Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 1

18The king of Egypt summoned the midwives and demanded of them, “Why have you done this and kept the boys alive?”   יחוַיִּקְרָ֤א מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ן מַדּ֥וּעַ עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ן הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים:
19The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women. They are skilled in giving birth. Before the midwife gets to them they have already given birth.”   יטוַתֹּאמַ֤רְןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה כִּ֣י לֹ֧א כַנָּשִׁ֛ים הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת כִּֽי־חָי֣וֹת הֵ֔נָּה בְּטֶ֨רֶם תָּב֧וֹא אֲלֵהֶ֛ן הַֽמְיַלֶּ֖דֶת וְיָלָֽדוּ:
כִּי חָיוֹת הֵנָּה - means: they are as skilled as midwives. The Aramaic translation of מְיַלְּדֹת “midwives” is חַיָּתָא. But our rabbis explained that the Hebrews were so called because they are compared to wild animals (חַיּוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה), which give birth independently and do not require midwives. And where are they compared to animals? “Judah is like a lion cub”; 1Benjamin is like a wolf that grabs”; 2Joseph’s preeminent descendant is a work-bull”; 3Naphtali is like a deer set loose.” 4 And as for those tribes about whom it is not written explicitly that they are compared to an animal – Scripture includes them in this simile, as it is written: “How your mother was like a fearsome lioness.” 5   כִּי חָיוֹת הֵנָּה.  בְּקִיאוֹת כַּמְיַלְּדוֹת, תַּרְגּוּם מְיַלְּדוֹת חַיָּתָא. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ הֲרֵי הֵן מְשׁוּלוֹת כְּחַיּוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה (סוטה י"א), שֶׁאֵינָן צְרִיכוֹת מְיַלְּדוֹת. וְהֵיכָן מְשׁוּלוֹת לְחַיּוֹת? גּוּר אַרְיֵה, זְאֵב יִטְרָף (בראשית מ"ט), בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ (דברים ל"ג), אַיָּלָה שְׁלֻחָה (בראשית מ"ט), וּמִי שֶׁלֹּא נִכְתַּב בּוֹ, הֲרֵי הַכָּתוּב כְּלָלָן וַיְבָרֶךְ אוֹתָם (שם), וְעוֹד כְּתִיב מָה אִמְּךָ לְבִיָּא (יחזקאל י"ט):
20God dealt kindly with the midwives. The people continued to increase and grew very strong.   כוַיֵּ֥יטֶב אֱלֹהִ֖ים לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת וַיִּ֧רֶב הָעָ֛ם וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ מְאֹֽד:
וַיֵּיטֶב - means “God did good for them.” The following is the difference between certain forms of a word that contains a two-letter root prefixed by וי: When it comes to express a causative (hif’il) sense, the י is vocalized with a tzeireh (יֵ), which is also known as a kamatz-katan, or with the similar vowel segol, e.g., וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים לַמְיַלְּדֹת “God (lit.) caused good for the midwives,” וַיֶּרֶב בְּבַת יְהוּדָה, 6 which means “He caused much anguish to the daughter of Judah,” and similarly וַיֶּגֶל הַשְּׁאֵרִית 7 regarding Nevuzaradan, which means “he caused the remnant to be exiled,” וַיֶּפֶן זָנָב אֶל זָנָב, 8 which means “he made the tails turn to one another.” All these are expressions of causing others to do something. But when it speaks in a simple active (kal) voice, the י is vocalized with a chirik (יִ), e.g., וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינָיו, 9 which literally means “it was good in his eyes,” and similarly וַיִּרֶב הָעָם (in this verse), which means “the people increased,” וַיִּגֶל יְהוּדָה, 10 which means “Judah was exiled,” וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה, 11 which means “he turned this way and that.” Now, do not respond to me in objection by citing these verbs: וַיֵּלֶךְ “he went,” וַיֵּשֶׁב “he sat,” וַיֵּרֶד “he descended,” and וַיֵּצֵא “he went out,” which are prefixed by וי and the י is vocalized with a tzeireh (יֵ), yet they are simple active forms and not causative forms, because they are not of the same class of verbs as those two-letter root verbs mentioned above, since the י is part of their root – יָצֹא, יָרֹד, יָשֹׁב, יָלֹךְ – the י being their third root letter.   