Pshat Questions
How is the intensity of work given to the Jews described?
Back-breaking work
במאוד מאוד -- a lot a lot
Why is the language repetitive?
Was it a new king?
1. New king
2. Same king, new decrees
כל הבן הילוד -- all boys who are born
was part of Pharaoh's 1st or 2nd decree
2nd
Why were the midwives disobeying Pharaoh?
They feared G-d
How many words are used to explain that the Jews multiplied?
6
ויקם מלך חדש -- A new king arose
Was it really a new king?
The land was filled with them -- in what way?
1. They multiplied like crazy
2. They spread out and assimilated
וישרצו
comes from the root meaning what
שרץ -- bug
The Netziv says the Jews spread out of which land?
Goshen
On the birthstone (make it look like a natural death)
ערי מסכנות
Why are they called מסכנות?
Whose choice was it to build the cities for Pharaoh?
Sforno -- The Jews
Tosfot -- Egyptians
ויבן
implies that building the cities for Pharaoh was
Active/intentional/the Jew's decision
Where did the hatred of the Jews stem from?
Fear and "us vs. them" culture
The cities built by the Jews (פתאום and רעמסס) are referred to as what?
ערי מסכנות
מילדות העבריות -- Jewish midwives
Were they Jewish or did they work for the Jews?
What were the בתים given to the midwives?
1. Kehuna/Leviiah/Malchut
2. House arrest
"חיות"
comes from what
1. חיים -- life
2. חיה -- animal
What are the differences between Pharaoh's decrees?
1. Addresses the midwives, Jewish boys are killed, killed on birthing stone
2. Addresses everyone, all boys are killed, thrown in river
What was the midwives' explanation for why they didn't kill the babies?
"כי חיות הנה" -- They are like animals
אשר לא ידע את יוסף -- Who did not know Yosef
How could he not know who Yosef was?
What does חיות mean?
1. Alert and healthy
2. they don't need a midwife
מאוד
means "a lot" but also what
Money/possessions
What was Pharaoh's plan to outsmart the Jews?
Tax them, secretly have the boys killed, and slowly develop hatred to the Jews