## Or HaChaim on Exodus Chapter 2

###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:2:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:2:1)

**כִּי טוֹב הוּא וַתִּצְפְּנֵהוּ וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק מַה הִיא הַטּוֹבִיּוּת שֶׁרָאֲתָה בּוֹ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה יב,א) אָמְרוּ נוֹלַד מָהוּל וַתִּמָּלֵא הַבַּיִת אוֹרָה. וְזֶה דֶּרֶךְ דְּרָשׁ. עוֹד צָרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק קֶשֶׁר ״וַתִּצְפְּנֵהוּ״ עִם ״וַתֵּרֶא אוֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב״ וְגוֹ׳, וְכִי אִם לֹא הָיָה טוֹב לֹא תַחְמֹל עַל פְּרִי בִּטְנָהּ לִצְפֹּן אוֹתוֹ מֵאַנְשֵׁי דָמִים?

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
So she hid him. What precisely was the "goodness" that Yocheved observed when Moses was born? Our sages (Sotah 12) say that Moses was born without a foreskin and that the house was filled with light when he was born. Surely this is homiletics. Besides, what does Yocheved's hiding Moses have to do with her observing that he was "good?" Assuming Moses had not been "good," would she not have had motherly feelings of pity for his future?
We can determine the meaning of the verse from the comment of our sages in Sotah 12 that the Egyptians calculated the length of her pregnancy from the day Yocheved remarried Amram. She gave birth to Moses six months and a day after he was conceived. Normally, babies born after only six months of pregnancy do not have much of a chance to survive, whereas babies born after seven months have an excellent chance to develop normally. The average mother is unable to determine to the day how long her pregnancy has been in progress. When she gives birth to a baby after six months pregnancy the baby is considered as aborted. The Torah told us that when Yocheved looked at the fetus she realised that contrary to her expectations he was healthy and well. This was the "good" that she saw. This is also why she took extraordinary care to nurse this child through the difficult period until it would be out of danger. She endangered herself by hiding Moses seeing that the Egyptians used to carry out house to house searches for Jewish babies. Our sages base their exegesis on the Torah choosing the word טוב rather than any other word describing Moses' state of health. They concluded that he must have been born without a foreskin. According to our tradition Adam was created without a foreskin. As a result of his sin his glans became covered with additional tissue, something that required removal if man wanted to regain a status the Torah describes as "perfect" when G'd instructed Abraham to circumcise himself.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:2:2
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:2:2)

**אָכֵן** כַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב הוּא, כִּי מִמַּה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״וַתִּצְפְּנֵהוּ״ וְגוֹ׳ ״וְלֹא יָכְלָה עוֹד״ וְגוֹ׳, אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה יב,א) כִּי מָנוּ לָהּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים מֵעֵת הֶרְיוֹנָהּ וְהִיא יְלָדַתּוּ בֶּן שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים וְיוֹם אֶחָד. וְהִנֵּה הַיּוֹלֶדֶת לְשִׁשָּׁה פְּשִׁיטָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְקַיֵּם, וְהַיּוֹלֶדֶת לְשִׁבְעָה מִתְקַיֵּם, וְהִנֵּה אֵין הָאִשָּׁה מְדַקְדֶּקֶת בְּמִסְפַּר יוֹם אֶחָד, וּכְשֶׁיְּלָדַתּוּ בְּחֶזְקַת נֵפֶל יְלָדַתּוּ. וְהוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב כִּי רָאַתְהוּ טוֹב, פֵּרוּשׁ בָּרִיא וְחָזָק שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ סִימָנִים שֶׁל נֵפֶל, וְלָזֶה טָרְחָה בִּשְׁבִילוֹ וְסִכְּנָה עַצְמָהּ מֵהַמִּצְרִיִּים שֶׁהָיוּ בּוֹדְקִים הַבָּתִּים בַּקְּטַנִּים כְּמַאֲמָרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם), וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַתֵּרֶא** וְגוֹ׳ **וַתִּצְפְּנֵהוּ.** וּדְרָשַׁת רַזַ״ל תִּדָּרֵשׁ מִמַּה שֶׁלָּקַח לָשׁוֹן זֶה **כִּי טוֹב** וְלֹא אָמַר לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר. וְכַוָּנַת רַזַ״ל שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ טוֹב הוּא מָהוּל, כְּבָר גִּלּוּ דַּעְתָּם בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (סנהדרין לח,ב) כִּי אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן קוֹדֶם שֶׁחָטָא הָיָה טוֹב מֻחְלָט, וּבְמַעֲשֵׂה הָרַע שֶׁעָשָׂה מָשַׁךְ הָעָרְלָה מִבְּחִינַת הָרַע, וְלָזֶה כְּשֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״כִּי טוֹב״ הֲרֵי זֶה מַרְאֶה בָּאֶצְבַּע כִּי מְשֻׁלָּל מֵהֶכֵּר רַע שֶׁהִיא הָעָרְלָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
We can determine the meaning of the verse from the comment of our sages in *Sotah* 12 that the Egyptians calculated the length of her pregnancy from the day Yocheved remarried Amram. She gave birth to Moses six months and a day after he was conceived. Normally, babies born after only six months of pregnancy do not have much of a chance to survive, whereas babies born after seven months have an excellent chance to develop normally. The average mother is unable to determine to the day how long her pregnancy has been in progress. When she gives birth to a baby after six months pregnancy the baby is considered as aborted. The Torah told us that when Yocheved looked at the fetus she realised that contrary to her expectations he was healthy and well. This was the "good" that she saw. This is also why she took extraordinary care to nurse this child through the difficult period until it would be out of danger. She endangered herself by hiding Moses seeing that the Egyptians used to carry out house to house searches for Jewish babies. Our sages base their exegesis on the Torah choosing the word טוב rather than any other word describing Moses' state of health. They concluded that he must have been born without a foreskin. According to our tradition Adam was created without a foreskin. As a result of his sin his glans became covered with additional tissue, something that required removal if man wanted to regain a status the Torah describes as "perfect" when G'd instructed Abraham to circumcise himself (compare *Sanhedrin* 38).


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:5:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:5:1)

**וְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ הוֹלְכוֹת וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק כַּוָּנַת סִפּוּר זֶה **וְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ הוֹלְכוֹת**, וְאוּלַי שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן לוֹמַר מַעֲשֵׂה בִּתְיָה, לֶהֱיוֹת כִּי מַעֲשֵׂה מִצְוָה גְּדוֹלָה עָשְׂתָה דִּקְדֵּק הַכָּתוּב לְהוֹדִיעַ דִּקְדּוּק אוֹפֶן הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. וְהִנֵּה דָּבָר יָדוּעַ הוּא כִּי בַּת מֶלֶךְ לֹא תֵלֵךְ לַיְאוֹר בְּלֹא נְעָרוֹת כְּמִשְׁפַּט בְּנוֹת מְלָכִים, גַּם מִמּוּסַר הַגְּדוֹלִים וּבִפְרָט הַמְּלָכִים לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם אֶחָד מְיֻחָד מְכֻבָּד הַרְבֵּה לְהִתְגַּלּוֹת לְפָנָיו וּלְשַׁמְּשׁוֹ וְלִרְחֹץ בְּבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ אוֹ בַּיְאוֹר וְכַדּוֹמֶה, וְכָאן הוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב בְּאָמְרוֹ ״וְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ הוֹלְכוֹת״ שֶׁהָיָה בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָיְתָה רוֹחֶצֶת, שֶׁהֻצְרְכוּ נַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ מִמּוּסַר הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲמֹד לְפָנֶיהָ, וְלֹא נִשְׁאֲרָה עִמָּהּ אֶלָּא אַחַת הַמְיֻחֶדֶת וַתִּשְׁלַח אוֹתָהּ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת אֲמָתָהּ** פֵּרוּשׁ הַמְיֻחֶדֶת לָהּ לִרְחֹץ וְגוֹ׳. וְאָמְרוֹ **וַתִּקָּחֶהָ** שְׁקוּלָה – אוֹ שֶׁשָּׁלְחָה אוֹתָהּ לְבַל תְּיַעֲצָהּ הֵפֶךְ רְצוֹנָהּ, כִּי רְצוֹנָהּ שֶׁל בַּת פַּרְעֹה הָיְתָה לְהַצִּיל הַיֶּלֶד הַהוּא וַתִּקָּחֶהָ בַּת פַּרְעֹה לַתֵּבָה; אוֹ **וַתִּשְׁלַח** וְגוֹ׳ **וַתִּקָּחֶהָ אֲמָתָהּ**, וְלִשְׁנֵי הַדְּרָכִים שֶׁבַח בַּת פַּרְעֹה יַגִּיד, כִּי נַפְשָׁהּ נֶפֶשׁ טְהוֹרָה, מִי יִתֵּן טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא וְגוֹ׳ (איוב י״ד:ד׳) לַדֶּרֶךְ הָא׳ יְכַוֵּין לוֹמַר שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה עִמָּהּ אֶלָּא אָמָה אַחַת וְכָל נַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ הָיוּ הוֹלְכוֹת וְגוֹ׳ אַף עַל פִּי כֵן חָשְׁשָׁה לִמְנִיעָה מִמֶּנָּה וּשְׁלָחַתָּהּ וְנִשְׁאֶרֶת בַּת מֶלֶךְ לְבַדָּהּ וְלָקְחָה הַתֵּבָה בְּיָדָהּ, וּלְדֶרֶךְ ב׳ גַּם כֵּן שֶׁבַח יַגִּיד, שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה עִמָּהּ אֶלָּא אָמָה אַחַת וְאֵין מִדֶּרֶךְ הַמּוּסָר שֶׁתִּשָּׁאֵר בַּת מֶלֶךְ יְחִידָה, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר עַל שְׂפַת הַיְאוֹר, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן שָׁלְחָה אוֹתָהּ לְמֵרָחוֹק, וְלָזֶה הִקְדִּים לְהוֹדִיעַ **וְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ** וְגוֹ׳ לָדַעַת כַּוָּנַת הוֹדָעַת **וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת אֲמָתָהּ** עַל אוֹפֶן שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ, וְאִלּוּ לֹא אָמַר וְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ לֹא הָיְתָה הַכַּוָּנָה יְדוּעָה שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן לְמַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ, וְהָבֵן:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ונערותיה הולכות, walking with her ladies-in-waiting, etc.** Why is that detail pertinent to the story of Moses' rescue? Perhaps the Torah felt that inasmuch as Batya (Pharaoh's daughter) had performed such a great deed in rescuing the life of a Jewish baby, she deserved that all the details be revealed for all to know. It is a well known fact that a Royal princess does not go down to the river to bathe without her attendants. Moreover, it is customary that amongst her attendants there should be one who is senior, in charge of all the other junior attendants. The Torah speaks about "her attendants who were walking, etc." Presumably, the Torah means that at the time when the princess was actually bathing in the water all the **other** attendants were walking some distance away, affording the princess a degree of privacy while she bathed. Only the senior attendant stayed close to the princess. The Torah referred to this senior attendant when it writes: "she sent out her maidservant who picked up the basket." It is possible that the princess sent her maidservant to save the baby whereas the maidservant merely picked up the basket without the baby. In either event, the princess deserves praise for displaying noble human feelings. Her soul was pure, indicating that sometimes something pure emerges from something impure (Job, 14,4). One of two things may have happened. 1) Although the princess was attended by only a single servant at the time, she sent even that servant away and **she herself** picked up the baby remaining alone and vulnerable at the time. 2) Although the princess had only one attendant close by at the time, having sent her other maids some distance away, she even took a chance by sending the one remaining servant to pick up the basket with the baby.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:6:1)

**וַתִּרְאֵהוּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק אָמְרוֹ **וַתִּרְאֵהוּ** וְגוֹ׳, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר וַתֵּרֶא וְגוֹ׳. וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר שֶׁיָּדְעָה שֶׁהַתֵּבָה הִיא מֵהַיְּלָדִים הַמּוּשְׁלָכִים הַיְאוֹרָה, וְנִתְכַּוְּנָה לְהַצִּילוֹ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ בְּפָסוּק ״וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת אֲמָתָהּ״, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ** לְהַיֶּלֶד שֶׁנִּתְכַּוְּנָה לְהַצִּיל, וְאִם הָיָה אוֹמֵר הַכָּתוּב וַתִּרְאֶה יֶלֶד יִהְיֶה הַמַּשְׁמָעוּת כִּי רָאֲתָה מַה שֶׁלֹּא חָשְׁבָה כֵן, וְהָבֵן.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ותראהו את הילד והנה נער בכה, When she saw the child it turned out to be a crying boy.** Why did the Torah write ותראהו, "she saw **him**," instead of simply "she saw, etc.?" Presumably she assumed that the basket would contain an abandoned baby and she planned to rescue the baby. The Torah therefore refers to the princess "seeing what she expected to see, i.e. an abandoned child." Had the Torah written ותרא את הילד, the Torah would have created the impression that the princess saw something she had not expected.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:2
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:6:2)

וְרַזַ״ל דָּרְשׁוּ (סוטה יב:) ״וַתִּרְאֵהוּ״ – רָאֲתָה שְׁכִינָה עִמּוֹ, וְהוּא דֶּרֶךְ דְּרָשׁ. וְצָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא הִכִּירָה הַשְּׁכִינָה הִיא, כִּי מִנַּיִן יָדְעָה הַשְּׁכִינָה מִבֵּית אָבִיהָ וַאֲבִי אָבִיהָ, אֶלָּא שֶׁרָאֲתָה עִמּוֹ אוֹר גָּדוֹל, וַה׳ עָשָׂה כֵן כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּגְדַּל מַעֲלַת הַיֶּלֶד בְּעֵינֶיהָ. גַּם לַטַּעַם שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ זַ״ל (זהר ח״ב יב:) בַּכָּתוּב ״וְהִנֵּה נַעַר בֹּכֶה״, שֶׁרָמַז עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ בּוֹכִים בַּגָּלוּת, לָזֶה וַיְגַל ה׳ אֶת עֵינֶיהָ לְהַרְאוֹתָהּ הָאוֹר הַסּוֹמֵךְ לְמֹשֶׁה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Our sages in *Sotah* 12 explain the pronoun הו at the end of ותרא as a reference to Batya seeing the שכינה together with the child. This is homiletics. We would have to assume that Batya had experience with the way the שכינה looked from her father and grandfather, something quite unlikely! Our sages may simply have meant that Batya saw that the baby was surrounded by a great halo; G'd arranged for this in order to impress Batya that this baby was someone special. The *Zohar* section 2, page 12 writes something similar concerning the words "the boy was crying," namely that the cries were on behalf of the Jewish people's suffering in exile." G'd opened her eyes in order for her to be able to "see" the great light surrounding Moses.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:3
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:6:3)

**עוֹד** אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהַרְגָּשָׁתָהּ בַּשְּׁכִינָה הָיְתָה לְצַד שֶׁכְּשֶׁנָּגְעָה בּוֹ פָּרְחָה מִמֶּנָּה צָרַעַת (שמות רבה א,כג), אָמְרָה: אֵין זֶה אֶלָּא בֵּן אֱלֹהִי. וְאוּלַי שֶׁרָמַז פְּרִיחַת הַצָּרַעַת בְּאָמְרוֹ **וַתִּרְאֵהוּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד**, פֵּרוּשׁ, וַתִּרְאֵהוּ לְהָאָמוּר בְּסָמוּךְ בְּכֹחַ, דִּכְתִיב ״לִרְחוֹץ״ וְזִכְרוֹן ״בְּשָׂרָהּ״ בְּכֹחַ, וּכְשֶׁפָּתְחָה הַתֵּבָה וַתַּרְאֵהוּ לִבְשָׂרָהּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד, פֵּרוּשׁ, כְּשֶׁנָּגְעָה בַּיֶּלֶד, **וְהִנֵּה נַעַר**, פֵּרוּשׁ, חָזַר לִהְיוֹת כִּבְשַׂר נַעַר קָטֹן, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּנַעֲמָן (מלכים ב ה:יד): ״וַיָּשָׁב בְּשָׂרוֹ כִּבְשַׂר נַעַר קָטֹן״:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Alternatively, Batya's experience with the שכינה may be explained in terms of *Shemot Rabbah* 1,23 according to which Batya suffered from *Tzoraat,* the dreaded skin disease. As soon as she touched the basket she felt that she had been healed. This was her encounter with the שכינה. The word נער may then have a double meaning. When the Syrian general Naamon was healed of his *Tzoraat,* the prophet described his flesh as again becoming like that of a teen-aged boy, נער, (Kings II 5,14).