וַיֵּיטֶב.  הֵטִיב לָהֶן. וְזֶה חִלּוּק בְּתֵבָה שֶׁיְּסוֹדָהּ שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת וְנָתַן לָהּ וָי"ו יוֹ"ד בְּרֹאשָׁהּ, כְּשֶׁהִיא בָאָה לְדַבֵּר לְשׁוֹן וַיַּפְעִיל הוּא נָקוּד הַיּוֹ"ד בְּצֵירֵי, שֶׁהוּא קָמָץ קָטָן, כְּגוֹן וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים לַמְיַלְּדֹת, "וַיֶּרֶב בְּבַת יְהוּדָה" (איכה ב'), – הִרְבָּה תַּאֲנִיָּה. וְכֵן "וַיֶּגֶל הַשְּׁאֵרִית" דִנְבוּזַרְאֲדָן (דברי הימים ב' ל"ו), – הִגְלָה אֶת הַשְּׁאֵרִית, "וַיֶּפֶן זָנָב אֶל זָנָב" (שופטים ט"ו) – הִפְנָה הַזְּנָבוֹת זוֹ לָזוֹ, כָּל אֵלּוּ לְשׁוֹן הִפְעִיל אֶת אֲחֵרִים; וּכְשֶׁהוּא מְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן וַיִּפְעַל, הוּא נָקוּד הַיּוֹ"ד בְּחִירִק, כְּגוֹן "וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינָיו" (ויקרא י'), לְשׁוֹן הוּטַב, וְכֵן וַיִּרֶב הָעָם, – נִתְרַבָּה הָעָם, "וַיִּגֶל יְהוּדָה" (מלכים ב כ"ה) – הָגְלָה יְהוּדָה, "וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה" (שמות ב׳:י״ב) – הִפְנָה לְכָאן וּלְכָאן. וְאַל תְּשִׁיבֵנִי וַיֵּלֶךְ, וַיֵּשֶׁב, וַיֵּרֶד, וַיֵּצֵא, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָן מִגִּזְרָתָן שֶׁל אֵלּוּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַיּוֹ"ד יְסוֹד בָּהֶן, יֵלֵךְ, יֵשֵׁב, יֵרֵד, יֵצֵא – י' אוֹת שְׁלִישִׁית בּוֹ:
וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים לַֽמְיַלְּדֹת - God dealt kindly with the midwives. And what was the good that He did for them?   וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים לַֽמְיַלְּדֹת.  מַהוּ הַטּוֹבָה?:
21Because the midwives feared God, He granted them dynasties.   כאוַיְהִ֕י כִּי־יָֽרְא֥וּ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם בָּתִּֽים:
וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם בָּתִּֽים - He made houses for them. The houses of the priesthood, the Levitic family, and the royal family, which are called houses, as it is written: And he built the house of the Lord and the house of the king, (I Kings 9:1) [sic], the priesthood and the Levitic family from Jochebed and the royal family from Miriam, as is stated in tractate Sotah (11b).   וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם בָּתִּֽים.  בָּתֵּי כְהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה וּמַלְכוּת שֶׁקְּרוּיִין בָּתִּים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "לִבְנוֹת אֶת בֵּית ה' וְאֶת בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ" (מלכים א ט׳:א׳), כְּהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה מִיּוֹכֶבֶד וּמַלְכוּת מִמִּרְיָם‪.‬ כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת סוֹטָה:‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
22Pharaoh then gave orders to all his people: “You must cast every boy who is born into the Nile, but you must make every girl live.”   כבוַיְצַ֣ו פַּרְעֹ֔ה לְכָל־עַמּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹ֑ר כָּל־הַבֵּ֣ן הַיִּלּ֗וֹד הַיְאֹ֨רָה֙ תַּשְׁלִיכֻ֔הוּ וְכָל־הַבַּ֖ת תְּחַיּֽוּן:
