Parashat Shemot
9th January 2026
Week of 4-10 January 2026
Torah portion : Shemot 1 :1-6 :1 Haftarah : Jeremiah 1:1-2:3-22
Theme: Women saving the Nation
The ‘Women’s Commentary’, p.305 states that four prominent themes appear in Parashat Shemot: firstly, the fertility of Israel; secondly, the oppression suffered by the Israelites; thirdly, God’s decision to intervene in their history; and fourthly, the role of women in saving the nation.
I should like to focus on the fourth theme. As the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke are still fresh in our minds, we cannot but think of another king wanting to get rid of the baby boys because of the threat to his position, namely: Herod. In Matthew’s account an angel – messenger of God – warns Joseph about the threat to Jesus and, ironically, takes Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Matthew places this story in his account as a reminder to the Jews of their great prophet and leader, Moses, who said: “The Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well. I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen who will be like you. I will place my words in his mouth, and he will tell them all that I command him.’” (Deut. 18:17-18). Jeshua, about whom Matthew writes, is this great prophet – the new Moses.
Moses is also saved in Egypt by the ingenuity of his mother and sister (not named here) who float him in a basket on the river Nile where the Egyptian princess (also unnamed) saves him and brings him up as her son. So far we have counted three women.
The next women who are named are the midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, who disobey Pharaoh’s commands to kill the boys born of Israelite women. They are described as God-fearing women. I note that all five women so far have been disobedient to the laws of authority but obedient to God’s law of preservation of life. It is such a tragedy that this has not been the norm throughout history.
I note what I wrote previously: ‘The Women’s Commentary’ p. 157 states concerning Parashat Vayetzei that “Genesis acknowledges that conception ensues from sexual relations; but that the subtext for the female journey cycle indicates that its success requires not only intimacy between the man and the woman but also between the woman and God.” I conclude that to preserve a life in any way especially that of children is the measure of a woman’s closeness to God, the Creator.
‘The Women’s Commentary’ on the same page (305) points out the connection of the first (fertility of Israel) and fourth theme to a pervasive theme in the Bible, namely: ‘women saving the nation’. Examples are the stories of the matriarchs in Genesis 12-35; the account of Tamar in Genesis 38; and the Book of Ruth.
A mysterious incident takes place in Gen. 4:24 and I offer the note given in the New Catholic Bible (NCB): “The Lord came and tried to kill Moses: the reference may be to an incident similar to that described in Gen 32:25-33 (Jacob wrestling with ‘God’) . Moses’ wife circumcises the boy (Gershon) and with his foreskin ‘touches [the] feet’ (i.e., the genitals) of Moses. This seems intended as a rite that replaces circumcision, which Moses had not undergone. Spouse of blood: perhaps signifies ‘protected by the blood.’” Moses is now a true Israelite, once again saved by a woman.
For Reflection and Discussion:
1) Have you experiences of being saved by a woman? 2) As a woman, how have you saved?
Bibliography: Eskenazi, T. C. Weiss, A.L. A Women’s Commentary (New York: 2008); Fox, Everett. The Five Books of Moses (New York:1997); https //www.biblegateway.com. NCB translation and notes.
This week’s Parasha Commentary was prepared by
Bernadette Teresa Chellew, South Africa, Bat Kol Alumna 2008
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