Parashat Shemot 5784

by Rabbi Margie Cella

This week’s parashah begins the second book of the Torah, which tells the story of the Exodus from Egypt. Here we are introduced to Moses, the future redeemer of the nation, who receives his commission from God, Who speaks to him from a burning bush. 

The real heroes of this parashah, however, are the women. No less than five brave women stand up and do the right thing despite the possible danger to their own lives and safety. The midwives Shifrah and Puah defy Pharaoh’s order to kill all the male children born to the Israelite women. Yocheved, aided by her daughter Miriam, manages to hide her newborn son from the Egyptians, only to become a wetnurse to her own child after Pharaoh’s daughter discovers and rescues him from the basket his mother had placed him in before setting it afloat in the Nile. These five women all defied the orders of the powerful and ruthless ruler of Egypt, acting to save the lives of the babies, endangering their own lives by doing so. There are times in each of our lives when we are called upon to put aside our own needs to do what is right for the larger community. We can all take a lesson from these brave women. Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Ba’Zeh – All the people of Israel are responsible for one another.