לְכָל־עַמּוֹ - All his people. Pharaoh made this decree even upon them, the Egyptians, for on the day Moses was born, Pharaoh’s astrologers said to him, “Today the savior of the Israelites was born, but we do not know if he was born to an Egyptian or to an Israelite; and we also foresee that he is destined to be stricken through water.” Therefore, Pharaoh made a decree on that day even upon the Egyptians, as the verse continues: “You must cast every boy who is born into the Nile,” and it does not say: “Every boy born to the Hebrews.” The astrologers, however, did not realize that their vision meant that Moses would ultimately be punished through the “water of contention.”   לְכָל־עַמּוֹ.  אַף עֲלֵיהֶם גָּזַר (סוטה י"ב), יוֹם שֶׁנּוֹלַד מֹשֶׁה אָמְרוּ לוֹ אִצְטַגְנִינָיו, הַיּוֹם נוֹלָד מוֹשִׁיעָן, וְאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים אִם מִמִּצְרַיִם אִם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וְרוֹאִין אָנוּ שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לִלְקוֹת בַּמַּיִם, לְפִיכָךְ גָּזַר אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם אַף עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד, וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר הַיִּלּוֹד לָעִבְרִים; וְהֵם לֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לִלְקוֹת עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה:

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 2

1A Levite man went and married Yocheved, Levi’s daughter.   אוַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִ֖ישׁ מִבֵּ֣ית לֵוִ֑י וַיִּקַּ֖ח אֶת־בַּת־לֵוִֽי:
וַיִּקַּח אֶת־בַּת־לֵוִי - And married Levi’s daughter. He had been previously married to her, but had then separated from her due to Pharaoh’s decree that all newborn babies be drowned, and he now married her again. This is the meaning of “he went” – he followed (i.e., “went after”) the advice of his daughter who said to him, “Your decree is worse than Pharaoh’s: whereas Pharaoh’s decree only affects the males, you have effectively decreed against the females as well!” He therefore took her back and married her a second time, and she also was turned into a young woman; she was then in her 130th year – for she was born within the walls of the city when Jacob’s family entered Egypt, and they remained there for 210 years, and when they left Egypt, Moses was 80 years old. Therefore, when she became pregnant with Moses from him, she was in her 130th year – yet the verse calls her “Levi’s daughter,indicating that she regained her youth.   וַיִּקַּח אֶת־בַּת־לֵוִי.  פָּרוּשׁ הָיָה מִמֶּנָּה מִפְּנֵי גְּזֵרַת פַּרְעֹה, וְהֶחֱזִירָהּ וְעָשָׂה בָהּ לִקּוּחִין שְׁנִיִּים, וְאַף הִיא נֶהֶפְכָה לִהְיוֹת נַעֲרָה; וּבַת ק"ל שָׁנָה הָיְתָה, שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה בְּבוֹאָם לְמִצְרַיִם בֵּין הַחוֹמוֹת, וּמָאתַיִם וָעֶשֶׂר נִשְׁתַּהוּ שָׁם, וּכְשֶׁיָּצְאוּ הָיָה מֹשֶׁה בֶּן שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה, אִם כֵּן כְּשֶׁנִּתְעַבְּרָה מִמֶּנּוּ הָיְתָה בַּת מֵאָה וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים וְקוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ בַּת לֵוִי (עי' סוטה י"ב, בבא בתרא קי"ט ושמות רבה):
2The woman conceived and gave birth to a son. Seeing how good he was, she kept him hidden for three months.   בוַתַּ֥הַר הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֹתוֹ֙ כִּי־ט֣וֹב ה֔וּא וַתִּצְפְּנֵ֖הוּ שְׁלשָׁ֥ה יְרָחִֽים:
כִּי־טוֹב הוּא - How good he was - for when he was born, the entire house became filled with light.   כִּי־טוֹב הוּא.  כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד נִתְמַלֵּא הַבַּיִת כֻּלּוֹ אוֹרָה (סוטה י"ב):
