By the Merit of the Righteous Women Israel Was Redeemed

Rabbi Akiva expounded: By the reward of the righteous women of that generation, Israel was redeemed from Egypt. When they went out to draw water, the Holy One, blessed be He, would arrange for small fish to be inside their jars, and they would draw up half fish and half water. They would come and set two pots on the fire, one of hot water and one of fish, and carry them out to their husbands in the fields. They would wash them and anoint them and feed them and give them drink and join with them between the embankments, as it is said, "Though you lie among the sheepfolds" (Psalms 68:14), and so on. When they conceived, they would return to their homes, and when the time of birth arrived, they would go and give birth in the field under the apple tree, as it is said, "Under the apple tree I awakened you; there your mother was in labor with you" (Song of Songs 8:5). The Holy One, blessed be He, would send from the highest heavens one to clean them and beautify them, like a midwife who tends the newborn, as it is said, "And as for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut" (Ezekiel 16:4). And He would gather for them two cakes, one of oil and one of honey, as it is written, "He made him suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty stone" (Deuteronomy 32:13). When the Egyptians noticed them and came to kill them, a miracle was performed for them and they were swallowed into the ground, and the Egyptians brought oxen and plowed over them, as it is said, "The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows" (Psalms 129:3). After the Egyptians left, the children would sprout up and emerge like the grass of the field, as it is said, "I caused you to multiply like the growth of the field" (Ezekiel 16:7). When they grew, they came in flocks upon flocks to their homes, as it is said, "And you increased and grew and came with finest ornaments [ba'adi adayim]" (Ezekiel 16:7). Do not read "with finest ornaments" but "in flocks upon flocks [be'eder adarim]." And when the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself at the sea, they recognized Him first, as it is said, "This is my God, and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2).