Literatura Drugiej Świątyni do Wyjścia 1:21

[3] It accords with this too that the midwives, since they feared God, made houses for themselves (Exod. 1:21); for such(souls) as make a quest of God’s hidden mysteries—and this is what is meant by “saving the males’ lives” or “bringing the males to the birth”—build up the cause of virtue, and in this they have elected to have their abode. By these instances it has been made clear how the bad man is without a city or home, being an exile from virtue, while the good man has received it as his lot to have wisdom for both city and dwelling.

“Seventy-five years old.” Seventy is the number of the higher mind and reason (198–202), five of the senses (203–206), and both these are proved by many texts (203–206). The combination indicates an intermediate and necessary stage in the soul’s progress (207). And so Rebecca bids Jacob even in his hour of triumph fly to Haran, for compromise with the senses is often necessary for a time (208–213). Yet Jacob also will ultimately leave Haran and “make a house for himself,” that is, “the fear of God” which won, according to Ex. 1:21 “ ‘their houses’ for the midwives” (214–215).

[215] To such souls it is customary to give the name of “midwives,” for, like the midwives in Egypt, these make places of shelter and security fit for virtue-loving souls: and the fear of God is as of old the most sure dwelling-place for those who have made Him their guard and impregnable fastness. For it says, “Since the midwives feared God, they made for themselves houses” (Ex. 1:21).