3When she could no longer hide him, she got him a wicker basket and caulked it with clay inside and pitch outside. She placed the child in it, and placed it among the rushes near the bank of the Nile River.   גוְלֹא־יָֽכְלָ֣ה עוֹד֘ הַצְּפִינוֹ֒ וַתִּקַח־לוֹ֙ תֵּ֣בַת גֹּ֔מֶא וַתַּחְמְרָ֥ה בַֽחֵמָ֖ר וּבַזָּ֑פֶת וַתָּ֤שֶׂם בָּהּ֙ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וַתָּ֥שֶׂם בַּסּ֖וּף עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר:
וְלֹא־יָֽכְלָה עוֹד הַצְּפִינוֹ - When she could no longer hide him - for the Egyptians had counted from the day that Amram, her husband, had remarried her; and she gave birth to Moses after just six months and a day – for a woman who gives birth during the seventh month of pregnancy can do so even after incomplete months – but the Egyptians checked on her only at the end of nine months, the normal term of pregnancy.   וְלֹא־יָֽכְלָה עוֹד הַצְּפִינוֹ.  שֶׁמָּנוּ לָהּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים מִיּוֹם שֶׁהֶחֱזִירָהּ, וְהִיא יְלָדַתּוּ לְשִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים וְיוֹם אֶחָד (שם), שֶׁהַיּוֹלֶדֶת לְשִׁבְעָה יוֹלֶדֶת לִמְקֻטָּעִין (נדה ל"ח), וְהֵם בָּדְקוּ אַחֲרֶיהָ לְסוֹף תִּשְׁעָה:
גֹּמֶא - Wicker. In Mishnaic Hebrew this is גֶּמִי, and in Old French it is “jonc.” It is a flexible substance that holds up to the pressure of both soft and hard things.   גֹּמֶא.  גְּמִי בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה (שבת ע"ח), וּבְלַעַז יונק"ו, וְדָבָר רַךְ הוּא וְעוֹמֵד בִּפְנֵי רַךְ וּבִפְנֵי קָשֶׁה (סוטה י"ב):
בַֽחֵמָר וּבַזָּפֶת - With clay and pitch - i.e., pitch on the outside with clay on the inside, so that the righteous Moses would not smell the bad odor of pitch.   בַֽחֵמָר וּבַזָּפֶת.  זֶפֶת מִבַּחוּץ וְטִיט מִבִּפְנִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָרִיחַ אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק רֵיחַ רַע שֶׁל זֶפֶת (שם):
וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף - And placed it among the rushes. סוּף is a term for a marsh, “rosel” in Old French (“reeds”). A similar example of this word is: “reeds and rushes (וָסוּף) break.” 12   וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף.  הוּא לְשׁוֹן אֲגַם, רושיי"ל בְּלַעַז, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ "קָנֶה וָסוּף קָמֵלוּ" (ישעיהו י"ט):
4His sister stationed herself at a distance to see what would become of him.   דוַתֵּֽתַצַּ֥ב אֲחֹת֖וֹ מֵֽרָחֹ֑ק לְדֵעָ֕ה מַה־יֵּֽעָשֶׂ֖ה לֽוֹ:
5Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe in the Nile. Her ladies-in-waiting walked along the Nile’s edge. She saw the basket among the rushes, and sent her maidservant, and she took it.   הוַתֵּ֤רֶד בַּת־פַּרְעֹה֙ לִרְחֹ֣ץ עַל־הַיְאֹ֔ר וְנַֽעֲרֹתֶ֥יהָ הֹֽלְכֹ֖ת עַל־יַ֣ד הַיְאֹ֑ר וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֶת־הַתֵּבָה֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַסּ֔וּף וַתִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֶת־אֲמָתָ֖הּ וַתִּקָּחֶֽהָ:
לִרְחֹץ עַל־הַיְאֹר - To bathe in the Nile. Invert the word order in the verse and thus explain it: “Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the Nile (עַל הַיְאֹר) to bathe (לִרְחֹץ) in it.”   לִרְחֹץ עַל־הַיְאֹר.  סָרֵס הַמִּקְרָא וּפָרְשֵׁהוּ וַתֵּרֶד בַּת־פַּרְעֹה עַל־הַיְאֹר לִרְחֹץ בו:
עַל־יַד הַיְאֹר - means “alongside the Nile.” A similar example of this meaning of עַל יַד is: “Look, Yo’av’s section of field is near mine (אֶל יָדִי).” 13 In this sense, יַד still denotes an actual hand, for a person’s hand is beside him. Our rabbis said that the word הֹלְכֹת (“walked”) here connotes dying, as in: “Look, I am going (הוֹלֵךְ) (lit. “walking”) to die” 14i.e., Pharaoh’s daughter’s ladies-in-waiting walked to their death because they objected to her saving the child. The text supports their explanation, for why else is it necessary to write “her ladies-in-waiting walked”?   