Midrash su Esodo 1:21

(Ex. 1, 21) And it came to pass because the midwives feared God that He made them houses. Rab and Levi both explain the above passage: One says that this means kingly houses and the other said it means priestly and Levite houses. The latter interpretation refers to Moses, and the former contends that kings came forth from Miriam who was also one of the midwives, for it is written (I Chr. 1, 2) And Azubah died when Kaleb took unto himself Ephroth who bore unto him Chur and again it is written (I Sam. 17, 22) Now David was the son of that Ephritite, [hence David was of the same family as Miriam]. (I Chr. 2, 18) And Kaleb the son of Chetzron begot children of Azubah, and of Jerioth and these were her sonss Jeshner, Shobah and Ardon. Is he then the son of Chetzron? Behold he is the son of Yephunah, as stated (Num. 13, 6) He was called with the last name because he turned away from the advice of the spies. And again is he not the son of Kenaz, as it is written (Hosh. 15, 17) And Othniel, the son of Kenaz, the brother of Kaleb, captured it? Said Raba: "He was a step-son to Kenaz." (Fol. 12) This can be proved by the following — he is called a Kenizzite, but not the son of Kenaz. Hence the inference is maintained. (Ib. 14, 14) Azubah, refers to Miriam, "why was she called Azubah? Because every young man forsook her in the beginning; she begot, behold, she was married to him and she begot him? Said R. Jochanan: "Whoever marries a man from a respectable family for heavenly sake is considered by Scripture as if he begot her." Yerioth she was called, because her face was greenish like the curtains of the Temple. And these were her sons. Do not read Baneha (her sons) but boneha {who built her up); yashar means who kept himself straight in the right path, [did not listen to the spies]; Sho'ab means, who turned himself away [from his evil inclinations]; Ardon means who rebelled against his evil inclination, and according to others because his face was as prim as a rose. (I Chr. 4, 5) And Aschuhr the father of Teke'ah had two wives, Chelba and Nea'arah; i.e., Ashchur refers to Kaleb, and why was he called Ashchur; because he darkened his face because of the many fasts he observed, Abi, who became like a father to his wife; teko'ah, who attached his heart unto his Father in heaven; there were two wives, the one Miriam became like two wives; Chela and Na'arah, neither was her name Chela nor Na'arah, but it means in the beginning she was sick, and at the end she became young, (Ib., ib. 7) And the sons of Chilah were Zareth, Zochar and Ethnan; i.e., Zureth means that she caused grief and animosity to her friend [because of her beautiful] appearance; Zochar means that her face was like the mid-day; Ethnan because she appeared very handsome.

(Exod. 22:24 [25]:) IF YOU LEND MONEY <TO MY PEOPLE>…. R. Tanhuma opened on <this verse with> (Prov. 19:17): THE ONE WHO IS GENEROUS WITH THE POOR IS LENDING TO THE LORD.²⁶Tanh., Exod. 6:15. Whoever lends to the poor is, as it were, as if he were lending to the Holy One. (Ibid.:) THE ONE WHO IS GENEROUS WITH THE POOR IS LENDING TO THE LORD, [AND HE WILL REPAY HIM HIS DUE]. R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest said: What is the meaning of AND HE WILL REPAY HIM HIS DUE? The Holy One said: When a poor person's soul (nefesh) was seeking to leave,²⁷Tanh., Exod. 6:15, expands: “When a poor person’s soul (nefesh) was seeking to leave out of hunger, you gave him a prutah (a small coin) and revived him.” you revived him. By your life I am returning you life (nefesh) for life. Tomorrow, when your son or daughter comes into the hands of guilt or into the hands of death, [this deed] will be remembered on their behalf, and I will give them a life for a life. The Holy One said: By your life, you have been named as the one who gave him a loan, as stated (in Prov. 19:17): <THE ONE WHO IS GENEROUS WITH THE POOR> IS LENDING TO THE LORD. You find that for all the sins which a person commits, the Holy One sits in judgment over him, saying: How did his judgment come about? In the case of one who steals, the Holy One sits over him in judgment, also over the one who commits adultery and over the one who commits <any other > transgression.²⁸Cf. Exod. R. 31:14. And so you find in the days of Ahab that Micah (i.e., Micaiah) said (in I Kings 22:19 or II Chron. 18:18):²⁹The text draws its wording from both I Kings 22:19 and from II Chron. 18:18, but Buber has emended his mss in conformity with I Kings 22:19. HEAR, THEREFORE, THE WORD OF THE LORD: I SAW THE LORD SITTING UPON HIS THRONE, AND ALL THE HEAVENLY HOST WAS STANDING BY HIM TO HIS RIGHT AND TO HIS LEFT. Is there a left above?³⁰See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 4:21; Exod. 1:21; Cant. R. 1:9:1. <Yes,> and is it not written (in Exod. 15:6): YOUR RIGHT HAND, O LORD, <GLORIOUS IN POWER, YOUR RIGHT HAND SHATTERS THE ENEMY>? It also says (in Ps. 118:16): THE RIGHT HAND OF THE LORD IS EXALTED…. And it says here (in I Kings 22:19): TO HIS RIGHT… What is the meaning of TO HIS RIGHT AND TO HIS LEFT? [Those on the right and those on the left.] The first group tilts the balance towards the scale of merit, and the other group tilts the balance towards the scale of guilt. So does the Holy One act towards all who commit <any> transgression. Their judgment is a matter of give and take. But in the case of one who has made a loan with interest, there is no give and take in his judgment. Instead <the Holy One> renders his judgment by himself. Thus the Holy One has said this to the ministering angels (in Ezek. 18:13): WITH USURY HE HAS GIVEN, {AND WITH INTEREST} HE HAS TAKEN [INTEREST]. <SHALL HE LIVE?> Immediately the ministering angels answer (ibid., cont.:) HE SHALL NOT LIVE. HE HAS COMMITTED ALL [THESE] ABOMINATIONS. HE SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH. Therefore Moses has said (in Exod. 22:24 [25]:) IF YOU LEND MONEY TO MY PEOPLE>….>

(Exod. 4:18, cont.:) AND HE SAID TO HIM: PLEASE LET ME GO AND RETURN TO MY KINSFOLK <IN EGYPT AND SEE WHETHER THEY ARE STILL ALIVE. AND JETHRO SAID TO MOSES: > [GO FOR PEACE]. Everyone of whom it is written, FOR PEACE, goes and returns; but everyone of whom it is written, GO IN PEACE, goes and does not return.⁷⁹Tanh., Exod. 1:21; Exod. R. 5:3; similarly Ber. 64a; MQ 29a. Concerning Abner it is written (in II Sam. 3:21): AND DAVID AWAY SENT ABNER, WHO WENT IN PEACE. He went and did not return, but Jethro said to Moses: GO FOR PEACE. He went and did return. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 4:18): AND JETHRO SAID TO MOSES: GO FOR PEACE.