Rashi on TanakhExodus 1

These are the names of the B’nei Yisrael. Though [Scripture] has previously enumerated them during their lifetime by their names, it again enumerates them at their deaths. [This is] to show how dear they are [to God], because they are compared to the stars which He brings out and brings in by number and by their [individual] names; as it is said: “Who brings out their host by number, and calls each by its name.”

Yoseif [who] was [already] in Egypt. But, were not he and his sons included in the seventy? Then what does [Scripture] intend to teach us? Would we not know ourselves that he was in Egypt? But, [the purpose is] to let you know how righteous Yoseif was — the same Yoseif who tended his father’s sheep, is the same Yoseif who was in Egypt and he became king, [yet] he remained steadfast in his righteousness.

And Prolific. They bore six children at one time.

A new king came into power. Rav and Shmuel [disagreed as to the meaning of מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ]. One said, literally a new king while the other said, [he was actually the same king] but his edicts were new.

Who did not know. He acted as if he did not know [him].

Come let us deal wisely. Wherever הָבָה [appears in Scripture] it means “preparation and readiness” for a given matter; that is: “Prepare yourselves for this!”

Wisely with him. [לוֹ — to him — refers] to the nation [of Israel]. “Let us wisely determine what to do to him.” Our Sages [however] explained [the singular לוֹ] as: “Let us deal shrewdly with the Savior of Israel (God) by bringing about their fate through water for He has already sworn that he will never again bring a flood upon the world.” (They [the Egyptians] did not realize that [His promise was] not to flood the entire world but He might flood one nation. [From an old Rashi text]).

Driving us from the land — against our will. Our Sages, however, explained it: [Pharoah spoke] as a person who expresses a curse about himself but attaches his curse to others. It is as if it had been written: “And we will go up out of the land and they will inherit it.”

Over him. [Meaning:] upon the nation.

Conscription officers. [מִסִּים] is derived from the word מַס — tribute. [Thus, שָׂרֵי מִסִּים are] officers who collect tribute from them. And what is the tribute? That they build warehouse [storage] cities for Pharaoh.

To oppress him with their burdens. I.e., [the burdens] of the Egyptians.

Supply cities. Should be translated as Onkelos does. Similarly: “Go to this (הַסֹּכֵן) treasurer.” [הַסֹּכֵן refers to] the treasurer who is in charge of the warehouses.

Pisom and Ramseis. For they were originally not fit for this purpose so they strengthened and fortified them for warehousing.

The more [the Egyptians] oppressed him. To the extent that they set their hearts to oppress [them], God set His heart to increase and strengthen them.

The more [the B’nei Yisrael] increased. [Meaning:] so did they increase and become strong. That is the plain interpretation. [However,] the Midrashic explanation is: the Holy Spirit is saying this, i.e., “You say, ‘lest he increase’, but, I say, ‘yes, they will increase’.”

[The Egyptians] came to loathe. Their lives became abhorent to them. Our Sages explained: They were as thorns (קוֹצִים) in their eyes.

With body-breaking labor. [Meaning:] with work that is so hard that it crushes (מְפַּרֶכֶת) the body and breaks it.

Midwives. מְיַלְּדוֹת has the same meaning as מוֹלִידוֹת, but it sometimes comes in the קַל (light) conjugation and sometimes in the “heavy” פִּעֵל conjugation as in שׁוֹבֵר (קַל) or מְשַׁבֵּר (פִּעֵל) or דוֹבֵר (speak) [in the קַל conjugation] and מְדַבֵּר (speak) [in the פִּעֵל conjugation]. Similarly מוֹלִיד [קַל] and מְיַלֵּד — [פִּעֵל].

Shifrah. This is Yocheved, [and she was called שִׁפְרָה] because [שֶׁמְּשַׁפֶּרֶת] she would put the newborn into proper [physical] condition.

Puah. This is Miriam, [and she was called פּוּעָה] because she would make loud noises and speak and articulate to the newborn, as do women who pacify a child that is crying.

[The word] פּוּעָה means shouting loudly as in: “I will scream like a birthing woman.”

When you deliver. בְּיַלֶדְכֶן [in the פִּעֵל conjugation] is the same as בְהוֹלִידְכֶן [in the קַל conjugation].

Birthstool. The seat of a woman who is giving birth. In another place [in Scripture] it is referred to as מַשְׁבֵּר . Similarly: “He did work on the אָבְנָיִם” — the seat upon which are kept the tools of the pottery maker.

