Mother Daughter Quotes

(20) And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

(9) And so it is for good things; Miriam waited for Moses for one week, as it says, "and his sister stood by him from far away" (Exodus 2:4), therefore the Jewish people waited for her for a week in the desert, as it says, "and the nation did not travel until Miriam was gathered with them" (Numbers 12:15). Joseph merited burying his father, and none of his brothers were greater than he, as it says, "and Joseph went up (to Israel) to bury his father...and chariots and cavalry went up with him" (Genesis 50:7, Genesis 50:9). Who among us was greater than Joseph, that only Moses was permitted to attend to him? Moses merited [carrying] Joseph's bones [to Israel], and none of Israel is greater than him, as it says, "and Moses took the bones of Joseph with him" (Exodus 13:19). Who among us was greater than Moses, that only God merited dealing with him, as it says, "and He buried him in the valley"(Deuteronomy 34:6). And not only was this said of Moses, but of all righteous people, as it says, "and your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of God shall gather you up" (Isaiah 58:8).

(22) And his sister stood from afar... - Why did Miriam stand from afar? Rabbi Amram said in the name of Rav: Because Miriam prophesied and said "In the future, Mother will give birth to a child that will be the savior of the Jewish people." When Moshe was born, the entire house was filled with light. [Miriam's] father arose and kissed her on the head. He [Amram] said to her [Miriam]: "My daughter, your prophecy has been fulfilled". That is what is said (Exodus 15:20) "And Miriam the Prophetess, the brother of Aharon, took the tambourine..." Was she only the brother of Aharon and not the brother of Moshe? Rather, she had stated that prophecy while she was the sister of Aharon and not (yet) the sister of Moshe. When they put him (Moshe) in the river, her mother arose and hit her on the head and said to her daughter: "My daughter, where is your prophecy!?" And this is why the verse says "And his sister stood by from afar", for she wanted to know what would be the results of her prophecy. And the Rabbis say the entire verse was said with the Divine Spirit. "And she stood" similar to (Samuel I 3:10) "And G-D came and stood". "His Sister" similar to (Proverbs 7:4) "Say to wisdom, she is your sister". "From afar" similar to (Jeremiah 31:2) "From afar G-D is seen to me". "To know what will happen to him" similar to (Samuel I 2:3) "For G-D is all knowing".

"And his sister stood back" - Why did Miriam stand back? Rabbi Amram said in the name of Rav: "Because Miriam had prophesied: 'In the future, my mother will give birth to a son who will save Israel'. When Moses was born, the whole house was filled with light; her father rose and kissed her on the head. He said to her: 'My daughter! Your prophecy has come to pass' - as it is written [Exodus 15:20]: 'And Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aaron, took up the timbrel.' [Why was she called] 'Sister of Aaron,' and not 'sister of Moses'?! Because when she issued her prophecy, she was [only] the sister of Aaron - Moses had not been born yet. When she cast him into the Nile, her mother rose and struck her on the head. She said: 'My daughter! What has become of your prophecy?!' This is why it is written 'his sister stood back etc.': in order to know would become of her prophecy. And our rabbis taught: This entire verse speaks [not of Miriam, but] of the Holy Spirit. 'And she stood...' refers to 'The LORD came and stood...' [I Samuel 3:10]; '[His] sister' refers to 'Say to Wisdom: "You are my sister"' [Proberbs 7:4]. 'Back' refers to 'The Lord appeared to me from far back' [Jeremiah 31:3]. 'In order to know what would happen to him' refers to 'For the LORD is a God of knowledge.' [I Samuel 2:3]".

(2) ...Another interpretation: "And then [az] Moses sang" (Ex. 15:1). As it says: "Her mouth opened in wisdom and the law of kindness is on her tongue" (Proverbs 31:26). From the day that the Holy Blessed One created the world until the Israelites stood on the Sea, we do not find any human offer a song to the Holy Blessed One except Israel. God created Adam, and he did not offer a song; God saved Abraham from the fiery furnace and the kings, and he did not offer a song; and Isaac from the knife and he did not offer a song; and Jacob from the angel and from Esau and from the people of Shechem and he did not offer a song; when the Israelites came to the Sea, and it split for them, they immediately sang a song before the Holy Blessed One, as it says "And then Moses and the Israelites sang" which is "Her mouth opened in wisdom." The Holy Blessed One said: for these I have been waiting. And there is not 'az' [then] except happiness, as it says: "Then was our mouth filled with laughter" (Psalms 126:2). Rabbi Yehuda son of Pazi said: What did the Israelites see to sing a song with an 'az'? Rather they said: originally the Sea was dry land, and the generation of Enoch arose and angered God with an 'az', as it says: "Then men began to call upon the name of God" (Gen. 4:26). And the Holy Blessed One made it a see, and plundered them, as it says: "That calls for the waters of the sea, And pours them out upon the face of the earth" (Amos 5:8, 9:6), and then it was a sea and became dry land for us, as it says: "And the Israelites walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea" (Ex. 14:29), we will praise God with an 'az' for God switched the sea to dry land, this is "Then [az] Moses and the Israelites sang," and there is no 'az' except the meaning of trust, as it says: "Then [az] you shall walk in your way securely" (Proverbs 3:23).

