Shemot
Shemot, Aliyah 3 שמות, שלישי
Part of: ShemotShemot, Aliyah 3Chapter 2Petuchah, Exodus 2:1Petuchah, Exodus 2:23
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Shemot 2
וַיְהִי ׀ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וַיִּגְדַּל מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּצֵא אֶל־אֶחָיו וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם וַיַּרְא אִישׁ מִצְרִי מַכֶּה אִישׁ־עִבְרִי מֵאֶחָֽיו׃
It was in those days when Moshe was grown that he [began] to go out to his brethren, and he saw their burdens [hard labor]. [One day] he saw an Egyptian beating one of his Hebrew brethren.
It was in those days when Moshe was grown that he [began] to go out to his brethren, and he saw their burdens [hard labor]. [One day] he saw an Egyptian beating one of his Hebrew brethren.
Rashi
וירא בסבלותם. נתן עיניו ולבו להיות מיצר עליהם (שמו"ר א, כז):
And he saw their burdens. [Meaning:] He cast his eyes and heart to feel their distress.
איש מצרי. נוגש היה, ממונה על שוטרי ישראל, והיה מעמידם מקרות הגבר למלאכתם (שמו"ר א, כח):
An Egyptian. He was one of the slavedrivers. He was an overseer over the Israelite officers and he would wake them at the crow of the rooster to their tasks.
מכה איש עברי. מלקהו ורודהו. ובעלה של שלומית בת דברי היה, ונתן עיניו בה, ובלילה העמידו והוציאו מביתו, והוא חזר ונכנס לבית ובא על אשתו, כסבורה שהוא בעלה, וחזר האיש לביתו והרגיש בדבר, וכשראה אותו מצרי שהרגיש בדבר, היה מכהו ורודהו כל היום:
Beating one of his Hebrew brethren. He was beating and terrorizing him. He (the victim) was the husband of Shlomis, daughter of Divri, and he (the Egyptian) was attracted to her. During the night he woke him (her husband) and forced him to leave the house. Then he (the Egyptian) returned and entered the house and came upon his wife while she thought that he was her husband. The [Israelite] man returned home and sensed what had occurred. When that Egyptian realized that he sensed what had happened he beat and terrorized him the entire day.
וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ וַיַּךְ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִי וַֽיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחֽוֹל׃
He [Moshe] looked all around and [when] he saw that no man was there [watching], he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.
He [Moshe] looked all around and [when] he saw that no man was there [watching], he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.
Rashi
ויפן כה וכה. ראה מה עשה לו בבית ומה עשה לו בשדה. ולפי פשוטו כמשמעו:
He looked all around. He realized what he [the Egyptian] had done to him at home and what he had done to him in the field. But according to its plain meaning [it may be interpreted] according to its literal meaning.
וירא כי אין איש. שאין איש עתיד לצאת ממנו שיתגייר:
And he saw that no man was there — that was destined to descend from him that would convert [to Judaism].
וַיֵּצֵא בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי וְהִנֵּה שְׁנֵֽי־אֲנָשִׁים עִבְרִים נִצִּים וַיֹּאמֶר לָֽרָשָׁע לָמָּה תַכֶּה רֵעֶֽךָ׃
He went out the next day, and behold two Hebrew men were quarreling. And he said to the wicked one, “Why are you beating your friend?”
He went out the next day, and behold two Hebrew men were quarreling. And he said to the wicked one, “Why are you beating your friend?”
Rashi
שני אנשים עברים. דתן ואבירם הם, שהותירו מן המן:
Two Hebrew men. [They were] Dosson and Avirom. They were the ones who left over some of the manna.
נצים. מריבים:
Were quarreling. [נִצִּים means] quarreling.
למה תכה. אע"פ שלא הכהו, נקרא רשע בהרמת יד:
Why are you beating? Though he had not yet struck him he is referred to as a wicked person [just] for raising his hand [to strike].
רעך. רשע כמותך:
Your friend. [Meaning:] “He is as wicked as you.”
וַיֹּאמֶר מִי שָֽׂמְךָ לְאִישׁ שַׂר וְשֹׁפֵט עָלֵינוּ הַלְהׇרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר כַּאֲשֶׁר הָרַגְתָּ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּירָא מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמַר אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָֽר׃
He [the wicked one] said, “Who made you a man, officer and judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Moshe was frightened, and he said, “So the matter is known.”
He [the wicked one] said, “Who made you a man, officer and judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Moshe was frightened, and he said, “So the matter is known.”
Rashi
מי שמך לאיש. והרי עודך נער:
Who made you a man — “and you are still a boy.”
הלהרגני אתה אומר. מכאן אנו למדים שהרגו בשם המפורש:
Do you intend to kill me. From here we infer that he killed [the Egyptian] with the Divine Name.