עַל־יַד הַיְאֹר.  אֵצֶל הַיְאוֹר, כְמוֹ "רְאוּ חֶלְקַת יוֹאָב אֶל יָדִי" (שמואל ב י"ד), וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן יָד מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁיַּד הָאָדָם סְמוּכָה לוֹ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ, "הוֹלְכוֹת" לְשׁוֹן מִיתָה (סוטה י"ב), כְּמוֹ "הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת" (בראשית כ"ה) – הוֹלְכוֹת לָמוּת לְפִי שֶׁמִּחוּ בָהּ; וְהַכָּתוּב מְסַיְּעָן, כִּי לָמָּה לָנוּ לִכְתֹּב וְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ הוֹלְכוֹת:
אֶת־אֲמָתָהּ - means “her maidservant.” Our rabbis, however, explained it 15 as meaning “arm,” though according to the grammar of the holy tongue it should then have been vocalized אַמָּתָהּ, with a dagesh in the מ. Nevertheless they explained אֶת אֲמָתָהּ as meaning “her arm” to indicate that her arm miraculously extended many cubits (אַמּוֹת) in order for her to reach the basket.   אֶת־אֲמָתָהּ.  אֶת שִׁפְחָתָהּ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ (סוטה שם), לְשׁוֹן יָד, אֲבָל לְפִי דִּקְדּוּק לְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ הָיָה לוֹ לְהִנָּקֵד אַמָּתָהּ, דְּגוּשָׁה, וְהֵם דָּרְשׁוּ אֶת אֲמָתָהּ – אֶת יָדָהּ, וְנִשְׁתַּרְבְּבָה אַמָּתָהּ אַמּוֹת הַרְבֵּה:
6Opening the basket, she saw the baby. The boy was crying. She had pity on him. She said, “This is one of the Hebrew children.”   ווַתִּפְתַּח֙ וַתִּרְאֵ֣הוּ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וְהִנֵּה־נַ֖עַר בֹּכֶ֑ה וַתַּחְמֹ֣ל עָלָ֔יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִיַּלְדֵ֥י הָֽעִבְרִ֖ים זֶֽה:
וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ - (lit.) She opened it and saw him. Whom did she see? “The baby.” This is the straightforward meaning of the verse. But its Midrashic explanation is that she saw the Divine Presence with the child.   וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ.  אֶת מִי רָאֲתָה? את הילד, זֶהוּ פְּשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ (שם), שֶׁרָאֲתָה עִמּוֹ שְׁכִינָה:
וְהִנֵּה־נַעַר בֹּכֶה - (lit.) And behold, a youth crying - i.e., although he was a baby, his voice was like that of a youth.   וְהִנֵּה־נַעַר בֹּכֶה.  קוֹלוֹ כְּנַעַר (שם):
7His sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Should I go and call for you a Hebrew wet-nurse to nurse the child for you?”   זוַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֲחֹתוֹ֘ אֶל־בַּת־פַּרְעֹה֒ הַֽאֵלֵ֗ךְ וְקָרָ֤אתִי לָךְ֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה מֵינֶ֔קֶת מִ֖ן הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת וְתֵינִ֥ק לָ֖ךְ אֶת־הַיָּֽלֶד:
מִן הָֽעִבְרִיֹּת - A Hebrew [wet-nurse]. Miriam suggested bringing a Hebrew wet-nurse because Pharaoh’s daughter had handed the child to many Egyptian women to nurse, but he would not nurse from them, for he did not wish to defile his mouth since he was destined to speak with the Divine Presence.   מִן הָֽעִבְרִיֹּת.  שֶׁהֶחֱזִירַתּוּ עַל מִצְרִיּוֹת הַרְבֵּה לִינֹק וְלֹא יָנַק, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה עָתִיד לְדַבֵּר עִם הַשְּׁכִינָה (שם):
8Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” The girl went and called the child’s mother.   חוַתֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵ֑כִי וַתֵּ֨לֶךְ֙ הָֽעַלְמָ֔ה וַתִּקְרָ֖א אֶת־אֵ֥ם הַיָּֽלֶד:
וַתֵּלֶךְ הָֽעַלְמָה - The girl went. She went eagerly and with vigor (עַלְמוּת) like a youngster (עֶלֶם).   וַתֵּלֶךְ הָֽעַלְמָה.  הָלְכָה בִּזְרִיזוּת וְעַלְמוּת כְּעֶלֶם (שם):
