifra in the Midrash, and her daughter Miriam, also called Puah, stand at the center of a bold and dangerous enterprise: saving newborns in defiance of Pharaoh’s command. With devotion and courage, they continue to bring life into the world. The victory of the midwives over Pharaoh is the beginning of Israel’s triumph over Egypt.
The story continues dramatically. Baby Moses is born prematurely and is therefore not immediately discovered by the Egyptians. For three months, Amram and Yocheved manage to hide the child, but eventually, it becomes clear they can no longer protect him.
At this point, a heart-wrenching decision is made in Amram and Yocheved’s household – a decision of faith, despair, and hope all at once. They build a small ark capable of floating on water, place their infant son inside, and set it afloat on the Nile. This is a moment when parents must entrust their child to fate, painfully aware that they may be sending him to death, yet holding onto a slim hope for a miracle.
The Torah describes the scene in a brief but powerful verse:
“And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.”
(Exodus 2:4)
These words open a window into a deep emotional world. Miriam, Moses’ sister, stands at a distance, watching silently, waiting to see what will happen to him. The same child who had convinced her parents to restore family life now witnesses the personal cost of that act.
Fortunately, Pharaoh’s daughter, Batya, comes down to the Nile to bathe. She notices the ark, sends her servant to retrieve it, and upon opening it, her heart is moved by the crying baby. Despite her father’s decree and the personal danger, she decides to adopt him.
Batya takes Moses into Pharaoh’s household, raising him in the royal palace, and in a remarkable step, provides him with a Hebrew nurse – Yocheved – unaware that she is his biological mother. Thus, from the heart of the Egyptian empire and with the aid of Pharaoh’s household itself, grows the future savior of Israel.
The sages expand the picture and emphasize the role of righteous women of that generation in bringing about redemption:
“Rav Ovira taught: As a reward for the righteous women of that generation, Israel was redeemed from Egypt. When they went to draw water, the Holy One, blessed be He, placed small fish in their pitchers. They drew half water and half fish, and brought two pots – one of stew and one of fish – to their husbands in the field, washing, covering, feeding, and watering them, being needed at their lips. When they conceived, they returned to their homes, etc.”
(Sotah 11b)
We live in an era where the question of birthrates is central to global discussion – demographically, socially, and personally. Many countries face a sharp decline in birthrates, resulting in demographic changes that affect the character of the nation and the preservation of its national values. The world struggles to find a balance between career, personal comfort, and human continuity.
The biblical story teaches clearly and decisively about deep human responsibility: to continue life, uphold tradition, and ensure there are those who will receive and carry it forward. When this value is prioritized, the basic human capacities of giving, love, and compassion are strengthened, and society as a whole becomes more humane and sensitive. Such a world is brighter and happier, where the laughter of children is not a trivial or optional luxury but a vital foundation: a sound that conveys hope, connects generations, and reminds all humanity why it is worth continuing to build a better future.
