Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 2

11In those days, Moses was elevated to a position of authority. He went out to his brethren and observed their suffering. He saw an Egyptian taskmaster striking one of Moses’ fellow Hebrews.   יאוַיְהִ֣י | בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיִּגְדַּ֤ל משֶׁה֙ וַיֵּצֵ֣א אֶל־אֶחָ֔יו וַיַּ֖רְא בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיַּרְא֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מַכֶּ֥ה אִֽישׁ־עִבְרִ֖י מֵֽאֶחָֽיו:
וַיִּגְדַּל משֶׁה - (lit.) Moses grew up. But did not Scripture already write: “The child grew up”? 1 Rabbi Yehudah b’Rabbi Il’ai answered: The first verse refers to his growth in physical stature, and the second to his growth in status, meaning that Pharaoh put him in charge of his household.   וַיִּגְדַּל משֶׁה.  וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר כָּתַב וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד? אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי אִלְעַאי, הָרִאשׁוֹן לְקוֹמָה וְהַשֵּׁנִי לִגְדֻלָּה, שֶׁמִּנָּהוּ פַּרְעֹה עַל בֵּיתוֹ (ילקוט שמעוני):
וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם - And observed their suffering - i.e., he set his eyes and heart on being distressed about their plight.   וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם.  נָתַן עֵינָיו וְלִבּוֹ לִהְיוֹת מֵצֵר עֲלֵיהֶם (שמות רבה א'):
אִישׁ מִצְרִי - An Egyptian. He was a taskmaster in charge of the Israelite foremen, and he would make them get up at the first crow of the rooster for their work.   אִישׁ מִצְרִי.  נוֹגֵשׂ הָיָה מְמֻנֶּה עַל שׁוֹטְרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהָיָה מַעֲמִידָם מִקְּרוֹת הַגֶּבֶר לִמְלַאכְתָּם (שם):
מַכֶּה אִישׁ עִבְרִי - Striking a Hebrew - i.e., beating him and afflicting him. This Hebrew was the husband of Shelomit daughter of Dibri. The Egyptian had set his eyes upon her, so one night he made her husband get up and leave the house. The Egyptian then went back into the house and had carnal relations with the Hebrew’s wife, who thought it was her husband. The husband then returned home and realized what had happened, and when that Egyptian saw that the husband was aware of what had happened, he would beat him and afflict him all day.   מַכֶּה אִישׁ עִבְרִי.  מַלְקֵהוּ וְרוֹדֵהוּ. וּבַעְלָהּ שֶׁל שְׁלוֹמִית בַּת דִּבְרִי הָיָה וְנָתַן עֵינָיו בָּהּ, וּבַלַּיְלָה הֶעֱמִידוֹ וְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִבֵּיתוֹ, וְהוּא חָזַר וְנִכְנַס לַבַּיִת וּבָא עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ, כִּסְבוּרָה שֶׁהוּא בַעְלָהּ, וְחָזַר הָאִישׁ לְבֵיתוֹ וְהִרְגִּישׁ בַּדָּבָר, וּכְשֶׁרָאָה אוֹתוֹ מִצְרִי שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ בַּדָּבָר, הָיָה מַכֵּהוּ וְרוֹדֵהוּ כָּל הַיּוֹם (שם):
12Moses turned this way and that way that and saw that there was no one observing him, so he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.   יבוַיִּ֤פֶן כֹּה֙ וָכֹ֔ה וַיַּ֖רְא כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין אִ֑ישׁ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִ֔י וַיִּטְמְנֵ֖הוּ בַּחֽוֹל:
וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה - He turned this way and that way - i.e., Moses saw what the Egyptian had done to the Hebrew at home and what he had done to him outside in the field. But according to the straightforward meaning, it should be explained in its literal sense, i.e., Moses actually turned in both directions.   וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה.  רָאָה מֶה עָשָׂה לוֹ בַּבַּיִת וּמֶה עָשָׂה לוֹ בַשָּׂדֶה (שם). וּלְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:
וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ - And saw that there was no one - destined to be born from this Egyptian who would convert to Judaism.   וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ.  עָתִיד לָצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיִּתְגַּיֵּר (ת"י):
13When Moses went out the next day, he saw two Hebrew men quarreling. Moses said to this wicked person, “Why are you going to strike your fellow?”   יגוַיֵּצֵא֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשֵּׁנִ֔י וְהִנֵּ֛ה שְׁנֵֽי־אֲנָשִׁ֥ים עִבְרִ֖ים נִצִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לָֽרָשָׁ֔ע לָ֥מָּה תַכֶּ֖ה רֵעֶֽךָ:
שְׁנֵֽי־אֲנָשִׁים עִבְרִים - Two Hebrew men. They were Dathan and Aviram. It was they, too, who later left over some of their portion of manna.   שְׁנֵֽי־אֲנָשִׁים עִבְרִים.  דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם, הֵם שֶׁהוֹתִירוּ מִן הַמָּן (נדרים ס"ד):
נִצִּים - means “quarreling.”   נִצִּים.  מְרִיבִים:
לָמָּה תַכֶּה - Why are you going to strike?. Even though he had not yet hit him, he was called wicked for merely raising his hand against his fellowman.   לָמָּה תַכֶּה.  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִכָּהוּ נִקְרָא רָשָׁע בַּהֲרָמַת יָד (סנהדרין נ"ח):
רֵעֶֽךָ - Your fellow - i.e., a wicked person like you.   רֵעֶֽךָ.  רָשָׁע כְּמוֹתְךָ (תנחומא):
14The man retorted, “Who appointed you as a leader and judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?!” Frightened, Moses concluded, “So the fact is known!”   ידוַיֹּ֠אמֶר מִ֣י שָֽׂמְךָ֞ לְאִ֨ישׁ שַׂ֤ר וְשֹׁפֵט֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ הַֽלְהָרְגֵ֨נִי֙ אַתָּ֣ה אֹמֵ֔ר כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָרַ֖גְתָּ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִ֑י וַיִּירָ֤א משֶׁה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אָכֵ֖ן נוֹדַ֥ע הַדָּבָֽר:
מִי שָֽׂמְךָ לְאִישׁ - Who appointed you (lit.) as a man - when you are still only a youth.   מִי שָֽׂמְךָ לְאִישׁ.  וְהִנֵה עוֹדְךָ נַעַר:
הַֽלְהָרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר - Do you (lit.) say to kill me?. From here we learn that Moses killed the Egyptian by uttering the explicit Name of God.   הַֽלְהָרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר.  מִכָּאן אָנוּ לְמֵדִים שֶׁהֲרָגוֹ בַּשֵּׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ (שמות רבה א'):
וַיִּירָא משֶׁה - Moses was frightened. Explain it according to its straightforward meaning: He was afraid of Pharaoh. But its Midrashic explanation is: He was perturbed because he saw wicked men – gossipers and informers – among Israel. He said to himself, “Since this is so, perhaps they are not worthy of being redeemed.”   וַיִּירָא משֶׁה.  כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: דָּאַג לוֹ עַל שֶׁרָאָה בְיִשְׂרָאֵל רְשָׁעִים דֵּלָטוֹרִין, אָמַר, מֵעַתָּה שֶׁמָּא אֵינָם רְאוּיִין לְהִגָּאֵל (שמות רבה א'):
אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָֽר - So the matter is known. Explain it according to its literal sense: The fact that I killed the Egyptian is known. But its Midrashic explanation is: The thing about which I wondered is now clear to me: how have the Israelites sinned more than all the other 70 nations, that they alone are afflicted with crushing labor? But now I see that they deserve it.   אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָֽר.  כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ, נוֹדַע לִי הַדָּבָר שֶׁהָיִיתִי תָּמֵהַּ עָלָיו, מֶה חָטְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכָּל שִׁבְעִים אֻמּוֹת לִהְיוֹת נִרְדִּים בַּעֲבוֹדַת פֶּרֶךְ, אֲבָל רוֹאֶה אֲנִי שֶׁהֵם רְאוּיִים לְכָךְ (שמות רבה א'):
15Pharaoh heard about the incident and sought to kill Moses. Moses fled from Pharaoh’s presence and settled in Midian. He sat down near a well.   טווַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ לַֽהֲרֹ֣ג אֶת־משֶׁ֑ה וַיִּבְרַ֤ח משֶׁה֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עַל־הַבְּאֵֽר:
וַיִּשְׁמַע פַּרְעֹה - Pharaoh heard - for Dathan and Aviram had informed on Moses.   וַיִּשְׁמַע פַּרְעֹה.  הֵם הִלְשִׁינוּ עָלָיו (שמות רבה א'):
וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לַֽהֲרֹג אֶת־משֶׁה - And sought to kill Moses. He handed him over to the executioner to kill him, but the sword did not harm him. It was to this that Moses was referring when he later said: “and He rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword.” 2   וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לַֽהֲרֹג אֶת־משֶׁה.  מְסָרוֹ לַקּוּסְטִינָר לְהָרְגוֹ וְלֹא שָׁלְטָה בוֹ הַחֶרֶב (שם), הוּא שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה "וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה" (שמות י״ח:ד׳):
וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָן - And settled in Midian. The word וַיֵּשֶׁב here means “he stayed there,” as in: “Jacob settled (וַיֵּשֶׁב) in the region….” 3   וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָן.  נִתְעַכֵּב שָׁם; כְּמוֹ: "וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב" (בראשית ל"ז):
וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל־הַבְּאֵֽר - He sat down near a well. Here the word וַיֵּשֶׁב means sitting down. Moses learned from the example of Jacob, who had met his intended wife at a well.   וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל־הַבְּאֵֽר.  לְשׁוֹן יְשִׁיבָה. לָמַד מִיַּעֲקֹב שֶׁנִּזְדַּוֵּג לוֹ זִוּוּגוֹ מִן הַבְּאֵר (שמות רבה א'):
16Now the ruler of Midian had seven daughters. They came to this well, drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flocks,   טזוּלְכֹהֵ֥ן מִדְיָ֖ן שֶׁ֣בַע בָּנ֑וֹת וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה וַתִּדְלֶ֗נָה וַתְּמַלֶּ֨אנָה֙ אֶת־הָ֣רְהָטִ֔ים לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת צֹ֥אן אֲבִיהֶֽן:
וּלְכֹהֵן מִדְיָן - Now, the ruler of Midian - i.e., he had been their leader, but he had renounced idolatry, so they ostracized him.   וּלְכֹהֵן מִדְיָן.  רַב שֶׁבָּהֶן; וּפָרַשׁ לוֹ מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְנִדּוּהוּ מֵאֶצְלָם (שם):
אֶת־הָרְהָטִים - are the channels of running water constructed in the ground.   אֶת־הָרְהָטִים.  אֶת בְּרֵכוֹת מְרוּצוֹת הַמַּיִם הָעֲשׂוּיוֹת בָּאָרֶץ:
17but shepherds came and drove them away. Moses arose and rescued them, and then watered their flocks.   יזוַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָֽרֹעִ֖ים וַיְגָֽרְשׁ֑וּם וַיָּ֤קָם משֶׁה֙ וַיּ֣וֹשִׁעָ֔ן וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־צֹאנָֽם:
וַיְגָֽרְשׁוּם - They drove them away - because of the ostracism to which their father and his family had been subjected.   וַיְגָֽרְשׁוּם.  מִפְּנֵי הַנִּדּוּי (שם):
18When they came home to their father Re’u’el, he asked, “How is it that you came home so early today?”   יחוַתָּבֹ֕אנָה אֶל־רְעוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַדּ֛וּעַ מִֽהַרְתֶּ֥ן בֹּ֖א הַיּֽוֹם:
19They replied, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the hands of the shepherds. He also drew water for us, and watered the flocks.”   יטוַתֹּאמַ֕רְןָ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י הִצִּילָ֖נוּ מִיַּ֣ד הָֽרֹעִ֑ים וְגַם־דָּלֹ֤ה דָלָה֙ לָ֔נוּ וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־הַצֹּֽאן:
20He asked his daughters, “So where is he? Why did you leave the man there? Call him, and let him have something to eat.”   כוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֶל־בְּנֹתָ֖יו וְאַיּ֑וֹ לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ עֲזַבְתֶּ֣ן אֶת־הָאִ֔ישׁ קִרְאֶ֥ן ל֖וֹ וְיֹ֥אכַל לָֽחֶם:
לָמָּה זֶּה עֲזַבְתֶּן - Why did you leave [the man]?. Jethro realized that Moses was a descendant of Jacob because the well water rose toward him, as it did for Jacob.   לָמָּה זֶּה עֲזַבְתֶּן.  הִכִּיר בּוֹ שֶׁהוּא מִזַּרְעוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, שֶׁהַמַּיִם עוֹלִים לִקְרָאתוֹ (שמות רבה א'):
וְיֹאכַל לָֽחֶם - (lit.) And let him eat bread. This is a euphemism meaning: “perhaps he will marry one of you.” It is of similar meaning to that which it says about Potiphar’s wife: “other than the bread he ate.” 4   וְיֹאכַל לָֽחֶם.  שֶׁמָּא יִשָּׂא אַחַת מִכֶּם; כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר: "כִּי אִם הַלֶּחֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא אוֹכֵל" (בראשית ל"ט):
21Moses consented to stay with the man. He gave Moses his daughter Zipporah as a wife.   כאוַיּ֥וֹאֶל משֶׁ֖ה לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶת־הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ לְמשֶֽׁה:
וַיּוֹאֶל - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וּצְבִי – he was willing. Similar examples of this meaning are: “Please agree (הוֹאֶל) to stay overnight”; 5 “If only we had been willing (הוֹאַלְנוּ)”; 6 “I would like (הוֹאַלְתִּי) to speak.” 7 But its Midrashic explanation is that it connotes taking an oath (אָלָה): He swore to Jethro that he would not move from Midian unless he first asked his permission.   וַיּוֹאֶל.  כְּתַרְגוּמוֹ, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ "הוֹאֶל נָא וְלִין" (שופטים י"ט), "וְלוּ הוֹאַלְנוּ" (יהושע ז'), "הוֹאַלְתִּי לְדַבֵּר" (בראשית י"ח). וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: לְשׁוֹן אָלָה – נִשְׁבַּע לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יָזוּז מִמִּדְיָן כִּי אִם בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ (נדרים ס"ה):
22When she gave birth to a son, he named him Gershom [ ger sham—“a stranger there”], because he said, “I have been a stranger in an alien land.”   כבוַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ גֵּֽרְשֹׁ֑ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נָכְרִיָּֽה:
23It was during those many years that the king of Egypt died. The Israelites moaned on account of the work and cried out. Their pleas from the work rose up before God.   כגוַיְהִי֩ בַיָּמִ֨ים הָֽרַבִּ֜ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיָּ֨מָת֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֵּאָֽנְח֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִן־הָֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה וַיִּזְעָ֑קוּ וַתַּ֧עַל שַׁוְעָתָ֛ם אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים מִן־הָֽעֲבֹדָֽה:
וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָֽרַבִּים הָהֵם - It was during those many years – when Moses was living in Midian – “that the king of Egypt died” - and the Israelites desperately needed salvation, so then “Moses was tending…” 8 and salvation came about through him. Therefore, these passages are placed adjacent to one another.   וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָֽרַבִּים הָהֵם.  שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה גָּר בְּמִדְיָן, וימת מלך מצרים, וְהֻצְרְכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִתְשׁוּעָה, ומשה היה רעה (שמות ג׳:א׳), וּבָאת תְּשׁוּעָה עַל יָדוֹ, לְכָךְ נִסְמְכוּ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַלָּלוּ:
וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם - That the king of Egypt died. He did not actually die, but was stricken with tzara’at, and he would therefore slaughter Israelite children and bathe in their blood as a cure.   וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם.  נִצְטָרַע וְהָיָה שׁוֹחֵט תִּינוֹקוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְרוֹחֵץ בְּדָמָם (שמות רבה א'):
24God heard their anguished groan, and God recalled His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.   כדוַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־נַֽאֲקָתָ֑ם וַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־בְּרִית֔וֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶת־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶת־יַֽעֲקֹֽב:
נַֽאֲקָתָם - means “their cry.” Similarly we find: “From the city, the men cry out (יִנְאָקוּ).” 9   נַֽאֲקָתָם.  צַעֲקָתָם, וְכֵן "מֵעִיר מְתִים יִנְאָקוּ" (איוב כ"ד):
אֶת־בְּרִיתוֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָם - אֶת אַבְרָהָם means “with Abraham.”   אֶת־בְּרִיתוֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָם.  עִם אַבְרָהָם:
25God looked upon the Israelites, and God took note.   כהוַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּ֖דַע אֱלֹהִֽים:
וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים - means: God paid attention to them and did not make Himself oblivious to their situation.   וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים.  נָתַן עֲלֵיהֶם לֵב וְלֹא הֶעֱלִים עֵינָיו: