The Torah calls Miriam “the prophetess” at the splitting of the sea and the Talmud enumerates her as one of the seven prophetesses:Miriam prophesied that her mother would give birth to a son who would redeem Israel. When Moshe was born and the house was filled with...
In this week’s parashah the Jewish people received the first mitzvah: “Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the Land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be to you the beginning of months, it shall be the first month of the year to you” (Shemot 12:1–2).The First Mitzvah...
The Jewish women in Egypt were able to see beyond their momentary enslavement. Servitude did not drag them down so low that they forgot about the possibility of freedom. In spite of the bitterness of their situation, they were able to envision the future redemption....
“Behold the children of Israel have not listened to me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?” (Shemot 6:12). Sefat Emet explains that there is a direct connection between the prophet’s ability to prophesize and the people’s capacity to listen....
Israel was redeemed from Egypt in the merit of the righteous women from that generation” (Sotah 11b). Learning about the Jewish midwives who played an important role in the redemption from the Egyptian exile can inspire us to help bring about the future redemption.Who...
Why did Ya’acov let his favorite wife lie by the wayside, instead of carrying her at least into the city of Beitlechem, which was nearby? According to Ramban, the reason why Ya’acov didn’t bury Rachel in the Cave of Machpelah was in order that he should not be buried...
