The Midwives

Found 5 Search results

  1. The Enslavement of Israel and the Death Sentence for Newborn Boys

    Rabbi Elchanan Samet

    A close look at the enslavement of Am Yisrael in the opening chapters of Shemot, reveals that the story is told in two parallel parts, offering a contrast of the two types of edicts.

  2. By the Virtue of Righteous Women

    Rabbi Yaakov Medan

    As learned in the laws of Pesach, women participated in the miracle of Pesach in an active manner, and not merely as “people who were redeemed”. How were women connected to the deliverance of Israel? As we can see by examining the text, although Moshe was the key figure in the exodus from Egypt, Moshe’s actions were undoubtedly influenced by those righteous women who surrounded him from the moment of his birth – righteous women by whose virtue the people of Israel were delivered.

  3. Rashbam

    Part 1

    Dr. Avigail Rock

    Rashbam displays a great deal of respect towards his grandfather, Rashi, having learnt a great deal from him, but this does not prevent him from arguing on his views. The Rashbam’s commentaries are original and creative; his avoidance of Midrashic material allows him to look at the verse in an innovative, direct way.

    The nature of Rashbam’s commentary makes the following assumptions:

    • The commentaries prior to him, including his grandfather Rashi, might have thought that they were explaining the verses in accordance with the peshat, their commentaries do not express the simple meaning of the verse.
    • The “enlightened” are those who study Tanakh without relying on any Midrashic material.
    • The Rashbam’s pursuit of pure peshat does not take away from his regard for the Sages’ traditions, which are reliable and valid. The data derived from the derash is more important than the data derived from peshat.
    • Nonetheless, the peshat maintains an independent significance.
    • Both the Peshat and the Derash are true readings of the Torah.

    The principles of Peshat according to Rashbam include:

    • Taking into account common sense, logic and nature.
    • A verse must be understood as part of the general context in which it is placed and as being integrated in the sequence of verses in which it is found.
    • The peshat of Tanakh should be understood on its own, without consulting any external information; all data must be either explicit in the text or implicit in human logic or accepted practice.

    Rashbam’s Rules for Understanding the Biblical Lexicon include:

    • Synonyms are used in juxtaposition to each other without alluding to a different meaning to each word.
    • When the Torah introduces a passage with “And it was at that time,” it is an expression which comes to tell us that this event is closely tied to the previous event.

  4. For They Are Lively (Ki Hayyot Henah)

    Rabbanit Dr. Michal Tikochinsky

  5. “Due to the Virtue of Righteous Women”: Their Heroic Stand Against Egyptian Tyranny

    Rabbi Yair Kahn

    תאריך פרסום: 2023 | | Hour and 3 minutes

    According to our sages, during the enslavement in Egypt, women played a crucial role in leading the nation to freedom. We will examine the scriptural roots from which this conclusion seemingly sprouted and attempt to understand why the singular feminine contribution was critical at this specific historical juncture.