Welcome to Temple Beth Ami
Welcome To Temple Beth Ami
  • Home Page
  • About Us
    • Clergy
    • Staff
    • Leadership
    • Membership
    • 50th Anniversary
    • Policies and Inclusion
    • Contact Us
    • Rentals
    • History
    • Events
    • Judaica Shop
  • Jewish Life
    • Shabbat
    • Holidays and Festivals
    • Lifecycle
      • Bereavement
      • Birth
      • B’nei Mitzvah
      • Confirmation and Graduation
      • Marriage
      • TBA Cares
    • Israel
    • Torah Blog
  • Education
    • Early Childhood
    • Machane TBA (Religious School)
    • Summer Programs
      • Gan Ami Summer Program
        (Age 2 – Pre-K)
      • Kayitz 2023
        (Grades K-7)
    • Adult Education
  • Get Involved
    • Monthly Calendar of Events
      • June 2023
      • July 2023
    • Social Action
      • Tikkun Olam Committee
      • Love Thy Neighbor
        (Addressing Racial Injustice)
      • Community of Action
      • Critical Issues Forum:
        Advocacy for Social Justice
    • Social Groups
    • Jewish Book Council Events
    • TBA TV
    • Member Support
  • Donate
  • Contact Us
  • Members
    • ShulCloud
    • Financial Assistance
    • B’nei Mitzvah Preparation
    • Judaica Shop
    • Events

Events Calendar

« June 2023 » loading...
S M T W T F S
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
Sat 24

Torah Study
Saturdays 9 am – 10 am

June 24 @ 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Sat 17

Torah Study
Saturdays 9 am – 10 am

June 17 @ 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Sat 10

Chapel Service
Sat., June 10
10:30 am – 12 noon

June 10 @ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Sat 10

Torah Study
Saturdays 9 am – 10 am

June 10 @ 9:00 am - 10:00 am

Shemot 5779
Exodus 1:1 – 6:1 

Rabbi Gary Pokras  

The end of the book of Genesis focuses on the men – on Jacob and his sons. The Exodus from Egypt, in contrast, begins with five courageous women: Shiphrah, Puah, Yocheved, Miriam and Pharaoh’s daughter.  

A new pharaoh has risen in Egypt and enslaved the Hebrew people. Even more he attempts the world’s first holocaust against the Jews, commanding that all Hebrew baby boys be killed at birth by the two midwives who delivered them. However, Shiphrah and Puah ignored the order and lied to Pharaoh saying that the Hebrew women were too quick, and the babies were already born and hidden away by the time they arrived. Amazingly, Pharaoh believed the midwives, and did not punish them.  

Who were Shiphrah and Puah, and why did they defy Pharaoh? 

In Hebrew they are referred to as m’yaldot ha’ivriot. This can mean either “the Hebrew midwives” (meaning they were Hebrews themselves) or “midwives to the Hebrews” (which suggests they were not). If they were Israelites, then it is easy to understand why they defied Pharaoh, but what if they weren’t?  

The names “Shiphrah” and “Puah” are not Hebrew, but more likely Canaanite or Ugaritic in origin. Still, that does not mean that they were “other.” While the tradition generally refers to them as Israelites, there is some disagreement, and in truth, we will never know. Rabbi Azriel Fellner asks: 

“If they were Egyptian, from where did they get the spiritual and moral strength to counter an edict from Pharaoh? If they were of Hebrew origin, why would Pharaoh trust them to follow through on an order that would have them murder one of their own? … What’s more, why is this story told at all? Is it just to share with us an act of civil disobedience?” 

It’s quite a conundrum, and it gets even murkier when we look at the Hebrew which describes their act of civil disobedience:  

“The midwives, fearing God, did not do as the King of Egypt told them; vat’chayena et ha’yeladim – they let the boys live.” [Ex. 1:15-17] 

While vat’chayena et ha’yeladim is usually translated as “they let the boys live,” it could also mean “they caused the boys to live.” In the Midrashic tradition, they not only delivered the babies, but helped to look after them. 

I think that the Hebrew here is intentionally fuzzy. We are not supposed to know whether Shiphrah and Puah were Israelites or the world’s first righteous gentiles. Nor can we be sure of what exactly they did. We can be sure, however, of two things. First, they were motivated by yirat HaShem (fear or awe of God). The late Rabbi Harold Schulweiss said, “To say ‘no’ to evil is the deepest affirmation of the existence of God.” This is true for Jews and gentiles alike. Second, Shiphrah and Puah demonstrated extraordinary courage in choosing to disobey immoral commands from Pharaoh. At the Nuremburg trials following World War II, defendants of genocidal crimes argued “loyalty to the state,” saying that they could not be held guilty for following the orders of their government leaders. The court, properly, rejected that defense. 

It takes resolute courage to refuse immoral orders from those in power. The European Holocaust happened because too many people were afraid or unwilling to defy the commands of the Nazis. The Egyptian Holocaust never happened because of the courage and faith of two women, righteous regardless of their nationality or religion. This is not just a lesson for history, but a lesson for today. In the Israeli military, soldiers are required to question orders which seem immoral. However, in much of the world challenging immoral orders and laws remains a dangerous proposition. Enshrined in Torah, Shiphrah and Puah are among our greatest role models. 

And what of Yocheved, Miriam and Pharaoh’s daughter? They too demonstrated deep courage, but their stories will have to wait for another column.

Torah Blog Archives

  • BeHa’alotecha  Num. 8:1 – 12:16 
  • Naso   Num. 4:21 – 7:89 
  • Shavuot   Ex. 19:1 – 20:23; Num. 28:26-31
  • BeMidbar Num. 1:1 – 4:20 
  • Behar/Bechukkotai Lev. 25:1 – 26:2/ Lev. 26:3 – 27:34 
  • Emor   Lev. 21:1 – 24:23 
  • Acharei Mot/Kedoshim Lev. 16:1-34/ Lev. 19:1 – 20:27 
  • Yom HaZikaron/HaAtzma’ut  Deut. 8:1-8; 11:8-12; 26:1-11; 30:1-16 
  • Tazria – Metzorah 5783  Lev. 12:1 – 15:33 
  • Yom HaShoah 5783, Deut. 4:30-40 
  • Shemini 5783  Lev. 9:1 – 11:47 
  • Passover Day 7 – 5783  Ex. 13:17 – 15:26 and Num. 28:19-25 
  • Passover Day 1 – 5783   Exodus 12:21-51, Numbers 28:16-25 
  • Tzav (Shabbat HaGadol) 5783  Lev. 6:1 – 8:36 
  • VaYikra 5783  Lev. 1:1 – 5:26 
  • VaYakhel/Pekudei (Shabbat HaChodesh) 5783 Ex. 35:1 – 40:38 
  • Ki Tissa 5783  Ex. 30:11 – 34:35 
  • Purim 5783 Megilat Esther 
  • Tetzaveh 5783  Ex. 27:20 – 30:10
  • Terumah 5783  Ex. 25:1 – 27:19 
Powered by

RJ Web Builder 3.0

Shop and support Temple Beth Ami
Amazon Logo
Contact the Webmaster with questions or comments about this site
Temple Beth Ami, 14330 Travilah Road Rockville MD, 20850
301-340-6818