9Pharaoh’s daughter said to Yocheved, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your fee.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.   טוַתֹּ֧אמֶר לָ֣הּ בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֗ה הֵילִ֜יכִי אֶת־הַיֶּ֤לֶד הַזֶּה֙ וְהֵֽינִקִ֣הוּ לִ֔י וַֽאֲנִ֖י אֶתֵּ֣ן אֶת־שְׂכָרֵ֑ךְ וַתִּקַּ֧ח הָֽאִשָּׁ֛ה הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַתְּנִיקֵֽהוּ:
הֵילִיכִי - Take. She was prophesying but did not realize what she was prophesying, for in effect she was saying: הֵי שֶׁלִּיכִי “here is what is yours.”   הֵילִיכִי.  נִתְנַבְּאָה וְלֹא יָדְעָה מַה נִּתְנַבְּאָה – הֵי שֶׁלִּיכִי:
10When the child grew up, Yocheved brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became like a son to her. She named him Moses [Moshe—“to draw out”], “for,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”   יוַיִּגְדַּ֣ל הַיֶּ֗לֶד וַתְּבִאֵ֨הוּ֙ לְבַת־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַֽיְהִי־לָ֖הּ לְבֵ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמוֹ֙ משֶׁ֔ה וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֥י מִן־הַמַּ֖יִם מְשִׁיתִֽהוּ:
מְשִׁיתִֽהוּ - I drew him out. Onkelos translates this as שְׁחַלְתֵּיהּ, which connotes “drawing out” in Aramaic, as we find: “like drawing out (כְּמִשְׁחַל) a hair from milk.” 16 But in Hebrew, מְשִׁיתִהוּ means “I removed him,” as in: לֹא יָמוּשׁ “it will not leave,” 17 and לֹא מָשׁוּ “they did not move from the camp.” 18 This is how Menachem ben Saruk classified it. I, however, say that it is not to be classified with מָשׁ and יָמוּשׁ, but is from the root משה which means “drawing out,” and is similar to: “He drew me out (יַמְשֵׁנִי) of many ravaging waters.” 19 For if it were of the same classification as מש, it would not be correct to say מְשִׁיתִהוּ (a kal form), but הֲמִישֹׁתִיהוּ (a hif’il-causative form) – just as one would say הֲקִימוֹתִי (“I erected”) from the root קם (“stood”), הֲשִׁיבוֹתִי (“I caused to return”) from the root שׁב (“returned”), and הֲבִיאוֹתִי (“I brought”) from the root בא (“came”) – or alternatively מַשְׁתִּיהוּ, similar to: “and I will remove (וּמַשְׁתִּי) the iniquity of that land.” 20 But the form מָשִׁיתִי as used here is derived only from a word whose verbal form has a ה as an end (third) root-letter, such as מָשָׁה “drew out,” בָּנָה “built,” עָשָׂה “made,” צִוָּה “commanded,” and פָּנָה “turned” – that when one wishes to express any of them in the first person singular past (פָּעַלְתִּי), a י takes the place of the ה; e.g., בָּנִיתִי “I built,” עָשִׂיתִי “I made,” פָּנִיתִי “I turned,” צִוִּיתִי “I commanded.”   מְשִׁיתִֽהוּ.  שְׁחַלִיתֵהּ, הוּא לְשׁוֹן הוֹצָאָה בְּלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי, "כְּמִשְׁחַל בִּינְתָא מֵחֲלָבָא", וּבְלְשׁוֹן עִבְרִי משיתיהו לְשׁוֹן הֲסִירוֹתִיו, כְּמוֹ לֹא יָמוּשׁ, לֹא מָשׁוּ, כָּךְ חִבְּרוֹ מְנַחֵם. וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִמַּחְבֶּרֶת מָשׁ וְיָמוּשׁ אֶלָּא מִגִּזְרַת מָשָׁה, וּלְשׁוֹן הוֹצָאָה הוּא, וְכֵן "יַמְשֵׁנִי מִמַּיִם רַבִּים", (שמואל ב כ"ב), שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה מִמַּחְבֶּרֶת מָשׁ לֹא יִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר מְשִׁיתִיהוּ אֶלָּא הֲמִישׁוֹתִיהוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר יֵאָמֵר מִן קָם הֲקִימוֹתִי, וּמִן שָׁב הֲשִׁיבוֹתִי, וּמִן בָּא הֲבִיאוֹתִי, אוֹ מַשְׁתִּיהוּ, כְּמוֹ "וּמַשְׁתִּי אֶת עֲוֹן הָאָרֶץ" (זכריה ג'), אֲבָל מָשִׁיתִי אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מִגִּזְרַת תֵּבָה שֶׁפֹּעַל שֶׁלָּהּ מְיֻסָּד בְּהֵ"א בְּסוֹף הַתֵּבָה, כְּגוֹן מָשָׁה, בָּנָה, עָשָׂה, צִוָּה, פָּנָה, כְּשֶׁיָּבֹא לוֹמַר בָּהֶם פָּעַלְתִּי, תָּבֹא הַיּוֹ"ד בִּמְקוֹם הֵ"א, כְּמוֹ בָּנִיתִי, עָשִׂיתִי, צִוִּיתִי: