Sotah 24

אגם כדכתיב (ישעיהו יט, ו) קנה וסוף קמלו

It means reeds, as it is written: The reeds and flags shall wither away.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XIX, 6. ');">¹</span> And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 5. ');">²</span>

ותרד בת פרעה לרחוץ על היאור א"ר יוחנן משום ר' שמעון בן יוחי מלמד שירדה לרחוץ מגלולי אביה וכן הוא אומר (ישעיהו ד, ד) אם רחץ ה' את צואת בנות ציון וגו'

R. Johanan said in the name of R. Simeon b. Yohai: It teaches that she went down there to cleanse herself of her father's idols;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since immersion is part of the ceremony of conversion, it is assumed that she became a proselyte. ');">³</span> and thus it says: When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. IV, 4. ');">⁴</span>

ונערותיה הולכות וגו' א"ר יוחנן אין הליכה זו אלא לשון מיתה וכן הוא אומר (בראשית כה, לב) הנה אנכי הולך למות

And her maidens walked along etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 5. ');">⁵</span> R. Johanan said: The word for 'walk' means nothing else than death; and thus it says: Behold I am going to die.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXV, 32. ');">⁶</span>

(שמות ב, ה) ותרא את התיבה בתוך הסוף כיון דחזו דקא בעו לאצולי למשה אמרו לה גבירתנו מנהגו של עולם מלך בשר ודם גוזר גזירה אם כל העולם כולו אין מקיימין אותה בניו ובני ביתו מקיימין אותה ואת עוברת על גזירת אביך בא גבריאל וחבטן בקרקע

And she saw the ark among the reeds.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 5. ');">²</span> When [the maidens] saw that she wished to rescue Moses, they said to her, 'Mistress, it is the custom of the world that when a human king makes a decree, though everybody else does not obey it, at least his children and the members of his household obey it; but thou dost transgress thy father's decree!' Gabriel came and beat them to the ground.

ותשלח את אמתה ותקחה ר' יהודה ור' נחמיה חד אמר ידה וחד אמר שפחתה מ"ד ידה דכתיב אמתה ומ"ד שפחתה מדלא כתיב ידה

And sent her handmaid to fetch it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 5. ');">²</span> — R. Judah and R. Nehemiah [differ in their interpretation]; one said that the word means 'her hand' and the other said that it means 'her handmaid'. He who said that it means 'her hand' did so because it is written ammathah;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The text could be read either as amathah 'her maid' or 'ammathah 'her arm'. The Targum of Onkelos renders by 'her arm'. ');">⁷</span>

ולמ"ד שפחתה הא אמרת בא גבריאל וחבטן בקרקע דשייר לה חדא דלאו אורחא דבת מלכא למיקם לחודה

he who said that it means 'her handmaid' did so because the text has not yadah [her hand]. But according to him who said that it means 'her handmaid', it has just been stated that Gabriel came and beat them to the ground!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Therefore they were all dead; so how could the princess send her handmaid? ');">⁸</span> — He left her one, because it is not customary for a king's daughter to be unattended. But according to him who said that it means 'her hand', the text should have been yadah! — It teaches us that [her arm] became lengthened; for a master has said: You find it so<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The lengthening of a limb, v. Meg. 15b.] ');">⁹</span>

ולמאן דאמר ידה ליכתוב ידה הא קמ"ל דאישתרבב אישתרבובי דאמר מר וכן אתה מוצא באמתה של בת פרעה וכן אתה מוצא בשיני רשעים דכתיב (תהלים ג, ח) שני רשעים שברת ואמר ריש לקיש אל תיקרי שברת אלא שריבבתה

with the arm of Pharaoh's daughter and similarly with the teeth of the wicked, as it is written: Thou hast broken [shibbarta] the teeth of the wicked,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. III, 8. ');">¹⁰</span> and Resh Lakish said: Read not shibbarta but shirbabta [thou has lengthened].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The reference is to Og, King of Bashan, v. Ber. 54b.] ');">¹¹</span>

ותפתח ותראהו את הילד ותרא מיבעי ליה א"ר יוסי ברבי חנינא שראתה שכינה עמו

She opened it and saw the child<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 6. The text is literally: she saw him the child. ');">¹²</span> — it should have been 'and saw'. R. Jose b. R. Hanina said: She saw the <i>Shechinah</i> with him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The suffix hu (him) is explained as God and the particle eth as 'with' and not the sign of the accusative: she saw Him with the child'. ');">¹³</span>

והנה נער בכה קרי ליה ילד וקרי ליה נער תנא הוא ילד וקולו כנער דברי רבי יהודה אמר לו רבי נחמיה א"כ עשיתו למשה רבינו בעל מום אלא מלמד שעשתה לו אמו חופת נעורים בתיבה אמרה שמא לא אזכה לחופתו

And, behold, the boy wept<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 6. The text is literally: she saw him the child. ');">¹²</span> — he is called a 'child' and then a 'boy'! — A Tanna taught: He was a child but his voice was like that of a grown boy; such is the view of R. Judah. R. Nehemiah said to him, If so, you have made our master Moses into one possessed of a blemish;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' His voice would be abnormal, and this disqualified a Levite from the Temple-ministry. ');">¹⁴</span>

ותחמול עליו ותאמר מילדי העברים זה מנא ידעה א"ר יוסי ברבי חנינא שראתה אותו מהול

but it teaches that his mother made for him a canopy [such as is used at the marriage] of boys<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Or. 'canopy of youth', i.e., a bridal canopy.] ');">¹⁵</span> in the ark, saying: 'Perhaps I may not be worthy [to be present at] his marriage-canopy'.

זה א"ר יוחנן מלמד שנתנבאה שלא מדעתה זה נופל ואין אחר נופל

And she had compassion on him and said: Of the Hebrews' children is this.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 6. The text is literally: she saw him the child. ');">¹²</span> How did she know it? — R. Jose b. R. Hanina said: Because she saw that he was circumcised. 'Is this' — R. Johanan said: It teaches that she unwittingly prophesied that 'this' one will fall [into the river] but no other will fall.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because on that day the decree to drown the males was rescinded. ');">¹⁶</span>

והיינו דאמר רבי אלעזר מאי דכתיב (ישעיהו ח, יט) וכי יאמרו אליכם דרשו אל האובות ואל הידעונים המצפצפים והמהגים צופין ואינם יודעין מה צופין מהגים ואינן יודעים מה מהגים

That is what R. Eleazar said: What means the text: And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. VIII, 19. ');">¹⁷</span> They foresee and know not what they foresee; they mutter and know not what they mutter. They saw that Israel's saviour would be punished through water; so they arose and decreed, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. I, 22. ');">¹⁸</span>

ראו שמושיען של ישראל במים הוא לוקה עמדו וגזרו כל הבן הילוד היאורה תשליכוהו כיון דשדיוה למשה אמרו תו לא חזינן כי ההוא סימנא בטלו לגזירתייהו והם אינן יודעין שעל מי מריבה הוא לוקה

After they had thrown Moses [into the water], they said: 'We do not see that sign any longer';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Indicating that the peril to Pharaoh was averted by this action. ');">¹⁹</span> they thereupon rescinded their decree. But they knew not that he was to be punished through the water of Meribah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [And that this was the meaning of the sign they had seen.] ');">²⁰</span>

והיינו דאמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא מאי דכתיב (במדבר כ, יג) המה מי מריבה אשר רבו המה שראו איצטגניני פרעה וטעו והיינו דקאמר משה (במדבר יא, כא) שש מאות אלף רגלי וגו' אמר להן משה לישראל בשבילי נצלתם כולכם

That is what R. Hama b. Hanina said: What means the text: These are the waters of Meribah, because they strove?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XX. 13. ');">²¹</span> These are [the waters] about which Pharaoh's magicians saw and erred; and concerning this Moses said: Six hundred thousand footmen etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XI, 21. Footmen is in Hebrew ragli which can also mean 'for my sake'. ');">²²</span>

ר' חנינא בר פפא אמר אותו היום עשרים ואחד בניסן היה אמרו מלאכי השרת לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם מי שעתיד לומר שירה על הים ביום זה ילקה ביום זה

Moses said to Israel, 'On my account were all of you delivered [from drowning by the edict of Pharaoh]'. R. Hanina b. Papa said: That day<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [On which Moses was cast into the Sea.] ');">²³</span>

