Shifra & Puah
Shifra and Puah were the midwives who refused Pharaoh’s orders to kill any boys born to an Israelite family. When confronted by Pharaoh, they lied and claimed that they simply couldn’t get there before the babies were born. These midwives risked their own lives to help save the Israelites from destruction and genocide. They practiced civil disobedience from their unique position of influence and refused to “just follow orders” when those orders were unjust.
Yocheved:
Yocheved was the mother of Moses, Miriam, and Aaron. When Moses was born, she hid him from the Egyptians and their genocidal orders for as long as she could. When she could hide his cries no longer, she placed him in a basket to send him down the Nile, putting his fate in God’s hands. Yocheved made the impossible choice to do whatever might be necessary to give her child a chance at life. She shows us what resistance to oppression can demand, and what it can cost.
Batya: Pharaoh's Daughter
Pharaoh’s daughter, known in our tradition as Batya, was bathing in the river when she noticed the basket holding the infant Moses. She understood that he was an Israelite baby whose life was in danger. She resolved to adopt him, despite the risk it might carry if her father learned of Moses’ origins. Batya used her privilege and position to have the impact that she could; she teaches us to look beyond our own comfort, to take risks with the privilege we do have, and to allow our empathy and compassion to drive us towards righteous action. We honor her commitment.
Zipporah:
Zipporah, the daughter of Yitro, wife of Moses, and mother of Gershom and Eliezer, is a true heroine of the Exodus narrative. Not only a non-Israelite but a daughter of the High Priest of Midian, she met Moses at a well, not unlike the well of Rivka. Her ethnic identity made her a target of hate and criticism among some Israelites, but she was resolute in the face of adversity. During Moses’s crisis of conscience and identity, she built up and supported a family around him. When Moses was threatened by an angel for not circumcising his son, Zipporah saved him by performing the rite herself. We honor Zipporah’s caring, her alacrity, and her strength.
Miriam:
Miriam, daughter of Yocheved and sister of Moses and Aaron, played many parts in the story of Exodus. One midrash (traditional legend) credits her for convincing her parents—exhausted and traumatized by slavery—to conceive Moses, a hero of the Jewish people. She was also brave enough to risk asking the daughter of Pharaoh himself if Yocheved, Moses’ (and her) mother, could serve as a wet-nurse for the baby. Her bravery and charm thus enabled the family to stay together and earn wages. Miriam later led the women and children—the backbone of Jewish life—safely to shore across the Red Sea, dancing and singing. The Torah teaches that she was a prophet; she reminds us caring for women, children and families is a critical part of our connection to the holy.
We honor her tenacity.