Shemot Rabbah and Control Over Childbirth

(12) Pharaoh issued four decrees against them. Initially, he decreed and commanded the taskmasters to pressure them so that they would produce their quota and they would not sleep at home. He thought to diminish their procreation. He said: If they do not sleep at home they will not have children. The taskmasters said to them: ‘If you go to sleep in your homes, by the time we send to gather you in the morning, an hour or two of the day will have passed, and you will not meet your quota,’ as it is stated: “The taskmasters pressured them saying, [fulfill your work, your daily task]” (Exodus 5:13).
They would sleep on the ground. God said to them [the Egyptians]: ‘I said to their forefather Abraham that I will multiply his descendants like the stars, as it is stated: “For I will bless you, and I will multiply, etc.” (Genesis 22:17), and you are outsmarting them so they will not multiply? We will see whose matter prevails, Mine or yours.’ Immediately, “but the more they would afflict them, the more they would increase…” (Exodus 1:12).
Rabbi Akiva expounded: On account of the righteous women who were in that generation, Israel was redeemed from Egypt. What did they do? When they would go to draw water, the Holy One blessed be He would arrange for them small fish in their jugs, and they would draw half water and half fish. They would take it to their husbands and would place two pots on the fire [veshoftot], one with hot water and one with fish. They would feed them, bathe them, anoint them with oil, and give them to drink, and they would consort with them between the pots [shefatayim], as it is stated: “Now you may lie within the sheepfolds [shefatayim], wings of the dove covered with silver” (Psalms 68:14). In reward for having lain between the pots, Israel merited the loot of Egypt, as it is stated: “wings of the dove covered with silver.”
When they would conceive, they would come to their homes. When the time of their birth arrived, they would go and give birth in the fields, under apple trees, as it is stated: “Under the apple tree I roused you [there your mother was in childbirth]” (Song of Songs 8:5). The Holy One blessed be He would send an angel from the heavens above who would clean them and tend to them like the beast that tends to its young, as it is stated: “As for your birth, on the day you were born [your umbilical cord was not cut, and you were not washed in water for cleansing…and you were not swaddled]” (Ezekiel 16:4).27In this chapter, addressing the exile in Egypt, there was no midwife to perform these tasks; rather, God saw to them, as it is written: “I bathed you in water, rinsed your blood from upon you, and anointed you with oil. I dressed you in embroidered garments…I wrapped you, etc. (Ezekiel 16:9–10). They would take two round vessels of earth, one containing oil and one containing honey, as it is stated: “He suckled them honey from a boulder [and oil from a flinty rock]” (Deuteronomy 32:13).
Once the Egyptians became aware of them [the babies], they sought to kill them. A miracle was performed for them and they were enveloped in the ground. They [the Egyptians] brought oxen and they plowed [the land] above them, as it is stated: “Upon my back plowers plowed” (Psalms 129:3). After [the Egyptians] would leave, they would sprout and emerge like the grass of the field, as it is stated: “I caused you to increase like the growth of the field” (Ezekiel 16:7). Once they grew, they would come in herds [adarim] to their homes, as it is stated: “You came to have great beauty [ba’adi adayim]” (ibid.) – do not read it ba’adi adayim but rather be’edrei adarim. When the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself on the sea, they recognized Him first, as it is stated: “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2). 28This is because they remembered Him from the miracles He performed for them in Egypt.

(13) “The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shifra and the name of the other was Pu’a” (Exodus 1:15).
When he saw that they were procreating, he issued a decree against the males 29This is Pharaoh’s second decree. – that is what is written: “The king of Egypt said to the midwives….” Who were the midwives? Rav said: A daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law, Yokheved and Elisheva daughter of Aminadav. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman says: A woman and her daughter, Yokheved and Miriam.
And Miriam was no more than five years old, as Aaron was three years older than Moses. Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: She would go with her mother Yokheved and assist her, and she was very quick. While the child is still young, his [character] is recognizable. That is what Solomon said: “Even a lad is recognized through his deeds” (Proverbs 20:11).
“…the name of one was Shifra [and the name of the other was Pu’a],” because she would attend to [meshaperet] the baby when he would emerge covered in blood; “Pu’a,” because she would express [nofa’at] wine into the babies after her mother [had attended to them].
Alternatively, Shifra, because Israel procreated [sheparu veravu] in her day; Pu’a, who would revive [mapia] the baby when they would say it was dead.
Alternatively, Shifra, because she made her actions pleasing [shipera] before God; Pu’a, because she caused Israel to appear [hofia] before God. Alternatively, Pu’a, because she was impudent [hofia panim] to Pharaoh and had her nose in the air toward him, and she said to him: ‘Woe unto that man when God will come and punish him.’ He became filled with fury and sought to kill her. Shifra, because she eased [meshaperet] the words of her daughter and placated him toward her. She said to him: ‘Are you paying attention to her? She is a child and knows nothing.’
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Rav Yitzḥak said: Shifra, because she preserved Israel for God, and it was for their sake that the heavens were created, regarding which it is written: “By his wind the heavens are calm [shifra]” (Job 26:13). Pu’a, because she was impudent [hofia panim] toward her father. Amram was the head of the Sanhedrin at that time. Once Pharaoh issued his decree and said: “Every son that is born you shall cast him into the Nile” (Exodus 1:22), Amram said: ‘Isn’t Israel begetting children for naught?’ Immediately, he separated from Yokheved and abstained from sexual relations.
He divorced his wife when she was three months pregnant. All Israel arose and divorced their wives. His daughter said to him: ‘Your decree is harsher than Pharaoh’s, as Pharaoh decreed only against the males, and you, against the males and the females. Pharaoh is wicked and it is uncertain whether his decree will be fulfilled or whether it will not be fulfilled. However, you are righteous and your decree will be fulfilled.’ He arose and remarried his wife. All Israel arose and remarried their wives. That is Pu’a, who was impudent toward her father.