Sotah - Daf 12
- Amram’s divorce and remarrying Yocheved on Miriam’s advice
The passuk says: וילך איש מבית לוי – A man went from the house of Levi. The descriptive term “going” teaches: שהלך בעצת בתו – that he followed his daughter’s advice. A Baraisa relates that when Pharaoh decreed for all male infants to be thrown into the river, Amram, the gadol hador, declared: לשוא אנו עמלין – We are laboring for nothing to have children, and he divorced his wife, and all Bnei Yisroel followed suit. Miriam told him: קשה גזירתך יותר משל פרעה – Your “decree” is worse than Pharaoh’s in three ways: now even females could not be born, these unborn children could not merit the World to Come, and your decree is certain to be fulfilled. Amram relented and remarried her. This is described with "ויקח" – and he took, which connotes a first marriage, to teach: שעשה לו מעשה ליקוחין – he made for her a ceremony akin to a first marriage. הושיבה באפריון ואהרן ומרים מרקדין לפניה – He seated her in a ceremonial chair used for carrying a bride, and Aharon and Miriam danced before her, ומלאכי השרת אמרו "אם הבנים שמחה" – and the malachim said, “the joyous mother of children.”
- Basya retrieves Moshe from the Nile
The passuk says: ותרד בת פרעה לרחוץ על היאור – And Pharaoh’s daughter went down to wash herself by the river. Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai said this teaches שירדה לרחוץ מגלולי אביה – that she went down to wash herself from her father’s idols (to convert). Her attendants are described as "הולכות" – walking: אין הליכה זו אלא לשון מיתה – This “walking” is none other than an expression of approaching death, as in the phrase "הולך למות" – going to die. Her attendants protested her saving Moshe, saying that even when a king’s decree is not kept by his subjects, at least his household members observe it. Gavriel came and struck them, killing them. Rebbe Yehudah and Rebbe Nechemiah dispute the meaning of "ותשלח את אמתה ותקחה" – and she sent forth her "אמה" and took [the basket]. One said it means her arm, and one said it means her maidservant (Gavriel left one alive, דלאו אורחא דבת מלכא למיקם לחודה – because it is not appropriate for a princess to stand alone). According to the opinion that it means her hand, the word אמתה is used to teach דאישתרבב אישתרבובי – that [her arm] extended greatly to reach him .
- Moshe’s mother is brought to nurse him
Miriam asked Pharaoh’s daughter if she should summon a wet-nurse "מעבריות" – from the Hebrews. The Gemara explains: שהחזירוהו למשה על כל המצריות כולן ולא ינק – they brought Moshe around to all the Egyptian women, but he did not nurse from them. Hashem said,פה שעתיד לדבר עם השכינה יינק דבר טמא – should the mouth which is destined to speak with the Shechinah, nurse of a non-kosher substance (eaten by an Egyptian wet-nurse)?! Pharaoh’s daughter said to Yocheved: "היליכי את הילד הזה" – Take this child and nurse him for me. Rebbe Chama bar Rebbe Chanina said: מתנבאה ואינה יודעת מה מתנבאה – She was prophesying but was not aware what she was prophesying, "היליכי" הא שליכי – the word “heilichi” is a contraction of here is that which is yours. Pharaoh’s daughter continued: "ואני אתן את שכרך" – and I will give your wages for nursing. Rebbe Chama bar Rebbe Chanina noted: לא דיין לצדיקים שמחזירין להן אבידתן – It is not enough for the righteous that what they lost is returned to them, אלא שנותנין להן שכרן – but they also pay them.
