meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Commentary/Or HaChaim/Torah/Or HaChaim on Exodus/English/Sefaria Community Translation.txt"}
text: Or HaChaim on Exodus
  אור החיים על שמות
  Sefaria Community Translation
  
  
  Or HaChaim on Exodus
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  So she hid him. What precisely was the "goodness" that Yocheved observed when Moses was born? Our sages (Sotah 12) say that Moses was born without a foreskin and that the house was filled with light when he was born. Surely this is homiletics. Besides, what does Yocheved's hiding Moses have to do with her observing that he was "good?" Assuming Moses had not been "good," would she not have had motherly feelings of pity for his future?We can determine the meaning of the verse from the comment of our sages in Sotah 12 that the Egyptians calculated the length of her pregnancy from the day Yocheved remarried Amram. She gave birth to Moses six months and a day after he was conceived. Normally, babies born after only six months of pregnancy do not have much of a chance to survive, whereas babies born after seven months have an excellent chance to develop normally. The average mother is unable to determine to the day how long her pregnancy has been in progress. When she gives birth to a baby after six months pregnancy the baby is considered as aborted. The Torah told us that when Yocheved looked at the fetus she realised that contrary to her expectations he was healthy and well. This was the "good" that she saw. This is also why she took extraordinary care to nurse this child through the difficult period until it would be out of danger. She endangered herself by hiding Moses seeing that the Egyptians used to carry out house to house searches for Jewish babies. Our sages base their exegesis on the Torah choosing the word טוב rather than any other word describing Moses' state of health. They concluded that he must have been born without a foreskin. According to our tradition Adam was created without a foreskin. As a result of his sin his glans became covered with additional tissue, something that required removal if man wanted to regain a status the Torah describes as "perfect" when G'd instructed Abraham to circumcise himself.
  
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  "And she called his name, etc. and she said, etc." Here we find a difference from the way Yitzchak and Yaakov and the tribes were named. For all of them, the meaning came before the name itself. For Yitzchak, (Breisheet 21:6), [Sarah said] "anyone who hears will laugh (Yitzchak) etc." and that is when she named him Yitzchak. For Yaakov, (Breisheet 25:26), 'his hand was holding the heel (Ekev) [of Esav] and he called him Yaakov.' With the tribes, [Leah said], 'For Hashem saw ... and she called him Reuven." (Breisheet 29:32), "For Hashem heard ... and she called him Shimon." (Breisheet 29:33) and so on in this manner.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  (the third thing is) the teaching of the wise coming together with each other, and connecting with a full and whole friendship (heart). Not to be separated from each other, as for that the Talmud teaches us based on the words of Jeremiah, that it's like a sword on those who are [studying] alone. But, we need to come together, grow from each other [from the differences], and treat each other nicely. That is why the Torah uses a singular word, because all the Israelites became like one person - and now they were ready to receive to Torah. (free translation by Abby Stein)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  That I may dwell among (within) them: It does not say "within it," which means that the place that God will sanctify to dwell there is within the children of Israel that encircle the Tabernacle with four banners.