(12) שמע בקולה HEARKEN UNTO HER VOICE — we may infer that Abraham was inferior to Sarah in respect of prophecy (ib.).

(67) האהלה שרה אמו INTO HIS MOTHER SARAH’S TENT — He brought her into the tent and she became exactly like his mother Sarah — that is to say, the words signify as much as, [And he brought her into the tent] and, behold, she was Sarah, his mother). For whilst Sarah was living, a light had been burning in the tent from one Sabbath eve to the next, there was always a blessing in the dough (a miraculous increase) and a cloud was always hanging over the tent (as a divine protection), but since her death all these had stopped. However, when Rebecca came, they reappeared” (ib.).

(67) אחרי אמו [AND ISAAC WAS COMFORTED] AFTER HIS MOTHER’S DEATH — It is natural that whilst a man’s mother is living he is wrapped up in her, but when she dies he finds comfort in his wife (P. d’.R. EliEzekiel 32).

(10) Another explanation: "The fruit of a beautiful tree (ets hadar)" - this is [referring to] our father, Avraham, who the Holy One, blessed be He, graced (hider) with a good old age, as it is stated (Genesis 24:1), "And Avraham was old, had come along in days;" and it is written (Leviticus 19:32), "and you shall grace (hadarta) the old." "The branches (kappot) of a date palm" - this is [referring to] Yitschak, who was bound (kafut which is spelled with the same letters as kappot) and tied up on top of the altar. "And a branch of a braided tree (a myrtle)" - this is [referring to] Yakov. Just like this myrtle bustles with leaves, so too was Yakov bustling with children. "And brook willows" - this is [referring to] Yosef. Just like this willow gets withered before these three [other] species, so too did Yosef die before his brothers. Another explanation: "The fruit of a beautiful tree (ets hadar)" - this is [referring to] Sarah, who the Holy One, blessed be He, graced (hider) with a good old age, as it is stated (Genesis 18:11), "And Avraham and Sarah were old." "The branches of a date palm" - this is [referring to] Rivka. Just like this date palm, it has food and it has thorns, so too Rivkah brought up a righteous one and an evildoer. "And a branch of a braided tree (a myrtle)" - this is [referring to] Leah. Just like this myrtle bustles with leaves, so too was Leah bustling with children. "And brook willows" - this is [referring to] Rachel. Just like this willow gets withered before these three [other] species, so too did Rachel die before her sister.

(2) Likewise, (Ovadiah 1:1) "The vision of Ovadiah: Thus has said the L-rd G-d to Edom: We have heard a report, etc." Why did Ovadiah prophesy against Edom? To apprise us of the greatness of a tzaddik, who grew up in the lap of an evildoer but did not emulate his deeds, and how great the wickedness of an evildoer, who grew up between two righteous ones and did not emulate their deeds. Esav (Edom) grew up between two righteous ones, Isaac and Rivka, and did not emulate their deeds. Ovadiah grew up between two wicked ones, Achan and Izevel, and did not emulate their deeds. Let Ovadiah come, who grew up between two wicked ones and did not emulate their deeds, and prophecy against Esav, who grew up between two righteous ones, Isaac and Rivka, and did not emulate their deeds. Thus — "The vision of Ovadiah: Thus has said the L-rd G-d to Edom, etc." "of the families of Menasheh the son of Joseph." Just as Joseph held Eretz Yisrael dear (viz. Bereshit 50:25), so did the daughters of Tzelofchad. "And these are the names of his daughters: Machlah, Noah, Choglah, Milkah, and Tirtzah." __ But perhaps all who are first in Scripture are first in worth? It is, therefore, written (Bamidbar 36:11) "And Machlah, Tirtzah, Choglah, Milkah, and Noah, the daughters of Tzelofchad, etc." (the order being changed to teach us that they were all of equal worth.)

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