ויירא משה. כפשוטו. ומדרשו, דאג לו על שראה בישראל רשעים דֵּילָטוֹרִין, אמר, מעתה שמא אינם ראויין להגאל:
Moshe was frightened. As its plain meaning would indicate. But its midrashic interpretation is: He was concerned that he saw among the Israelites wicked people who were informers. He thus thought: if this is so then perhaps they do not deserve to be redeemed.
אכן נודע הדבר. כמשמעו. ומדרשו, נודע לי הדבר שהייתי תמה עליו, מה חטאו ישראל מכל שבעים אומות להיות נרדים בעבודת פרך, אבל רואה אני שהם ראויים לכך:
So the matter is known. As its meaning implies. But the midrashic interpretation is: “The thing has become known to me, for I had been wondering about it. In what respect was Israel’s sin more than that of all the seventy nations, to be subjugated by oppressive work. But, I now see that they are deserving of it.
וַיִּשְׁמַע פַּרְעֹה אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת־מֹשֶׁה וַיִּבְרַח מֹשֶׁה מִפְּנֵי פַרְעֹה וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָן וַיֵּשֶׁב עַֽל־הַבְּאֵֽר׃
Pharaoh heard about the matter, and he planned to kill Moshe. Moshe fled from Pharaoh, and resided in the land of Midian, and he sat [lived] near the well.
Pharaoh heard about the matter, and he planned to kill Moshe. Moshe fled from Pharaoh, and resided in the land of Midian, and he sat [lived] near the well.
Rashi
וישמע פרעה. הם הלשינו עליו:
Pharaoh heard. They (Dosson and Avirom) informed on him.
ויבקש להרוג את משה. מסרו לְקוֹסְטֵינָר להרגו ולא שלטה בו החרב, הוא שאמר משה, ויצילני מחרב פרעה:
And he planned to kill Moshe. He handed him over to the executioner to be killed but the sword had no effect on him. That is what Moshe referred to when he said: “He saved me from Pharaoh’s sword.”
(וישב בארץ מדין. נתעכב שם, כמו וישב יעקב:)
And resided in the land of Midian. [Here וַיֵּשֶׁב means] he remained there as in, “And Yaakov resided.”
וישב על הבאר. למד מיעקב שנזדווג לו זווגו על הבאר:
And he sat [lived] near the well. [Here וַיֵּשֶׁב] means “sitting.” He (Moshe) learned from Yaakov who found his mate at the well.
וּלְכֹהֵן מִדְיָן שֶׁבַע בָּנוֹת וַתָּבֹאנָה וַתִּדְלֶנָה וַתְּמַלֶּאנָה אֶת־הָרְהָטִים לְהַשְׁקוֹת צֹאן אֲבִיהֶֽן׃
The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water [from the well] and fill the troughs to water their father’s sheep.
The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water [from the well] and fill the troughs to water their father’s sheep.
Rashi
ולכהן מדין. רב שבהן, ופירש לו מעבודת אלילים ונידוהו מאצלם:
The priest of Midian. [כֹהֵן מִדְיָן means] the most prominent of them. He abandoned the worship of idols whereupon they (the Midianites) banished him.
את הרהטים. את בריכות מרוצות המים העשויות בארץ:
And fill the troughs. [הַרְהָטִים means] the pools of rushing water that were made in the land.
וַיָּבֹאוּ הָרֹעִים וַיְגָרְשׁוּם וַיָּקׇם מֹשֶׁה וַיּוֹשִׁעָן וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת־צֹאנָֽם׃
Then the shepherds came and chased them away. Moshe got up and came to their aid, and then watered their sheep.
Then the shepherds came and chased them away. Moshe got up and came to their aid, and then watered their sheep.
Rashi
ויגרשום. מפני הנידוי:
And chased them away. On account of his (Yisro’s) being banished.
וַתָּבֹאנָה אֶל־רְעוּאֵל אֲבִיהֶן וַיֹּאמֶר מַדּוּעַ מִהַרְתֶּן בֹּא הַיּֽוֹם׃
When they came to Reu’eil, their father, he said [to them], “How did you get to come [home] so early today?”
When they came to Reu’eil, their father, he said [to them], “How did you get to come [home] so early today?”
וַתֹּאמַרְןָ אִישׁ מִצְרִי הִצִּילָנוּ מִיַּד הָרֹעִים וְגַם־דָּלֹה דָלָה לָנוּ וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת־הַצֹּֽאן׃
They said, “An Egyptian rescued us from the hand of the shepherds; and he also drew [water] for us, and watered the sheep.”
They said, “An Egyptian rescued us from the hand of the shepherds; and he also drew [water] for us, and watered the sheep.”
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־בְּנֹתָיו וְאַיּוֹ לָמָּה זֶּה עֲזַבְתֶּן אֶת־הָאִישׁ קִרְאֶן לוֹ וְיֹאכַל לָֽחֶם׃
He said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why did you abandon the man? Call him and let him eat bread.”
He said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why did you abandon the man? Call him and let him eat bread.”
Rashi
למה זה עזבתן. הכיר בו שהוא מזרעו של יעקב, שהמים עולים לקראתו:
Why did you abandon. He realized that he was a descendant of Yaakov for whom the waters [of the Nile] rose.
ויאכל לחם. שמא ישא אחת מכם, כמה דאת אמר כי אם הלחם אשר הוא אוכל:
And let him eat bread — “Perhaps he might marry one of you” as you say: “Except for the bread that he ate.”
וַיּוֹאֶל מֹשֶׁה לָשֶׁבֶת אֶת־הָאִישׁ וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־צִפֹּרָה בִתּוֹ לְמֹשֶֽׁה׃
Moshe agreed to reside with the man, and he gave Moshe his daughter Tzipporah.
Moshe agreed to reside with the man, and he gave Moshe his daughter Tzipporah.
Rashi
ויואל. כתרגומו, (ס"א כמשמעו) ודומה לו הֹואֶל נָא וְלִין (שופטים יט, ו), ולו הואלנו, הואלתי לדבר. ומדרשו לשון אָלָה, נשבע לו שלא יזוז ממדין כי אם ברשותו:
And Moshe agreed. וַיוֹאֶל means as is translated by Onkelos [וּצְבִי]. Similarly: “[הוֹאֶל] Please agree to stay overnight” [or:] “Would that we would have consented” [or:] “I have agreed to speak.” But the Midrash translates [וַיוֹאֶל] from the root [אָלָה] [i.e.] (Moshe) swore to him (Yisro) that he would not move from Midian unless he received his permission.
וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמוֹ גֵּרְשֹׁם כִּי אָמַר גֵּר הָיִיתִי בְּאֶרֶץ נׇכְרִיָּֽה׃ {פ}
When she gave birth to a son, he named him Gershom, for he said, “I have been a foreigner in a strange land.”
When she gave birth to a son, he named him Gershom, for he said, “I have been a foreigner in a strange land.”
וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָֽרַבִּים הָהֵם וַיָּמׇת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן־הָעֲבֹדָה וַיִּזְעָקוּ וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים מִן־הָעֲבֹדָֽה׃
A long time passed and the king of Egypt died. The B’nei Yisrael moaned because of their enslavement, and they cried. Their plea about their enslavement went up to God.
A long time passed and the king of Egypt died. The B’nei Yisrael moaned because of their enslavement, and they cried. Their plea about their enslavement went up to God.
Rashi
ויהי בימים הרבים ההם. שהיה משה גָּר במדין, וימת מלך מצרים והוצרכו ישראל לתשועה, ומשה היה רועה וגו' ובאת תשועה על ידו, ולכך נסמכו פרשיות הללו. (בר"י):
A long time passed — during which Moshe was residing in Midian — and the King of Egypt died — and the Israelites needed to be saved — and Moshe tended [the sheep], etc. — and salvation came through him. It is for this reason that these chapters were put together. (From an old Rashi text.)
וימת מלך מצרים. נצטרע, והיה שוחט תינוקות ישראל ורוחץ בדמם (שמו"ר א, לד):
And the king of Egypt died. [וַיָמָת, here meaning:] he was stricken with leprosy, and was slaughtering Israelite infants and bathing in their blood.
וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת־נַאֲקָתָם וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת־בְּרִיתוֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָם אֶת־יִצְחָק וְאֶֽת־יַעֲקֹֽב׃
Elohim heard their groaning and Elohim remembered His covenant with Avraham, with Yitzchok and with Yaakov.
Elohim heard their groaning and Elohim remembered His covenant with Avraham, with Yitzchok and with Yaakov.
Rashi
נאקתם. צעקתם, וכן מֵעִיר מְתִים יִנְאָקוּ (איוב כד, יב):
Their groaning. [נַאֲקָתָם means:] their cry. Similarly, “From the populated city (יִנְִאָקוּ) a cry will arise.”
את בריתו את אברהם. עם אברהם:
His covenant with Avraham. [אֶת אַבְרָהָם means:] with Avraham.
וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִֽים׃ {ס}
Elohim saw the B’nei Yisrael, and Elohim took knowledge of them.
Elohim saw the B’nei Yisrael, and Elohim took knowledge of them.
Rashi
וידע אלהים. נתן עליהם לב ולא העלים עיניו:
Elokim took knowledge of them. [Meaning:] He gave His attention to them and He [no longer] ignored them.
ויגדל משה. והלא כבר כתב ויגדל הילד, א"ר יהודא בר"א הראשון לקומה והשני לגדולה, שמינהו פרעה על ביתו:
Moshe was grown. Was it not already perviously written “And the lad had grown up”? R. Yehudah, son of R. Eloai said: the first reference is to height and the second to greatness for Pharaoh had appointed him [overseer] of his house.