Rashi on TanakhExodus 2

And married the daughter of Levi. He (Amram) had separated from her due to Pharaoh’s decree and he [now] took her back and married her a second time. She, too, became youthful again. [Actually] she was 130 years old, for she was born upon their arrival in Egypt between the walls (the entrance of the city). They then spent 210 years there (in Egypt). When they left, Moshe was 80 years old. Thus, when she became pregnant with him she was 130 [years old]. [Yet,] she is referred to as “the daughter of Levi.”

She saw that he was good. When he was born the entire house was filled with light.

When she could no longer hide him. Because the Egyptians calculated [the time] from the day that he (Amram) took her back, but she gave birth to him after six months and one day. [This is possible] because one who gives birth in the seventh month can give birth [even if the 7th month is] incomplete. [But] they (the Egyptians) inquired after her [only] at the end of the ninth month.

A Papyrus box. It is called גְמִי in Mishnaic Hebrew, and jonc in Old French. It is a pliable substance which can withstand soft or hard [pressure].

With clay and tar. Tar on the outside and clay on the inside, so that the righteous [child] should not have to smell the bad odor of tar.

And placed it in the reeds. סוּף means marshland [on the side of a river], rosel (reeds) in Old French, similar to “reeds and marshes (סוּף) shall wilt.”

To bathe by the river. You must transpose [words in] the verse and [then] explain it [as follows]: “Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the river in order to bathe in it.”

Along the river’s edge. [Meaning:] near the river, as in: “See Yoav’s property is next to mine (עַל יָדִי).” It has the meaning of the actual hand because a person’s hand is next to him. Our Sages explained that הוֹלְכוֹת — walking refers to dying, as in: “Behold, I am going (הוֹלֵךְ) to die.” They were going to die because they opposed her (Pharaoh’s daughter).” The verse supports them (the Sages’ explanation), because [otherwise] why do we need to write: “And her maidens were walking [going]?”

Her Maid. [Meaning:] her handmaiden. But the Sages explained it as “hand.” However, according to Hebrew grammar, אֲמָתָה should then have been vocalized with a dagesh in the mem. They explain אֶת אֲמָתָה as “her arm,” and her arm extended many cubits.

She opened it and saw [the child]. Whom did she see? The child! That is the plain meaning. But, the Midrashic explanation is that she saw the Divine Presence with him.

And behold a boy was crying. His voice was like that of a[grown] boy.

From the Hebrew women. This teaches that she handed him around to many Egyptian women to be nursed, but he refused to nurse, for he was destined to speak with the Divine Presence.

The young girl went. She went with eagerness and vigor like a young man.

Take this child. She unknowingly prophesied: “Here is that which belongs to you!”

I drew him. As Onkelos translates it שְׁחַלִּתֵּיה which means “extracting” in Aramaic [as in:] “as one who extracts (כְּמִשְׁחַל) a hair from milk.” In Hebrew מְשִׁיתִיהוּ means “I removed him,” as in “It shall not be removed [יָמוּשׁ].” [Or:] “They did not remove themselves (מָשׁוּ).” This is the meaning given [to “מש”] by Menachem. But it is my opinion that it (מְשִׁיתִיהוּ) is not derived from מָשׁ or יָמוּשׁ but from the root מָשֹׁה which has the meaning of “extraction.” Similarly: “He extracts me (יַמְשֵׁנִי) from many waters.” For if it (מְשִׁיתִיהוּ) would have been from the root מָש, it would be incorrect to say מְשִׁיתִיהוּ, but rather הֲמִישׁוֹתִיהוּ, just as from the root קָם — (arise) הֲקִימוֹתִי — (I established) and from שָב — הֲשִׁיבוֹתִי — (I caused to return) and from בָא — הֲבִיאוֹתִי (I brought); or [another הפעיל form:] מַשְׁתִּיהוּ [should be used] as in: “I will remove the iniquity of the land,” whereas the form מָשִׁיתִי can only be derived from a word whose verb has a ה"א at the end of the [root] word. For example: כְּגוֹן מָשָׁה, בָּנָה, עָשָׂה, צִוָּה, פָּנָה when the intent is first person singular, the letter יו"ד is inserted in place of a ה"א as in בָנִיתִי — (I built); עָשִׂיתִי — (I did); צִוִּיתִי — (I commanded).

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.

And he saw their burdens. [Meaning:] He cast his eyes and heart to feel their distress.

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.

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.

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.

And he saw that no man was there — that was destined to descend from him that would convert [to Judaism].

Two Hebrew men. [They were] Dosson and Avirom. They were the ones who left over some of the manna.

Were quarreling. [נִצִּים means] quarreling.

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].

Your friend. [Meaning:] “He is as wicked as you.”

Who made you a man — “and you are still a boy.”

Do you intend to kill me. From here we infer that he killed [the Egyptian] with the Divine Name.

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.

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.

Pharaoh heard. They (Dosson and Avirom) informed on him.

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.”

And resided in the land of Midian. [Here וַיֵּשֶׁב means] he remained there as in, “And Yaakov resided.”

And he sat [lived] near the well. [Here וַיֵּשֶׁב] means “sitting.” He (Moshe) learned from Yaakov who found his mate at the well.

The priest of Midian. [כֹהֵן מִדְיָן means] the most prominent of them. He abandoned the worship of idols whereupon they (the Midianites) banished him.

And fill the troughs. [הַרְהָטִים means] the pools of rushing water that were made in the land.

And chased them away. On account of his (Yisro’s) being banished.

Why did you abandon. He realized that he was a descendant of Yaakov for whom the waters [of the Nile] rose.

And let him eat bread — “Perhaps he might marry one of you” as you say: “Except for the bread that he ate.”

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.

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.)

And the king of Egypt died. [וַיָמָת, here meaning:] he was stricken with leprosy, and was slaughtering Israelite infants and bathing in their blood.

Their groaning. [נַאֲקָתָם means:] their cry. Similarly, “From the populated city (יִנְִאָקוּ) a cry will arise.”

His covenant with Avraham. [אֶת אַבְרָהָם means:] with Avraham.

Elokim took knowledge of them. [Meaning:] He gave His attention to them and He [no longer] ignored them.