Jochebed Who Built Her House and Miriam's Persistent Prophecy

(Proverbs 14:1): "The wisest of women builds her house" - this is Jochebed, who raised up three righteous ones, Moses and Aaron and Miriam, and the three of them were privileged to serve Israel: Moses through the manna, Aaron through the clouds of glory, and Miriam through the well; and the three of them were prophets: Moses, from where? as it is said (Deuteronomy 34:10): "And there arose no prophet again in Israel like Moses"; Aaron, from where? as it is said (Exodus 7:1): "And Aaron your brother shall be your prophet"; Miriam, from where? as it is said (Exodus 15:20): "And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took." Rav Huna said: What prophecy did she prophesy? She said to her father: My mother is destined to bear a son who will deliver Israel. And when he was born, the whole house was filled with light, and her father arose and kissed her on her head and said to her: My daughter, your prophecy has been fulfilled! And when they cast him into the Nile, her mother arose and struck her on her head and said to her: Where is your prophecy now? Yet still she held firm in her prophecy, as it is said (Exodus 2:4): "And his sister stationed herself at a distance to know what would be done to him." And "stationing" is nothing other than the Holy Spirit, as it is said (Amos 9:1): "I saw the LORD stationed upon the altar"; and "his sister" is nothing other than the Holy Spirit, as it is said (Proverbs 7:4): "Say to wisdom, you are my sister"; and "at a distance" is nothing other than the Holy Spirit, as it is said (Jeremiah 31:3): "From a distance the LORD appeared to me"; and "to know" is nothing other than the Holy Spirit, as it is said (I Samuel 2:3): "For a God of knowledge is the LORD"; and "what" is nothing other than the Holy Spirit, as it is said (Deuteronomy 10:12): "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you"; and "would be done" is nothing other than the Holy Spirit, as it is said (Amos 3:7): "For the Lord GOD does nothing unless He has revealed His secret"; and "to him" is nothing other than the Holy Spirit, as it is said (Judges 6:24): "And he called it the LORD is peace." Rabbi Elazar said: Just as Moses spoke a song, so Miriam spoke a song: Moses, from where? as it is said (Exodus 15:1): "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang"; Miriam, from where? as it is said (Exodus 15:21): "And Miriam answered them, Sing to the LORD." "But folly tears it down with her own hands" - this is Zeresh the wicked, wife of Haman the wicked. Another interpretation: "The wisest of women builds her house" - Rabbi Abbahu said: Anyone who acquires wisdom for himself in this world may be assured that he acquires wisdom for the world to come. "But folly tears it down with her own hands" - anyone who has not acquired wisdom in this world may be assured that he has acquired for himself Gehinnom in the time to come. Another interpretation: "The wisest of women builds her house" - because a person conducts himself in the fear of Heaven, the Holy One, blessed be He, gives him wisdom: (Proverbs 14:2): "He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, but he whose ways are crooked despises Him" - because a person merits the fear [of Heaven], he merits length of days, as it is said (Proverbs 14:27): "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life," at the time when he distances himself from sin so that he will not be ensnared on the day of judgment, as it is said, "to turn away from the snares of death."