רבי אחא בר חנינא אמר אותו היום ששה בסיון היה אמרו מלאכי השרת לפני הקב"ה רבש"ע מי שעתיד לקבל תורה מהר סיני ביום זה ילקה ביום זה

was the twenty-first of Nisan,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first month in the Jewish year. It was on that day later on that the Egyptians were drowned. ');">²⁴</span> and the Ministering Angels spoke before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Lord of the Universe! Shall he who will utter a song to Thee by the Red Sea on this day be punished on this day?' R. Aha b. Hanina said: That day was the sixth of Sivan,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The third month, the date of the Revelation. ');">²⁵</span>

בשלמא למ"ד בששה בסיון משכחת לה ג' ירחי דאמר מר בשבעה באדר מת ובשבעה באדר נולד משה ומשבעה באדר ועד ששה בסיון תלתא ירחי אלא למ"ד בעשרים ואחד בניסן היכי משכחת לה

and the Ministering Angels spoke before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Lord of the Universe! Shall he who will receive the Torah on Mount Sinai on this day be punished on this day?' It is quite right according to him who said that it was the sixth of Sivan, for then it occurred three months [after his birth]; for a master has said: Moses died on the seventh of Adar<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The twelfth month. ');">²⁶</span> and was born on the seventh of Adar, and from the seventh of Adar to the sixth of Sivan is three months. But according to him who said that it was the twenty-first of Nisan, how could it have been?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The difference between the two dates is only one month and fourteen days. ');">²⁷</span>

אותה שנה מעוברת היתה רובו של ראשון ורובו של אחרון ואמצעי שלם

— That year was a leap year;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When a thirteenth month is inserted between Adar and Nisan. ');">²⁸</span> the greater part of the first [Adar] and the greater part of the last [Nisan] and a full month in between.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This gives in round figures the three months required. ');">²⁹</span>

ותאמר אחותו אל בת פרעה האלך וקראתי לך אשה מינקת מן העבריות ומאי שנא מעבריות

Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 7. ');">³⁰</span> Why just 'of the Hebrew women'? — It teaches that they handed Moses about to all the Egyptian women but he would not suck. He<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Some authorities explain 'He' as referring to God. ');">³¹</span>

מלמד שהחזירוהו למשה על כל המצריות כולן ולא ינק אמר פה שעתיד לדבר עם השכינה יינק דבר טמא והיינו דכתיב (ישעיהו כח, ט) את מי יורה דעה וגו' למי יורה דעה ולמי יבין שמועה לגמולי מחלב ולעתיקי משדים

said: Shall a mouth which will speak with the <i>Shechinah</i> suck what is unclean! That is what is written: Whom will He teach knowledge etc.?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXVIII, 9. ');">³²</span> — To whom will He teach knowledge and to whom will He make the message understandable? To them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

ותאמר לה בת פרעה לכי וגו' א"ר אלעזר מלמד שהלכה בזריזות כעלמה ר' שמואל בר נחמני אמר העלמה שהעלימה את דבריה

And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Go etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 8. ');">³³</span> R. Eleazar said: It teaches that she went quickly like a young woman.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The word in the verse 'almah 'maid' is connected with its analogous root in Aramaic which means 'to be vigorous'. ');">³⁴</span>

ותאמר לה בת פרעה היליכי את הילד הזה אמר רבי חמא בר' חנינא מתנבאה ואינה יודעת מה מתנבאה היליכי הא שליכי ואני אתן את שכרך א"ר חמא בר' חנינא לא דיין לצדיקים שמחזירין להן אבידתן אלא שנותנין להן שכרן

R. Samuel b. Nahmani said: [She is called] the maid ['almah] because she made the words secret.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Alam means 'to hide'; she did not disclose her relationship to the child. ');">³⁵</span> And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 9. ');">³⁶</span>

(שמות טו, כ) ותקח מרים הנביאה אחות אהרן וגו' אחות אהרן ולא אחות משה אמר רב עמרם אמר רב ואמרי לה אמר רב נחמן אמר רב מלמד שהיתה מתנבאה כשהיא אחות אהרן

R. Hama b. Hanina said: She prophesied without knowing what she prophesied — Heliki ['take away'] — behold what is thine [ha sheliki]. And I will give thee thy wages.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 9. ');">³⁶</span> R. Hama b. Hanina said: Not enough that the righteous have their loss restored to them but they also receive their reward in addition. And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XV, 20. ');">³⁷</span> The 'sister of Aaron' and not the sister of Moses! — R. Amram said in the name of Rab, and according to others it was R. Nahman who said in the name of Rab: It teaches that she prophesied while she yet was the sister of Aaron only<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Before Moses' birth. ');">³⁸</span>