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:4
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:6:4)

**וַתַּחְמֹל עָלָיו.** לְפִי מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ כִּי נִתְכַּוְּנָה מִתְּחִלָּה וּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה לְהַצִּיל הַיֶּלֶד, טַעַם הַחֶמְלָה חֲדָשָׁה – לֹא לְהַצִּילוֹ מֵהַיְאוֹר, אֶלָּא יַגִּיד הַכָּתוּב שֶׁבִּקְשָׁה לַהֲנִיקוֹ, וְהָעֵד מַה שֶׁאָמַר בְּסָמוּךְ ״וַתֹּאמֶר אֲחֹתוֹ וְגוֹ׳ הַאֵלֵךְ וְקָרָאתִי״ וְגוֹ׳, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה יב:) שֶׁהֶחְזִירַתּוּ עַל מֵנִיקוֹת גּוֹיוֹת וְכוּ׳:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ותחמול עליו. She pitied him.** Seeing that she had already set out determined to save the child, the pity mentioned here may refer to her determination to nurse the child. This is why Moses' sister immediately volunteered to call a Jewish wet nurse to nurse Moses. According to *Sotah* 12 all this occurred after Moses refused to accept milk from the breasts of non Jewish wet nurses.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:5
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:6:5)

**וַתֹּאמֶר מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים וְגוֹ׳.** קָשֶׁה, מַה חִדּוּשׁ אוֹמֶרֶת **מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים זֶה**? פְּשִׁיטָא שֶׁכֵּן הוּא, כִּי הֵן הֵנָּה הַמַּשְׁלִיכוֹת יַלְדֵיהֶן בַּיְאוֹר בִּגְזֵרַת פַּרְעֹה. וְאִם לְפִי מַה שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה יב,א) כִּי בְּאוֹתוֹ יוֹם גָּזַר גַּם עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים, אִם כֵּן מִנַּיִן יָדְעָה וְהִכִּירָה כִּי אֵינוֹ מִיַּלְדֵי מִצְרִיִּים? וְהִנֵּה לְפִי מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה כִּי הֶחֱזִירַתּוּ עַל כַּמָּה מֵינִיקוֹת גּוֹיוֹת וְלֹא רָצָה לִינֹק, זֶה לְךָ הָאוֹת כִּי לֹא מִיַּלְדֵי הַמִּצְרִיּוֹת, וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים מַה חִדּוּשׁ אוֹמֶרֶת בִּדְבָרֶיהָ?

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ותאמר מילדי העברים זה. She said: "this one is one of the Jewish babies."** This was quite obvious as the Jews would abandon their children near the river on account of Pharaoh's decree. On the other hand, if all this occurred on the one day when Pharaoh had ordered the Egyptians to throw also their new-born boy babies into the Nile, how did Batya know that Moses was a Jewish baby? This may have forced our sages in *Sotah* to say that Moses refused to drink the milk of non Jewish wet nurses. [I do not see this as a compelling explanation. The fact that the child had no foreskin clearly marked him as Jewish unless the Jews had abandoned the practice of circumcision already at that time as is evident eighty years later at the time of the Exodus. Ed.]


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:6
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:6:6)

וְלַעֲמֹד עַל הַדָּבָר נַשְׂכִּיל עַל דָּבָר אִם הַצָּלַת הַיֶּלֶד הָיָה לְצַד שֶׁנִּסְתַּפְּקָה הֱיוֹתוֹ מִצְרִי אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ יִהְיֶה עִבְרִי. וְהִנֵּה אִם נֹאמַר שֶׁחָשְׁבָה לְהַצִּיל לִסְפֵק מִצְרִי, תְּכַוֵּן בְּאָמְרָהּ **מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים זֶה** כִּי נִתְבָּרֵר לָהּ הֵפֶךְ מַה שֶׁחָשְׁבָה, וּבָזֶה גִּלְּתָה דַּעְתָּהּ כִּי לֹא לְהַצִּיל מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים נִתְכַּוְּנָה, וְדָבָר זֶה הַשֵּׂכֶל יִבְחֲרֵהוּ, כִּי סְתָם גּוֹיָה לֹא תְרַחֵם אֶלָּא עַל בְּנֵי אוּמָּתָהּ, וַהֲגַם שֶׁאָנוּ רוֹאִים שֶׁאַחֲרֵי שֶׁיָּדְעָה כִּי מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים הוּא הֶחֱזִיקָה בּוֹ וְשָׂכְרָה לוֹ מֵינֶקֶת, אֵין מִזֶּה רְאָיָה, כִּי אַחַר שֶׁיָּדְעָה מַעֲלָתוֹ גַּם שֶׁרִפֵּא אוֹתָהּ מִצָּרַעְתָּהּ רִחֲמָה עָלָיו, גַּם רָאוּי הוּא מִכֹּחַ זֶה לְהַטּוֹת לִבָּהּ לֶאֱמוּנַת יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הִיא רָאֲתָה מַה נּוֹרָא מַעֲשָׂיו.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Accordingly, the Torah does tell us something that was not so obvious after all. Let us examine if the reason Batya saved the baby was because she thought it might be an abandoned Egyptian baby, or if she had made up her mind to save the baby even if it turned out to be a Jewish baby. If we were to assume the former, the words **מילדי העברים זה** express Batya's amazement at the fact that the child was Jewish. This would indicate that originally the thought of saving a Jewish child had not occurred to her. There would be nothing unusual about a Gentile displaying sympathy only for her own kind. Even though we observe that she held the child and hired a nursemaid for him after she found out that it was a Jewish child, this fact does not prove that she would have saved the child and have displayed pity for it if G'd had not first healed her from her affliction and provided a sign that the child was someone out of the ordinary. These incidents acquainted Batya with the wonderful ways of G'd.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:7
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:6:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:6:7)

