ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף שמות 2:1

וילך משה, he was self-propelled, just as was Amram, Moses’ father who married his aunt Yocheved, daughter of Levi, and almost certainly many years his senior. (Exodus 2,1) Another of many uses of the word וילך meaning that the person described acted of their own initiative is found in Deut. 17,3 where the Jewish idolater described had not been seduced by anyone. After having concluded the matter of the covenant between G’d and this second generation of Israelites many of whom had not been born at the time of the Exodus, Moses now proceeds to comfort the people over his impending death. He does so in order that the joy over G’d having concluded this covenant with them should not be turned into sorrow over the prospect of his impending passing from the scene. Rejoicing over having been found fit to become a party to such a covenant is something natural, the psalmist in Psalms 149,2 speaking of Israel rejoicing with or over its Maker. Being in G’d’s presence, such as here, is always a joyful experience, as is offering sacrifices to Him, as we know from Deut. 27,7.when the occasion was to mark the erecting of the stones after the successful crossing of the river Jordan.

Our portion also teaches that it is appropriate to select a bride from amongst one’s family, as did Avraham (compare verse 4) for his son Yitzchak, and as did Amram who married Yocheved (an aunt, Exodus 2,1 something that the Torah forbade later on). Whenever people marry someone to whom they already have a natural affinity, such as members of their own family (excluding incest, of course), the likelihood of harmonious relations not only between husband and wife but between the mutual members of the respective families is enhanced.
If someone marries a wife from a lower social strata, there is a chance that he will feel superior to her and this will lead to bad blood and resentment on his wife’s part. The result will be an ongoing friction. Our sages in Pessachim 49, have described families who are cleaving to one another because they are all part of the same social strata as ענבי הגפן בענבי הגפן דבר נאה ומתקבל, “grapevines joining grapevines are something beautiful and acceptable.” The author continues in this vein, concluding with the quotation from Psalms 125,4 הטיבה ה’ לטובים ולישרים בלבותם, “Do good, O Lord to the good, to the upright in their heart.” The psalmist implores G-d to grant His blessing to people whose motivations in their choice of wife are guided by the principles we have just outlined. The psalm goes on by predicting that those who are guided by base motivations will join the path of the evildoers. When such clear lines of distinction are drawn between people who are sincere in their motivations and those who are not, Israel will be at peace (as one will not confuse one group with another).

And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew. Earlier (Genesis 11:31) it states And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law. This is because before Abram was promised that he would have children, he kept his distance from Sarah due to her being barren, since all those relations would not result in procreation. Therefore it states And Sarai was barren, she had no child. And immediately following this, And Terah took Abram etc. Because she was barren, he placed Lot between them. However, after He was told I will make you into a great nation and was promised children, it writes And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot, because the language of “took” indicates that it was as if he married her a second time, after having previously separated from her, similar to what is said A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi (Exodus 2:1). And what is written And Abram went as God had spoken to him and Lot went with him means that Lot went with him of his own accord, but Abram did not bring him close, and on the contrary distanced him, and [instead] took Sarai etc. Another explanation: Terah would prioritize his closest relatives, therefore he first took Abram his son, and then took Lot his grandson [because grandchildren are like children], and afterward took his daughter-in-law Sarai. But Abram first took Sarai his wife because a wife is like one’s own body, and only afterward took Lot who was not like his own body.

יוכבד דדתו JOCHEBED HIS AUNT — The Targum has: his father’s sister; she was daughter of Levi (cf. Exodus 2:1) and sister of Kohath.