מֽוֹשִׁיבִ֨י ׀ עֲקֶ֬רֶת הַבַּ֗יִת אֵֽם־הַבָּנִ֥ים שְׂמֵחָ֗ה הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃
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Midrash Aggadah
A man of the house of Levi went, etc. And where did he go? This teaches that he went after his daughter's advice. For Amram was the leader of the generation. When he saw the evil Pharaoh's decree, he said, "We are toiling for naught." He arose and divorced his wife. So they all arose and divorced their wives. His daughter said to him, "Father, your decree is harsher than the evil Pharaoh’s, as Pharaoh decreed only against the males, and you decreed against the males and the females. Pharaoh only decreed in this world, but you [decreed] in this world and in the next. Pharaoh is wicked, and it is uncertain whether his decree will be fulfilled or whether it will not be fulfilled. However, you are righteous, and your decree will certainly be fulfilled." As it is stated: You will decree, and it will be fulfilled (Job 22:28). He immediately arose and remarried his wife. All of them arose and remarried their wives. But why does it say, "he took"; it needs [to say], "he took back!" Rather it teaches that he took her with the trappings of a wedding. He placed her in a palanquin, and Aharon and Miriam were dancing before her while the ministering angels were saying, "A happy mother of children" [alluding to Psalms 113:9].
Shemot Rabbah
“A man from the house of Levi went and he took a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1).
“A man from the house of Levi [went].” Where did he go? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Zevina said: He followed the counsel of his daughter. It is taught: Amram was the preeminent scholar of his generation, etc. (see above, Shemot Rabba 1:13). “And he took a daughter of Levi.” And he remarried is not written, but rather, “he took.” Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Zevina said: He performed an act of marriage and he seated her on a litter and Miriam and Aaron were dancing before them and the ministering angels were saying: “The mother of the sons is joyous” (Psalms 113:9).
“A daughter of Levi.” Is it possible that she was one hundred and thirty years old and she is called a “daughter”? Didn’t Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina say: She was Yokheved, and she was conceived on the way and was born within the walls,46She was born as Jacob and his descendants arrived in Egypt. as it is stated: “Who was born to Levi in Egypt” (Numbers 26:59); her birth was in Egypt but not her conception. And [yet] she is called a “daughter”? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Zevina said: Signs of young womanhood developed in her.
“A man from the house of Levi [went].” Where did he go? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Zevina said: He followed the counsel of his daughter. It is taught: Amram was the preeminent scholar of his generation, etc. (see above, Shemot Rabba 1:13). “And he took a daughter of Levi.” And he remarried is not written, but rather, “he took.” Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Zevina said: He performed an act of marriage and he seated her on a litter and Miriam and Aaron were dancing before them and the ministering angels were saying: “The mother of the sons is joyous” (Psalms 113:9).
“A daughter of Levi.” Is it possible that she was one hundred and thirty years old and she is called a “daughter”? Didn’t Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina say: She was Yokheved, and she was conceived on the way and was born within the walls,46She was born as Jacob and his descendants arrived in Egypt. as it is stated: “Who was born to Levi in Egypt” (Numbers 26:59); her birth was in Egypt but not her conception. And [yet] she is called a “daughter”? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Zevina said: Signs of young womanhood developed in her.
Shemot Rabbah
“His sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter: Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” (Exodus 2:7).
“His sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, etc.” Why did Miriam say: “From the Hebrew women”? Was it prohibited for Moses to nurse from the milk of a gentile woman? That is not what we learned: A Jewish woman may not nurse the son of a gentile woman, but a gentile woman may nurse the son of a Jewish woman on [the Jewish woman’s] property (Avoda Zara 26a). Why did she say so? It is because [Pharaoh’s daughter] had passed Moses around to all the Egyptian women to nurse him, but he rejected them all. Why did he reject them? The Holy One blessed be He said: Shall the mouth that is destined to speak with Me imbibe an impure substance? That is what is written: “To whom will one teach knowledge, [and who can understand a lesson? Those weaned from milk, detached from breasts”] (Isaiah 28:9). To whom will [God] teach knowledge? To those weaned from milk, etc. Alternatively, why did he reject their breasts? The Holy One blessed be He said: This one is destined to speak with Me. Tomorrow the Egyptian women will say: ‘This one who is speaking with the Divine Spirit, I nursed him.’
“Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: Go. The girl went and called the mother of the child” (Exodus 2:8).
“The girl [alma] went.” Why did the verse call her alma? It is because she went with alacrity.57Alma typically refers to a young adult woman. Rabbi Shmuel said: It is because she was guarded in her words.58She did not tell Pharaoh’s daughter that she was the child’s sister and that she was calling child’s mother.
“Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages. The woman took the child and she nursed him” (Exodus 2:9).
“Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: Take [heilikhi].” Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: She prophesied, but she did not know what she prophesied: Heilikhi, he is yours.59The term heilikhi is interpreted as though it was two words: Hei likhi, this is yours.
“And I will give you your wages.” Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is not enough for the righteous that their lost items are returned to them; they also receive a reward.
“The woman took the child and she nursed him.” At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He gave her a partial reward. She had sustained the children, and likewise, the Holy One blessed be He returned her son to her and gave her wages.
“His sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, etc.” Why did Miriam say: “From the Hebrew women”? Was it prohibited for Moses to nurse from the milk of a gentile woman? That is not what we learned: A Jewish woman may not nurse the son of a gentile woman, but a gentile woman may nurse the son of a Jewish woman on [the Jewish woman’s] property (Avoda Zara 26a). Why did she say so? It is because [Pharaoh’s daughter] had passed Moses around to all the Egyptian women to nurse him, but he rejected them all. Why did he reject them? The Holy One blessed be He said: Shall the mouth that is destined to speak with Me imbibe an impure substance? That is what is written: “To whom will one teach knowledge, [and who can understand a lesson? Those weaned from milk, detached from breasts”] (Isaiah 28:9). To whom will [God] teach knowledge? To those weaned from milk, etc. Alternatively, why did he reject their breasts? The Holy One blessed be He said: This one is destined to speak with Me. Tomorrow the Egyptian women will say: ‘This one who is speaking with the Divine Spirit, I nursed him.’
“Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: Go. The girl went and called the mother of the child” (Exodus 2:8).
“The girl [alma] went.” Why did the verse call her alma? It is because she went with alacrity.57Alma typically refers to a young adult woman. Rabbi Shmuel said: It is because she was guarded in her words.58She did not tell Pharaoh’s daughter that she was the child’s sister and that she was calling child’s mother.
“Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages. The woman took the child and she nursed him” (Exodus 2:9).
“Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: Take [heilikhi].” Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: She prophesied, but she did not know what she prophesied: Heilikhi, he is yours.59The term heilikhi is interpreted as though it was two words: Hei likhi, this is yours.
“And I will give you your wages.” Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is not enough for the righteous that their lost items are returned to them; they also receive a reward.
“The woman took the child and she nursed him.” At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He gave her a partial reward. She had sustained the children, and likewise, the Holy One blessed be He returned her son to her and gave her wages.