**וְאִם** נֹאמַר שֶׁמִּתְּחִלָּה רִחֲמָה עַל הַיֶּלֶד, הֲגַם שֶׁיָּדְעָה כִּי מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא, תְּכַוֵּן בְּאָמְרָהּ **מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים** נְתִינַת טַעַם שֶׁלֹּא יָנַק מֵהַנָּכְרִיּוֹת, לֹא שֶׁהוּחֲלָה מֵהַיְאוֹר וּמְסֻכָּן הוּא וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִינֹק, אֶלָּא לְצַד שֶׁהוּא מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים, וְלָזֶה תֵּכֶף אָמְרָה לָהּ אֲחוֹתוֹ **הַאֵלֵךְ וְקָרָאתִי לָךְ** וְגוֹ׳ מֵהָעִבְרִיּוֹת לְהַבְחִין דְּבָרֶיהָ, וְאָמַר הַכָּתוּב **וַתִּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה** וְגוֹ׳ **וַתְּנִיקֵהוּ.**

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
If we are to assume that Batya already set out to rescue the baby although she was aware that it would turn out to be a Jewish baby, then the words **מילדי העברים** must be understood as the reason why the baby refused to suckle at the breasts of the Egyptian wet nurses. It was not because the baby had become weak through lying in the reeds of the river, or for any other biological reason, but because it was a Jewish baby. This is why his sister (Miriam) immediately volunteered the services of a Jewish wet nurse stressing the words: מן העבריות, "one of the Hebrew women," in order to prove that she knew the true reason why the baby refused to be nursed. This is also why the Torah had to report in verse nine that the child's mother took the child and was able to nurse him.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:10:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:10:1)

**וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ וְגוֹ׳ וַתֹּאמֶר וְגוֹ׳.** הִנֵּה תִּמְצָא שִׁנּוּי בִּקְרִיאַת שֵׁם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב וְהַשְּׁבָטִים, כִּי לְכֻלָּם יַקְדִּים טַעַם הַשֵּׁם וְאַחַר כָּךְ הַשֵּׁם. בְּיִצְחָק (בראשית כא:ו) ״כָּל הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ יִצְחַק וְגוֹ׳ וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יִצְחָק״, יַעֲקֹב (בראשית כה:כו) ״וְיָדוֹ אוֹחֶזֶת בַּעֲקֵב וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב״. בַּשְּׁבָטִים ״כִּי רָאָה ה׳ וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ רְאוּבֵן״ (בראשית כט:לב), ״כִּי שָׁמַע וְגוֹ׳ וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ שִׁמְעוֹן״ (בראשית כט:לג), וְכֵן עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ. מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה הִקְדִּים הַזְכָּרַת שְׁמוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ טַעַם הַשֵּׁם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
"And she called his name, etc. and she said, etc." Here we find a difference from the way Yitzchak and Yaakov and the tribes were named. For all of them, the meaning came before the name itself. For Yitzchak, (Breisheet 21:6), [Sarah said] "anyone who hears will laugh (Yitzchak) etc." and that is when she named him Yitzchak. For Yaakov, (Breisheet 25:26), 'his hand was holding the heel (Ekev) [of Esav] and he called him Yaakov.' With the tribes, [Leah said], 'For Hashem saw ... and she called him Reuven." (Breisheet 29:32), "For Hashem heard ... and she called him Shimon." (Breisheet 29:33) and so on in this manner.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:10:2
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:10:2)

וְאוּלַי כִּי הָאִמָּהוֹת הָיוּ בַּעֲלֵי רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וְהָיוּ מַשִּׂיגוֹת בְּחִינַת הַשֵּׁם, וּקְרִיאַת הַשֵּׁם הָיְתָה לְמַה שֶׁהָיוּ מְכַוְּנִים בּוֹ, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן קְרִיאַת שֵׁם מֹשֶׁה. מַגִּיד הַכָּתוּב כִּי לֹא הִשִּׂיגָה לָדַעַת בְּחִינַת הַשֵּׁם, כִּי שְׁמוֹ נִפְלָאוֹת יַגִּיד. וְצֵא וּלְמַד מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר הַזֹּהַר (חלק ג דף רעו; תיקונים תיקון סט) מַה יִרְמֹז שֵׁם זֶה. וַה׳ הַשָּׂם שֵׁמוֹת בָּאָרֶץ שָׂם בְּפִיהָ שֵׁם מֹשֶׁה, וּמַה שֶׁאָמְרָה הִיא בְּטַעַם הַשֵּׁם הוּא **כִּי מִן הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיתִהוּ**, וְלֹא יָדְעָה טַעַם זוּלַת זֶה:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Perhaps all the matriarchs possessed a measure of the Holy Spirit which enabled them to appreciate the deeper meaning of these names. Batya did not possess Holy Spirit so that her naming Moses did not reflect special insights on her part as to the deeper significance of that name. The Torah alludes to this by reversing the sequence in which it reports Moses being named. It is very interesting to read what the *Zohar* section 3, page 276 in the *Tikkunim* 69 writes about the allusions contained in the name. G'd inspired Batya to name Moses as she did; she herself was totally unaware of the **additional** implications of the name Moses. All she was aware of was that inasmuch as she had drawn him from the water that event should be reflected in his name.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:10:3
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:10:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:10:3)

