Midrash sa Isaias 19:6: Shemot Rabbah, Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition) & Sifra

“She took for him a wicker basket” – why wicker? Rabbi Elazar said: Because for the righteous, their property is dearer to them than their bodies. Why to that extent? It is because they do not extend their hands in robbery. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It is a pliable material that can withstand both soft and hard items.
“And coated it with clay and with pitch” – clay inside and pitch outside, so that this righteous one would not smell a foul odor.
“She placed the child in it [and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the Nile].” Rabbi Elazar said: The Sea of Reeds, as the Sea of Reeds reaches as far as the Nile. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: A marsh, as it is stated: “Cane and reeds will wither” (Isaiah 19:6). ⁴⁸Meaning, the reeds mentioned in the verse are not a reference to the Sea of Reeds, but to actual reeds that grow in the shallow waters of a lake or river. Why did she cast him into the Nile? So that the astrologers would think that he had already been cast into the water and they would no longer search for him.

(Ib., ib., ib.) She took for him a box of bulrushes. Why bulrushes? Said R. Elazar: "Infer from this, that wealth is as dear to the righteous as their own body. The reason therefore, is because they do not stretch their hands for things that do not belong to them." R. Simon b. Nachmeni said: "She made them out of bulrushes because it is soft, and could stand (and not be overthrown) by a soft or hard thing. And daubed it with slime and with pitch. We are taught: Slime was inside and pitch outside so that this righteous (Moses) shall not smell the bad odor. (Ib., ib., ib.) And she put the child therein and laid it (basuff) amidst the flags, by the brinks of the river. R. Elazar says: "She put him in the Red Sea." R. Simon R. Nachmeni, however, said: (Ib. b) "She put him in the reeds, as it is written (Is. 19, 6) Reeds (Suff) and flags shall wither."

1) (Vayikra 22:1-2) ("And the L–rd spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and to his sons that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they not profane My holy name, which they make holy to me; I am the L–rd.") "and that they separate themselves ("veyinozru"): "nezirah" connotes separation, as it is written (Ezekiel 14:7) "who separates himself ("veyinazer") from Me and brings up his idols," and (Isaiah 1:4) "They have turned back" ("nazoru acher") (i.e., separated). "from the holy things of the children of Israel": They are liable for piggul [inappropriate intention), nothar (viz. Isaiah 19:6), and uncleanliness in respect to the offerings of the children of Israel, but not in respect to the offerings of gentiles. "the holy things of the children of Israel": This tells me only of the holy things of the children of Israel. Whence do we derive the same for their own holy things? From "which they make holy to Me" — to include all (holy things).