The First Defiant Women

By Rachel Harris

My Jewish transformation has been several years in the making. Coming from a background which did not prioritise Jewish learning or community leadership for women, I first discovered Talmud while attending Limmud Conference in the UK. I later changed practice from traditional Orthodox to attending a Partnership Minyan, finally starting to appreciate a synagogue service, learning to accept an aliyah, and learning to leyn Torah. Shemot 1, psukim 15-22, telling the story of the midwives Shifra and Puah, is the first section I learned to leyn in Torah whilst studying at Pardes. I took what sometimes feels like an alternative path, a little later in life than is conventional. Therefore, I was curious to learn more about these women, who pushed against authority, refused what didn’t feel right, and followed their conscience.

The psukim highlight their bravery, refusing Pharoah’s order to slaughter the Hebrew baby boys as they were born. Jonathan Sacks discusses the midwives’ actions as the first recorded incidence of civil disobedience, disobeying authority due to “fear of God.”¹ When placed in this situation, Shifra and Puah had a choice. Faced with conflict between the laws of God and the laws of Pharaoh, the midwives chose God.

וַתִּירֶ֤אןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹקים וְלֹ֣א עָשׂ֔וּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ן
מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים:

The midwives, however, feared God; so they did not do as the king of Egypt had spoken to them, but they enabled the boys to live. (Exodus 1:17)

It should be noted that Pharaoh had allowed the girls to live, as it was believed that it was unlikely they would rise up and fight against Egypt. Of course, it was actually the women who saved the male children, including Moshe, who later became deliverer of the Jewish people. They were able to do this by tricking Pharoah, claiming that the Hebrew women had already given birth by the time they got there:

כִּ֣י לֹ֧א כַנָּשִׁ֛ים הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת כִּֽי־חָי֣וֹת הֵ֔נָּה בְּטֶ֨רֶם תָּב֧וֹא
אֲלֵהֶ֛ן הַֽמְיַלֶּ֖דֶת וְיָלָֽדוּ:

Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are skilled as midwives; when the midwife has not yet come to them, they have [already] given birth. (Exodus 1:19)

By some miracle (perhaps the actions of God), Pharaoh believed them, and their heroic actions were recognised and rewarded.

וַיֵּ֥יטֶב אֱלֹקים לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת וַיִּ֧רֶב הָעָ֛ם וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ מְאֹֽד:

God benefited the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong. (Exodus 1:20)

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם בָּתִּֽים:

He made houses for them. (Exodus 1:21)

The identities of the midwives, Shifra (שפרה) and Puah (פועה), is debated amongst the commentators. The Talmud² identifies them as Yoheved and Miriam, Moshe’s mother and sister, this relationship fitting the tradition of skills of midwifery being passed down from mother to daughter. Midwifery was an exclusively female profession, one of few open to women, and a prestigious profession in ancient Egypt. Commentators suggest that these two may have been overseers of the profession, or the names were in fact not of individuals, but of the guilds of midwives³ which would have explained their significant influence on what transpired. The Gemara similarly provides various ideas for Puah’s name; one is that she made comforting sounds to women as the child would emerge (po’a). Another interpretation is that the name comes from a verb describing speaking, suggesting she was a prophetess, saying, “In the future, my mother will give birth to a son who will save the Jewish people”.⁴

There is substantial midrash on the names. This makes sense, given this story takes place at the start of Shemot, which means “names,” and there is much to say on the significance of a name being included or omitted in the text. Agaddic commentaries suggest that Shifra is Yoheved, the name שפרה coming from the word משפרת, meaning “improves,” indicating that she tended to the newborn to make him presentable. Another interpretation is that the name came from שפרו ורבו, meaning “that they procreated,” as in the Israelites procreated due to her.⁵ There is midrash that Puah’s name came from the fact she was insolent הופיעה פנים; she looked towards Pharoah and looked down her nose at him.⁶

It is notable that the names of midwives are recorded but not those of the reigning pharaohs. These non-royal champions of morality assume far greater historic importance than the all-powerful tyrants who reigned Israel.⁷ Torah Scholar Judy Klitsner points out the names Shifra שפרה and Puah פועה contain the same letters as Pharaoh פרעה indicating they are positioned as subversive equals in the story. Indeed, they have names (out of so few women in the Humash), whereas Pharoah is reduced to his title only. After the midwives directly disobey Pharaoh, he does not kill them; perhaps Pharaoh was cowed by the midwives’ moral authority.⁸

R. Samson Raphael Hirsch writes that not only did they contradict Pharoah’s orders to kill the babies, but did everything possible to keep the babies alive, such as providing them with food. Indeed, they were extra zealous in the opposite direction, so no suspicion should be attached to them, ensuring that they had not done something or omitted something, by which the child’s life could be endangered. Rather, they did everything possible in their work and in prayer to God that all babies were born healthy, and no child would come into the world with any hurt.⁹

The Talmud suggests that the midwives also took further risks in rejecting Pharoah sexually: “The midwives, fearing G-d, did not do as the king of Egypt had told them.” The word “to them” אליהן is often used to refer to sexual intercourse. The Gemara states that Pharoah propositioned them, but they rejected him, which required immense bravery. Puah told him, “Woe to you on the day of judgement when God will come to demand punishment of you.” On hearing this, Pharaoh became enraged and wanted to kill her. However, Shifra beautified her daughter’s words to Pharaoh and mollified him and said to him, “Do you take notice of her? She is a baby and knows nothing.”¹⁰ Working together, the midwives were able to avoid Pharoah’s anger after resisting his advances.

Another midrash stated that Miriam was called Puah for her insolence, directed against her father Amram. When Pharaoh ordered the Israelite boys to be cast into the Nile, he stated, “Shall an Israelite lie with his wife for nothing?” He separated from Yoheved and divorced her. Amram was the head of the Sanhedrin at the time, so others followed him. Miriam who was called Puah said, ‘Your decree is harsher than Pharoah. He only decreed against the males, you decree against both. Doubtful if Pharaoh’s decree will come to pass, but you are righteous so your decree will be fulfilled.” He took back his wife, and others followed his lead.¹¹ In terms of their reward, it is written that God made “houses for them” וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם בָּתִּֽים. The Gemara says the “midwives’ houses” that were established refer to the houses of the Cohanim and the Levim i.e. Aaron and Moshe, descended from Yoheved. An alternative suggestion is that they may be the houses of royalty, referring to David, who came from Miriam.¹² These great legacies suggest that the text fully acknowledges the significance of their actions, and God’s approval of them.

Shifra and Puah’s actions demonstrate the deep impact of bravery and resistance.¹³ We must recognize when it is right to reject the direction or perceived wisdom of those with more authority, and develop our ability to do so. I compare the midwives’ resistance to authority to the relatively recent ascent by Orthodox Jewish women to equal learning and leadership in Judaism. This includes women’s Talmud study, their development of Partnership Minyanim, and their ordination as rabbis. Pushing open the door to Jewish learning and practise a little further takes bravery. I can attest that handling sacred texts for the first time is exciting, but also confusing and frightening, when access has been restrained for so long. This defiance may not compare to the bravery of the midwives but over time, may eventually tip the scale of how Jewish orthodoxy is practiced, and in turn, determine the future of the Jewish people.

About Rachel Harris