**אוֹ** יִרְצֶה הַכָּתוּב לוֹמַר, כִּי זֹאת הָאִשָּׁה הֶעְלִימָה טַעַם הַשֵּׁם שֶׁלֹּא יִתְגַּלֶּה לַכֹּל, לְצַד כִּי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הָיָה הֵפֶךְ רְצוֹן כָּל עַמָּהּ, לְהַצִּיל אוֹתָם, שֶׁהֵם גָּזְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם לְהַשְׁלִיכָם לַיְאוֹר וְהִיא תְּבַטֵּל עֲצָתָם לְרַע לָהֶם. לָזֶה לֹא פִּרְסְמָה טַעַם הַשֵּׁם אֶלָּא קְרָאַתּוּ סְתָם בְּלֹא טַעַם, וְהַכָּתוּב מוֹדִיעַ טַעְמָהּ שֶׁקְּרָאַתּוּ כָּךְ הוּא לְצַד שֶׁאָמְרָה ״כִּי מִן הַמַּיִם״.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
It is also possible that Batya was very careful not to publicise the name Moses and what had inspired it seeing she had flouted both her father's and her people's wishes that the Jewish boy babies be killed. She did call the child Moses. The words: "for I have drawn him from the water," were revealed only by the Torah, not by her.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:11:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:11:1)

**אִישׁ עִבְרִי מֵאֶחָיו.** דִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **מֵאֶחָיו**, יִרְמוֹז כִּי הִבִּיט בּוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מֵהַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי הָיוּ אָז בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל רְשָׁעִים. וְצֵא וּלְמַד מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מכילתא על שמות יב:כט) בְּפָסוּק ״וַחֲמֻשִׁים עָלוּ״ וְגוֹ׳ (שמות יג:יח) שֶׁאַרְבָּעָה חֲלָקִים, וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר יוֹתֵר, מֵתוּ בִּימֵי הַחֹשֶׁךְ, וְהַשְּׁאָר עָלוּ לְצַד הֱיוֹתָם רְשָׁעִים. וְתִמְצָא שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר בְּסָמוּךְ ״שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים עִבְרִים נִצִּים״ לֹא אָמַר ״מֵאֶחָיו״, לְטַעַם שֶׁהָיוּ רְשָׁעִים, כִּי הֵם דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם (שמות רבה א,כט).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**2,11 איש עברי מאח ;יו, a Hebrew man, one of his brethren.** The Torah makes a point of adding "one of his brethren." This is the Torah's way of hinting that Moses recognised that the individual in question was one of the righteous Israelites. There were at that time both righteous and wicked Israelites. It is worthwhile reading how the *Mechilta* 12,26 interprets the meaning of Exodus 13,18 that the Israelites marched out of Egypt חמושים, reduced to one fifth of their original number. According to the *Mechilta* only one in every five Israelites took part in the Exodus. The other 80% of the Israelites (the wicked ones) died during the plague of darkness so as not to publicise that fact and allow the Egyptians to gloat. The two Jews who are described as Jews fighting amongst themselves in verse thirteen were not described as "Moses' brethren;" this proves that they were wicked Jews; according to *Shemot Rabbah* 1,29 they were Datan and Aviram of whom we hear more in פרשת קרח.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:13:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:13:1)

**וַיֹּאמֶר לָרָשָׁע וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לָרָשָׁע שֶׁהָיָה בָּהֶם, וְאָמְרוֹ **רֵעֶךָ** – לוּ יִהְיֶה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רָשָׁע כְּמוֹתְךָ, לָמָּה יִהְיֶה בּוֹלֵעַ צַדִּיק מִמֶּנּוּ. אוֹ יִרְצֶה כִּי הִכִּיר שֶׁאֶחָד רָשָׁע וְאֶחָד תָּם שֶׁלֹּא הֵרֵיעוֹ, לָזֶה אָמַר לָרָשָׁע, לָמָּה תַכֶּה אָדָם שֶׁלֹּא נִתְחַיֵּב לְךָ וְלֹא בִּקֵּשׁ רָעָתְךָ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **רֵעֶךָ.** וַהֲגַם שֶׁאָמַר בַּתְּחִלָּה שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים נִצִּים, יִמָּצֵא שֶׁאֶחָד יָרִיב חִנָּם לְצַד רִשְׁעוֹ וְאִידָךְ יָרִיב עַל רִיבוֹ חִנָּם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**?ויאמר לרשע למה חכה רעך He said to the wicked one: "why are you about to strike your companion?"** Moses addressed the one of the two who was clearly wicked. He referred to the victim as "your companion," because if the victim were as wicked as the attacker why would the attacker want to strike him, seeing they were birds of a feather. Alternatively, Moses recognised that he dealt with one righteous and one wicked Israelite. This is why he challenged the attacker saying: "why are you about to strike a righteous person, someone who has not done you any harm?" He called the righteous person רעך, i.e. he relates to you like a friend. Although the Torah described the two as apparently on the same moral level when it says שני אנשים נצים, "two quarrelling people," it will be found that one of them started the fight because he was wicked, whereas the other continued the quarrel without compelling cause.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:15:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:15:1)

**אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה.** אָמַר תֵּיבַת **הַזֶּה** לוֹמַר שֶׁשָּׁמַע דְּבָרִים הַבָּאִים בְּסָמוּךְ, שֶׁהֵם דִּבְרֵי הָרָשָׁע שֶׁאָמַר ״הַלְהָרְגֵנִי״ וְגוֹ׳, לֹא שֶׁיָּדַע בְּבֵרוּר כִּי הוּא הַהוֹרֵג לַמִּצְרִי.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**את הדבר הזה, this matter, etc.** Moses used the word הזה, to indicate that it was only after this aggressive Jew had said to Moses: "are you going to kill me also, etc." that he realised with certainty that he had observed him killing the Egyptian.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:15:2
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:15:2)

**וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, בִּקֵּשׁ לְהוֹכִיחַ הַדָּבָר אִם כֵּן עָשָׂה כְּדֵי לַהֲרֹג אוֹתוֹ, וְלָזֶה בָּרַח מֹשֶׁה מִפְּנֵי פַרְעֹה שֶׁמָּא יִתְבָּרֵר הַדָּבָר וְיַהַרְגֶנּוּ. אוֹ יִרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ **מִפְּנֵי פַרְעֹה** כִּי הִכִּיר בְּפָנָיו כִּי זְעוּמִים הֵם וְהִרְגִּישׁ מִזֶּה וּבָרַח, הֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא יָדַע כִּי הִגִּיעוּ הַדְּבָרִים לְפַרְעֹה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויבקש להרוג אותו. He tried to kill him.** This means that Pharaoh tried to establish proof that Moses had killed the Egyptian as a result of which he would be brought to trial and be executed. This is why Moses fled from Pharaoh in case Pharaoh would obtain enough proof to make him stand trial. On the other hand, the words מפני פרעה may refer to Pharaoh's face. When Moses looked at Pharaoh's angry face he realised that he was in danger and fled even though he did not know what Pharaoh knew and what he did not.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:20:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:20:1)

**לָמָּה זֶּה וְגוֹ׳.** כְּאִלּוּ אָמַר: לָמָּה עֲזַבְתֶּן אֶת זֶה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר גְּמַלְכֶם טוֹבוֹת. אוֹ יִרְצֶה שֶׁמַּקְפִּיד עַל זְמַן שֶׁעֲזָבוּהוּ מֵאָז עַד שֶׁיַּחְזְרוּ לִקְרֹא לוֹ, וְטַעְמוֹ כִּי אֵינוֹ מֵהַמּוּסָר שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה עִמָּהֶם אִישׁ נָכְרִי חֶסֶד וְיָבֹאוּ וְיַנִּיחוּהוּ יַעֲמֹד בַּחוּץ. אוֹ יִרְצֶה שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁיַּקְפִּיד יִתְרוֹ עַל הִתְקָרְבוּתָם עִם אֲנָשִׁים, אָמַר כִּי יִשְׁתַּנֶּה זֶה מִכֻּלָּם, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **לָמָּה זֶה** וְגוֹ׳, כִּי מַעֲשָׂיו מוֹכִיחוֹת כִּי אִישׁ חֶסֶד הוּא, וּמַה גַּם לְדִבְרֵיהֶם (שמות רבה א,לב) שֶׁאָמְרוּ לוֹ שֶׁעָלוּ הַמַּיִם לִקְרָאתוֹ, הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁנֶּה לִשְׁבַח שְׁבָחִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**למה זה עזבתם את האיש, "Why did you leave the man?"** Yitro meant "why did you abandon a man who had done you a favour?" Alternatively, he meant: "how long can you let a man who has done you such a favour wait outside? Bring him inside, etc.!" Still another meaning of Re-uel's (Yitro's) words may be that though ordinarily Yitro would not want his daughters to strike up an acquaintanceship with men to whom they had not been introduced, this situation was different. He stressed that this man had already proved himself by his deeds. The word זה indicates that Yitro meant that **this** situation was different. This was especially so in view of the opinion expressed in *Shemot Rabbah* 1,32 that the waters in the well rose of their own accord towards Moses.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:21:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:21:1)

**אֶת צִפֹּרָה בִתּוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה.** טַעַם שֶׁכָּפַל הַזְכָּרַת שְׁמוֹ וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק לוֹמַר ״וַיִּתֵּן לוֹ אֶת״ וְגוֹ׳, יְכַוֵּן הַכָּתוּב לְהוֹדִיעַ כִּי הִיא בַּת זוּגוֹ, וְתֵיבַת **לְמֹשֶׁה** הוּא דִּבְרֵי הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאוֹמֵר כִּי צִפּוֹרָה לְמֹשֶׁה הִיא לְמָנָה בַּת זוּגוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויתן את צפורה בתו למשה. He gave his daughter Tziporah to Moses.** The reason the Torah repeats Moses' name in this verse, when it could have simply written: "he gave her to him," is that Tziporah was the divinely appointed wife for Moses, his בת זוג.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:22:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:22:1)

**גֵּר הָיִיתִי.** לְשׁוֹן עָבָר, כִּי בִּזְמַן שֶׁנִּכְתְּבָה הַתּוֹרָה יְדַבֵּר הַכָּתוּב. אוֹ יִרְצֶה עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ **גֵּר הָיִיתִי** עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (תהילים קיט:יט) ״גֵּר אָנֹכִי בָאָרֶץ״, כִּי הַצַּדִּיקִים אֵינָם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אֶלָּא כְּגֵרִים בְּלֹא שׁוּם יִשּׁוּב, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **גֵּר הָיִיתִי** מֵעוֹדִי, וְנוֹסַף לִי **בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָּה** לְצַד שֶׁהָיָה חוּץ מֵאֶחָיו וּבֵית אָבִיו:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**גר הייתי, "I was (used to be) a stranger, etc."** The Torah deliberately phrases this in the past tense because the Torah reports events as of the time the Torah was written (at that time Moses could speak of his being a stranger in the past tense, whereas at the time the baby was born he was still a stranger in Midian). Alternatively, the words may be understood along the lines of Psalms 119,19: גר אנכי בארץ, "I am only a stranger on earth." Righteous people in this world are merely strangers, they have no permanent abode. Moses meant that ever since he was born he had merely been a stranger in a **foreign land**, seeing he had not been raised in his parents' home or shared his youth with his siblings.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:23:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:23:1)

**מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לֹא שֶׁצָּעֲקוּ לָאֵל שֶׁיּוֹשִׁיעֵם, אֶלָּא צָעֲקוּ מִן הַצַּעַר כְּאָדָם הַצּוֹעֵק מִכְּאֵבוֹ. וּמוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב כִּי אוֹתָהּ צְעָקָה עָלְתָה לִפְנֵי ה׳, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **שַׁוְעָתָם** וְגוֹ׳ **מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה**, פֵּירוּשׁ מִצַּעַר הָעֲבוֹדָה. **וַיִּשְׁמַע ה׳ אֶת נַאֲקָתָם** (שמות ב:כד), פֵּרוּשׁ, הֲרָמַת קוֹל כְּאֵבָם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**מן העבודה, on account of the bondage.** They did not appeal to G'd to save them from their situation; they merely groaned, something which people who feel that their burdens are too great are wont to do out of a sense of helplessness. The Torah informs us that although this outcry was not a direct appeal to G'd for help, it did reach the ears of G'd because their situation was indeed intolerable; this is why the Torah adds that the reason G'd responded was מן העבודה, their bondage was too intolerable. However, G'd did not respond to a prayer but to a general groaning, i.e. נעקתם (verse 24).


