Hi,
"Deuteronomy 24:9 mentions the redemption [from Egypt] specifically regarding Miriam, teaching that whenever the camps
travelled, they did so only with Miriam travelling before them."
(Midrash, Sifri Devarim 275)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Showing posts with label Miriam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miriam. Show all posts
Monday, January 19, 2015
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Why was Miriam named "Puah"?
Hi,
The Sages suggest that the Jewish midwife named "Puah" (Exodus 1:15-21) was actually Miriam, and they offer multiple explanations for how she came about that name:
1. "Puah is Miriam. Why is she called Puah? Because she cooed (puah in Hebrew)."
(Talmud, Sotah 11b)
2. "Alternatively, she spoke (puah) with Divine inspiration, saying, 'My mother will give birth to a son who will save the Jews.'"
(Talmud, Sotah 11b)
3. "She was named Puah for she cried (puah) for her brother, as in Exodus 2:3-9."
(Midrash, Sifri, Behaalotcha 78)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
The Sages suggest that the Jewish midwife named "Puah" (Exodus 1:15-21) was actually Miriam, and they offer multiple explanations for how she came about that name:
1. "Puah is Miriam. Why is she called Puah? Because she cooed (puah in Hebrew)."
(Talmud, Sotah 11b)
2. "Alternatively, she spoke (puah) with Divine inspiration, saying, 'My mother will give birth to a son who will save the Jews.'"
(Talmud, Sotah 11b)
3. "She was named Puah for she cried (puah) for her brother, as in Exodus 2:3-9."
(Midrash, Sifri, Behaalotcha 78)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Sunday, March 25, 2012
The Influence of Miriam
Hi,
I was asked the following question the other day: In three separate places in Chumash, Chur is mentioned and Rashi takes pains, each time, to inform us that he was the son of Miriam.
First: Shemot 17:10, when Chur and Aharon support Moshe in his defense of the Jews during their war with Amalek.
Second: Shemot 24:14, when Moshe appoints Aharon and Chur to be the counselors of the Jews while he is away on Har Sinai.
Third: Shemot 35:30, when Chur's grandson Betzalel is appointed to lead the creation of the Mishkan.
Why does Rashi go out of his way to mention Chur's mother each time?
My first thought was that there were midrashim on each pasuk identifying Chur's lineage, and Rashi was only citing those midrashim, but I could not find any such midrash, on any of the pesukim.
So I have an idea which I would not deem "peshat", but which I like in any case: Each of these cases involves Chur in a different role, and in each case he channels the influence of his mother, Miriam.
In defending the Jews against Amalek, Chur channels his mother Miriam's defense of the Jews as a midwife (Shemot 1:17), and her defense of Moshe as he floated in the river (Shemot 2:4-9).
In counseling the Jews, Chur channels his mother Miriam's counsel to Amram and Yocheved to have more children (Sotah 12a), and her counsel regarding Moshe and Tziporah's relationship (Bamidbar 12:1, Rashi there).
In creating the Mishkan, Chur's grandson channels Miriam's act of connecting the Jews to Gd in the dance after they crossed through the Sea (Shemot 15:20-21).
And Rashi highlights this by commenting, each time, "Chur is the son of Miriam."
Just a thought.
Have a great day,
Mordechai
I was asked the following question the other day: In three separate places in Chumash, Chur is mentioned and Rashi takes pains, each time, to inform us that he was the son of Miriam.
First: Shemot 17:10, when Chur and Aharon support Moshe in his defense of the Jews during their war with Amalek.
Second: Shemot 24:14, when Moshe appoints Aharon and Chur to be the counselors of the Jews while he is away on Har Sinai.
Third: Shemot 35:30, when Chur's grandson Betzalel is appointed to lead the creation of the Mishkan.
Why does Rashi go out of his way to mention Chur's mother each time?
My first thought was that there were midrashim on each pasuk identifying Chur's lineage, and Rashi was only citing those midrashim, but I could not find any such midrash, on any of the pesukim.
So I have an idea which I would not deem "peshat", but which I like in any case: Each of these cases involves Chur in a different role, and in each case he channels the influence of his mother, Miriam.
In defending the Jews against Amalek, Chur channels his mother Miriam's defense of the Jews as a midwife (Shemot 1:17), and her defense of Moshe as he floated in the river (Shemot 2:4-9).
In counseling the Jews, Chur channels his mother Miriam's counsel to Amram and Yocheved to have more children (Sotah 12a), and her counsel regarding Moshe and Tziporah's relationship (Bamidbar 12:1, Rashi there).
In creating the Mishkan, Chur's grandson channels Miriam's act of connecting the Jews to Gd in the dance after they crossed through the Sea (Shemot 15:20-21).
And Rashi highlights this by commenting, each time, "Chur is the son of Miriam."
Just a thought.
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Monday, May 2, 2011
Bringing the Jews from Egypt via human agents
Hi,
"I only benefited you by removing you from Egypt via a human being, with whom you could speak and to whom you could convey your needs, and who could teach you My ways. These are Moshe, who came to Pharoah; Aharon, who prophesied to Israel before Moshe came; and Miriam, who prophesied for the women. Also, the Torah was only given via Moshe and his speaker Aharon, and both taught the mitzvot to the men, and Miriam to the women."
(Ibn Ezra to Michah 6:4)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"I only benefited you by removing you from Egypt via a human being, with whom you could speak and to whom you could convey your needs, and who could teach you My ways. These are Moshe, who came to Pharoah; Aharon, who prophesied to Israel before Moshe came; and Miriam, who prophesied for the women. Also, the Torah was only given via Moshe and his speaker Aharon, and both taught the mitzvot to the men, and Miriam to the women."
(Ibn Ezra to Michah 6:4)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Monday, February 28, 2011
Miriam's well - more than just water
Hi,
“From what source did the Jews nourish their fruit throughout their forty years in the wilderness? Rabbi Yochanan said: From the well, from which came most of their benefit.
"The well produced various types of grasses, vegetation and trees. We know this because after Miriam died, when the well stopped, they said (Bamidbar 20), ‘This is not a place of vegetation, figs and grapes.’”
(Midrash, Shir haShirim Rabbah 4)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
“From what source did the Jews nourish their fruit throughout their forty years in the wilderness? Rabbi Yochanan said: From the well, from which came most of their benefit.
"The well produced various types of grasses, vegetation and trees. We know this because after Miriam died, when the well stopped, they said (Bamidbar 20), ‘This is not a place of vegetation, figs and grapes.’”
(Midrash, Shir haShirim Rabbah 4)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
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