בְּכ֨וֹר שׁוֹר֜וֹ הָדָ֣ר ל֗וֹ וְקַרְנֵ֤י רְאֵם֙ קַרְנָ֔יו בָּהֶ֗ם עַמִּ֛ים יְנַגַּ֥ח יַחְדָּ֖ו אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְהֵם֙ רִבְב֣וֹת אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְהֵ֖ם אַלְפֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃ (ס)
Его первородный тельец, его величество; А его рога - это рога дикого быка; С ними он будет накапливать все народы, даже края земли; И это десять тысяч Ефремов, и это тысячи Манассии.
Midrash Tanchuma
And I have oxen. This implies that I have no need to fear you (he was thinking to himself), for now Joseph is born, who is called an ox, as is said: His firstling ox, majesty is his (Deut. 33:17). Asses. The word ass alludes to the Messiah the son of David, as it is said: Lowly and riding upon an ass (Zech. 9:9). Flocks refers to the merit of the tribes, whose descendants will be called flock, as is said: And ye My sheep, the flock of My pasture (Ezek. 34:31).
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
R. Jochanan said in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai: "What does the passage (Is. 32, 20) Happy are ye that sow beside all waters, freely sending forth the feet of the ox and the ass, mean? Those who occupy themselves with the study of the Torah with loving kindness will be rewarded with the inheritance of two tribes; as it is said (Ib., ib., ib.) Happy are ye who sow. Sowing, refers to charity, as it is said (Hos. 10, 12) Sow then for yourselves after righteousness, that you may reap [the fruit] of kindness. Water, refers to the Torah, as it is said (Is. 55, 1) Ho, everyone of ye that thirsteth, come ye to the water — will be rewarded with the inheritance of two tribes; i.e., he will be rewarded with a canopy [of honor] as Joseph was, concerning whom it is written (Ex. 79, 22) Joseph is a canopy [of honor] … the daughters [of Egypt] run over the walls; and he will also be rewarded with the inheritance of Issachar, concerning whom it is written (Ib.) Issachar is a strong-boned ass. Others explain this to mean that he will overcome his enemies as the tribe of Joseph, concerning whom it is written (Ib., ib. 17) With them shall he push nations together to the ends of the earth — and he acquires understanding as the tribe of Issachar, concerning whom it is written (I. Chr. 12, 32) And of the children of Issachar, those who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do."
Shemot Rabbah
The midwives said to Pharaoh: Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, as they are vigorous; before the midwife comes to them, they have delivered (Exodus 1:19).
“As they are vigorous [ḥayot].” If you say that they are midwives,32One of the interpretations of the Hebrew word ḥaya is midwife. does one midwife not require another midwife to assist her? Rather, this is what they said to him: This nation is analogized to the beasts of the field, which do not require midwives. Judah is likened to a lion, as it is written: “Judah is a lion’s cub (Genesis 49:9); Dan, “Dan will be a serpent [on the road]” (Genesis 49:17); Naftali, “a hind let loose” (Genesis 49:21); Issachar is “a strong-boned donkey” (Genesis 49:14); Joseph, “a firstborn bull” (Deuteronomy 33:17); Benjamin is “a wolf that claws” (Genesis 49:27). Regarding the rest it is written: “How your mother was a lioness, she lay among lions” (Ezekiel 19:2).
God was good to the midwives; the people increased and they grew very mighty (Exodus 1:20).
“God was good to the midwives.” What was this good? The king of Egypt accepted their explanations and did not harm them.
Alternatively, “God was good,” Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya ben Rabbi Abba: That is what is written: “He said to man: Behold, fear of the Lord, that is wisdom” (Job 28:28). What is the reward for fear? It is Torah. Because Yokheved feared the Holy One blessed be He, He produced Moses, of whom it is written: “That he was good” (Exodus 2:2), from her. And the Torah, that is called “a good acquisition” (Proverbs 4:2), was given through him, and it is called after his name, as it is stated: “Remember the Torah of Moses My servant” (Malachi 3:22).
As for Miriam, Betzalel, who was filled with wisdom, as it is written: “I filled him with the spirit of God, [with wisdom]” (Exodus 31:3), emerged from her. And he crafted an ark for the Torah, which is called “good” – that is: “God was good to the midwives.”
“The people increased,” to fulfill what is stated: “Who is it who says and it is realized, if the Lord did not command it?” (Lamentations 3:37). If Pharaoh commanded to kill all the males, to what avail was his decree when God did not command it? Rather: “The people increased and they grew very mighty.”
“As they are vigorous [ḥayot].” If you say that they are midwives,32One of the interpretations of the Hebrew word ḥaya is midwife. does one midwife not require another midwife to assist her? Rather, this is what they said to him: This nation is analogized to the beasts of the field, which do not require midwives. Judah is likened to a lion, as it is written: “Judah is a lion’s cub (Genesis 49:9); Dan, “Dan will be a serpent [on the road]” (Genesis 49:17); Naftali, “a hind let loose” (Genesis 49:21); Issachar is “a strong-boned donkey” (Genesis 49:14); Joseph, “a firstborn bull” (Deuteronomy 33:17); Benjamin is “a wolf that claws” (Genesis 49:27). Regarding the rest it is written: “How your mother was a lioness, she lay among lions” (Ezekiel 19:2).
God was good to the midwives; the people increased and they grew very mighty (Exodus 1:20).
“God was good to the midwives.” What was this good? The king of Egypt accepted their explanations and did not harm them.
Alternatively, “God was good,” Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya ben Rabbi Abba: That is what is written: “He said to man: Behold, fear of the Lord, that is wisdom” (Job 28:28). What is the reward for fear? It is Torah. Because Yokheved feared the Holy One blessed be He, He produced Moses, of whom it is written: “That he was good” (Exodus 2:2), from her. And the Torah, that is called “a good acquisition” (Proverbs 4:2), was given through him, and it is called after his name, as it is stated: “Remember the Torah of Moses My servant” (Malachi 3:22).
As for Miriam, Betzalel, who was filled with wisdom, as it is written: “I filled him with the spirit of God, [with wisdom]” (Exodus 31:3), emerged from her. And he crafted an ark for the Torah, which is called “good” – that is: “God was good to the midwives.”
“The people increased,” to fulfill what is stated: “Who is it who says and it is realized, if the Lord did not command it?” (Lamentations 3:37). If Pharaoh commanded to kill all the males, to what avail was his decree when God did not command it? Rather: “The people increased and they grew very mighty.”