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:23:2
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:23:2)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (תהלים קיח:ה) ״מִן הַמֵּצַר קָרָאתִי יָּהּ עָנָנִי בַמֶּרְחָב יָהּ״, כִּי אַחַת מֵהַתְּפִלּוֹת הַמִּתְקַבְּלוֹת הִיא תְּפִלָּה שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ צָרָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (יונה ב:ג) ״קָרָאתִי מִצָּרָה״, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם** וְגוֹ׳ **מִן הָעֲבֹדָה**, פֵּרוּשׁ, לְצַד שֶׁהָיְתָה מִצָּרַת הָעֲבוֹדָה. וּכְפִי זֶה שַׁוְעָה זוֹ הִיא תְּפִלָּה וְצַעֲקַת כְּאֵב הַצָּרָה, הִנֵּה הִיא רְמוּזָה בְּאָמְרוֹ ״מִן הָעֲבֹדָה וַיִּזְעָקוּ״. וּבָזֶה יְדֻיַּק עַל נָכוֹן טַעַם שֶׁשִּׁנָּה הַכָּתוּב לְשׁוֹנוֹ שֶׁהִתְחִיל לוֹמַר ״וַיִּזְעָקוּ וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם״ וְגוֹ׳, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר ״וַתַּעַל זַעֲקָתָם״ וְגוֹ׳, אֶלָּא נִתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר שֶׁהֵם זָעֲקוּ מֵהַצָּרָה וְגַם שִׁוְּעוּ לַה׳, כְּאָמְרוֹ ״וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם״. וּכְפִי זֶה שִׁעוּר הַכָּתוּב הוּא עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: ״וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם״ שֶׁשִּׁוְּעוּ לֵאלֹהִים מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
The Torah may also teach us something that David referred to in Psalms 118,5, where he speaks about מן המצר קראתי קה, "I have called upon the Lord **out of distress,** etc." One of the prayers to which G'd responds is the one that is prompted by the distress a person finds himself in. We find that Jonah prayed from similar motivations (Jonah 2,3) when he said: "I called out because I am in distress." The Torah testifies that G'd responded to the distress the people found themselves in. According to our analysis the word שעוה means prayer, as well as an outcry prompted by pain; this is hinted at by the Torah's use of the words מן העבודה ויזעקו; the Torah is quite correct therefore when it introduces G'd's response as being in response to שועתם instead of זעקתם. The Torah wanted to point out that the outcry of the children of Israel consisted of two elements, i.e. both זעקה and שעוה.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:23:3
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:23:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:23:3)

עוֹד אוּלַי אָמְרוֹ **מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה** יִרְצֶה, שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעָה הַשַּׁוְעָה לִפְנֵי ה׳ עַל יְדֵי אֶמְצָעִי, אֶלָּא בְּיוֹשֶׁר עָלְתָה מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים, שֶׁלֹּא עַל יְדֵי בַּעַל כְּנָפַיִם יַגֵּיד דָּבָר (קהלת י:כ).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
The stress on the words מן העבודה may indicate that the prayer/outcry rose up to G'd without the help of any intermediary [such as the accompanying prayer of the patriarchs Ed.] because it was due to the intolerable burden of their workload and working conditions.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:25:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 2:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/2:25:1)

**וַיַּרְא וְגוֹ׳ וַיֵּדַע וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, אַחַר שֶׁצָּעֲקוּ וְעָלְתָה צַעֲקָתָם זָכַר ה׳ בְּרִית הָאָבוֹת, וְזֶה הָיָה סִבָּה לִפְנוֹת לָהֶם וְלִרְאוֹת אוֹתָם, כִּי רְאִיַּת ה׳ בַּמִּצְטַעֵר תּוֹעִיל לַהֲסָרַת הַצַּעַר, כִּי הוּא רַחְמָן מָלֵא רַחֲמִים וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ ״וַיֵּדַע״ וְגוֹ׳ בְּלַעַ״ז אפיאד״ו. וְתִמְצָא כִּי בְּעֵת כַּעֲסוֹ יַסְתִּיר פָּנָיו, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ (דברים לא:יח) ״וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר״ וְגוֹ׳. עוֹד יִרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ **וַיֵּדַע** דְּבָרִים נִסְתָּרִים שֶׁהֵרֵעוּ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**וירא אלוקים…וידע אלוקים. G'd saw,….and G'd knew.** After the children of Israel had raised their voices in groanings and prayers and G'd had heard those, He remembered His covenant with the patriarchs. This was the reason He turned His attention to the people. Whenever G'd is described as viewing someone's pain this is sufficient to result in the removal of such pain from the person so afflicted, for His mercy extends to all His creatures. It follows that when G'd is angry He must hide His face from the people otherwise He would have to act in accordance with the principle we have just described. This is why G'd said in Deut. 31,18: "As far as I am concerned, I will surely have to hide My face, etc." The word וידע may refer also to information that had thus far been hidden even from the Israelites concerning evil the Egyptians had perpetrated against that people.