The Torah tells us, "His sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter: ‘Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’" (Exodus 2:7). But why specifically "from the Hebrew women?" Was there something wrong with Egyptian wet nurses? The Midrash poses this very question.
It's not a simple matter of religious law, because as the Talmud (Avoda Zara 26a) clarifies, Jewish law distinguishes between who can nurse whom. A Jewish woman isn't supposed to nurse a non-Jewish child, but the reverse is permitted, especially on Jewish-owned property.
So, what was Miriam's angle?
The Midrash offers a stunning explanation. According to the text, Pharaoh’s daughter had already presented baby Moses to all the Egyptian women, but he refused to nurse from any of them! Why? Here's where it gets truly wondrous. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared that the mouth destined to speak with Him should not imbibe anything impure. As Isaiah 28:9 states, knowledge is given to those "weaned from milk, detached from breasts.” To whom will God teach knowledge? To those who are pure from the start.
The Midrash offers an alternative: God foresaw that Moses would speak directly with Him. Imagine the Egyptians later boasting, "I nursed the very man who speaks with the Divine Spirit!" To prevent such a claim, Moses miraculously refused their milk. It’s a powerful image – Moses, even as an infant, already set apart for his sacred destiny.
Then there's the moment Pharaoh's daughter tells Miriam, "Go." Exodus 2:8 simply states, "The girl [alma] went." But the Midrash sees more. Why call her alma, which usually refers to a young woman? It’s because, the text says, she went with alacrity – with eagerness and speed. Rabbi Shmuel adds another layer: she was guarded in her words, careful not to reveal that she was the child's sister or that she was calling his own mother.
And what about Pharaoh's daughter's words: "Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages" (Exodus 2:9)? The Midrash observes that when she says "Take [heilikhi]," she's actually prophesying! Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina cleverly interprets heilikhi as two words: Hei likhi, meaning "this is yours." Unknowingly, she's declaring that Moses ultimately belongs to his mother.
The Midrash continues, "It is not enough for the righteous that their lost items are returned to them; they also receive a reward." Moses' mother not only got her son back, but she was also paid to care for him! At that moment, the Midrash says, God gave her a partial reward for sustaining children. It's a beautiful illustration of divine justice and the recognition of righteous deeds.
Isn't it amazing how a seemingly simple verse can hold so much depth? This passage from Shemot Rabbah reveals the intricate tapestry of divine providence, familial love, and the extraordinary destiny of Moses, all woven together in his earliest days. It reminds us to look deeper, to listen more closely, and to recognize the hidden miracles that surround us every day.