The Birth of Moses Fills the World With Light

"And the woman conceived and bore a son" (Exodus 2:2). But she had already been carrying him three months from the outset. Rather, Scripture compares her giving birth to her conceiving: just as her conceiving was without pain, so too her giving birth was without pain. From here we learn of righteous women who were not included in the decree of Eve. "And she saw him, that he was good" (Exodus 2:2). Rabbi Meir says, "Good" was his name. Rabbi Yehudah says, He was fit for prophecy. Rabbi Nehemiah says, His name was Toviah. Others say, He was born already circumcised. And the sages say, At the hour Moses was born, the whole world was filled with light. It is written here "that he was good," and it is written there, "And God saw the light, that it was good" (Genesis 1:4). The rabbis said to Rabbi Perida: Rabbi Ze'ira, the grandson of Rabbi Avtolas, who is tenth in descent from Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, who is tenth in descent from Ezra, is standing at the gate. He said to them, What is all this? If he is a man of Torah, that is fine; if he is of distinguished lineage and a man of Torah, that is fine and fine; but if he is of lineage and not of Torah, may fire consume him. They said to him, He is a man of Torah. He said, Let him enter and come in. He saw that the man's mind was troubled, and he opened and expounded thus. "Let the Majestic One come and exact recompense for the majestic from the majestic in the majestic." "Majestic" - this is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "The LORD on high is mighty" (Psalms 93:4). "Recompense for the majestic" - these are Israel, as it is written, "the majestic in whom is all my delight" (Psalms 16:3). "From the majestic" - these are the Egyptians, as it is written, "they sank like lead in the majestic waters" (Exodus 15:10). "In the majestic" - these are the waters, as it is said, "mightier than the breakers of the sea" (Psalms 93:4). "Let the beloved son of a beloved come and build for the beloved, in the portion of the beloved, that the beloved may find atonement through it." "Let the beloved come" - this is Solomon, as it is written, "and He called his name Yedidyah" (2 Samuel 12:25). "Son of a beloved" - this is Abraham, as it is written, "What has my beloved to do in my house?" (Jeremiah 11:15). "And build for the beloved" - this is the Temple, as it is written, "How beloved are your dwellings" (Psalms 84:2). "For the beloved" - this is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "Let me sing for my beloved" (Isaiah 5:1). "In the portion of the beloved" - this is Benjamin, as it is said, "Of Benjamin he said, the beloved of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 33:12). "That the beloved may find atonement through it" - these are Israel, as it is written, "I have given the beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies" (Jeremiah 12:7). "Let the good come and receive the good from the Good for the good." "Let the good come" - this is Moses, as it is written, "and she saw him, that he was good." "And receive the good" - this is the Torah, as it is written, "for I give you good doctrine" (Proverbs 4:2). "From the Good" - this is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "The LORD is good to all" (Psalms 145:9). "For the good" - these are Israel, as it is written, "Do good, O LORD, to the good" (Psalms 125:4). "Let this one come and receive this from this One for this people." "Let this one come" - this is Moses, as it is written, "for this Moses" (Exodus 32:1). "And receive this" - this is the Torah, as it is written, "and this is the Torah" (Deuteronomy 4:44). "From this One" - this is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "This is my God and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2). "For this people" - these are Israel, as it is written, "this people whom You have acquired" (Exodus 15:16). "And she hid him three months" - because the Egyptians counted for her only from the time she was remarried, but she had already been carrying him three months from the outset.