If it is a boy, etc. He was particular only in regard to the male children because his astrologers had told him that a son was to be born who would liberate them.

Let her live. [וָחָיָה being the same as] וְתִחְיֶה — “and she shall live.”

And they kept the infant boys alive. [Meaning:] they provided water and food for them. Onkelos’ translation of the first [וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ] is וְקַיָּימָא — and they [the women] preserved [the newborn]; whereas the second time [that וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ appears — v. 18] [he translates it] וְקַיֵּימְתּוּן — and you [women] have preserved. This is because, in Hebrew, this word and any form thereof is used to mean: “they” (fem.) did something as well as: “you” (fem. pl.) did something. E.g., “(וַתּאֹמַרְןָ —) They said, “an Egyptian, etc.,” which is [fem. pl.] past tense as would be וַיֹּאמְרוּ — for masculine. [Another example:] “(וַתְּדַבֵּרְנָה) you [women] have spoken with your mouths” — the same as דִּבַּרְתֶּן corresponding to וַתְּדַבְּרוּ in the masculine. Similarly: (וַתְּחַלְּלֶנָה) “you [women] have maligned me to my nation” — which is in the past tense. The same as חִלַּלְתֶּן corresponding to וַתְּחַלְּלוּ in the masculine.

They know how to deliver. [Meaning:] they are as knowledgeable as midwives. Onkelos’ translation of מְיַלְּדוֹת (midwives) is חַיָיתָא . However, our Sages explained [חָיוֹת as “animals”] [i.e.] they may be compared to animals of the field who do not require midwives [when giving birth]. And where is it that they are compared to animals? “[Yehudah] is like a young lion,” “[Binyamin] is like a wolf that preys,” “[Yoseif] is like the first-born of his ox,” “[Naftali] is a gazelle-like messenger.” And [those of the Tribes] where no reference is made [to animals], Scripture includes them [in the comparison] [in the statement:] “And he blessed them.” It is also written: “What a lioness is your mother!”

Elokim was good. [וַיֵּיטֶב means:] He did good to them. The following is the difference concerning a word whose root letters are two and it is prefixed by a וי"ו and a יו"ד: When it intends to convey the idea of causing someone else to do something, the יו"ד is vocalized with a צֵירֵי which is also called a kometz koton. For example: “(וַיֵּיטֶב) God did good to the midwives.” “וַיֶּרֶב [the mourning] of the daughter of Yehudah” [meaning:] He caused great mourning. Similarly: “וַיֶּגֶל the remnant” [which is written] concerning Nevuzaraddan [meaning:] he caused the exile of the remnant. [Or:] “וַיֶּפֶן tail to tail” [meaning:] he caused the tails to turn to each other. All these examples have the meaning: he caused others to do something. But, when it speaks in terms of “he did” the יו"ד is vocalized with a חִירִק . For example: “וַיִּיטַב in his eyes” [meaning:] it was good [in his eyes]. Similarly: “וַיִּרֶב the nation” [meaning:] the nation increased; “וַיִּגֶל Yehudah” [meaning:] Yehudah was exiled; “(וַיִּפֶן) He looked all around” [meaning:] He turned here and there. Do not reject my [explanation] [because of the words] וַיֵלֶךְ, וַיֵשֶׁב, וַיֵרֶד וַיֵצֵא, because these [words] are not from the same type of verbs as those [above] for the יו"ד in these are part of the root — [in the words:] יָלֹךְ, יָשֹׁב, יָרֹד, יָצֹא the יו"ד is a third root letter.

Elokim was good to the midwives. What was this good [that was done to them]?

[It was that] He gave them houses. Houses of the Priesthood and the Levites and Royalty which are referred to as “houses” (dynasties), [as is written:] “And he built the House of God and the house of the king;” the Priesthood and the Levites [descended] from Yocheved and Royalty from Miriam; as is cited in Maseches Sotah.

All his people. Also upon them (the Egyptians) did he issue the decree. On the day that Moshe was born his astrologers told him, “Today, their savior was born, but we do not know whether he is from the Egyptians or the Jews, but we forsee that he is destined to be smitten through water.” Therefore, on that day, he (Pharaoh) issued a decree also regarding the Egyptians, as it is said: “Every son that will be born” and it does not say: “that will be born to the Hebrews.” They (the astrologers), however, did not know that he (Moshe) was destined to be smitten by the waters of Meriva.