The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives,
one of whom was named Shifra and the other Puah, “When you act as midwives to
the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but
if it is a girl, she shall live.” But the
midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but
they let the boys live. (Exodus 1:15-17)
The king used all sorts of devices to render the
midwives amenable to his wishes. He
approached them with amorous proposals, which they both repelled, and then he
threatened them with death by fire. But
they resisted. Indeed, instead of
murdering the babies, they supplied all their needs. If a mother that had given birth to a child
lacked food and drink, the midwives went to well-to-do women and took up a
collection, so the poor infant might not suffer want.
(Midrash
cited in Legends of the Jews)
Our Torah
portion, Shemot—which opens the book
of Exodus—feels incredibly timely this Inauguration week, as it describes the
world’s first recorded act of civil disobedience. When an immoral tyrant—in this case,
Pharaoh—issues an unjust decree, the midwives Shifra and Puah actively resist, bravely
refusing to kill the Hebrews’ baby boys.
The midrash goes even farther, suggesting that they continued to
actively aid the babies and their families after the births.
This is a
bold—and essential—text. Under ordinary
circumstances, our tradition calls us to show utmost respect for the civil
authorities. As the Talmud notes: Dina d’malchuta dina—the law of the land is
binding on the Jewish community. To
which Rabbi Chanina added: “Pray for the welfare of the government, for without
the fear of it, people would swallow each other alive.” Yet the Rabbis recognized that this principle
of dina d’malchuta dina does not
apply in the case of unjust laws and authorities. When rulers and policies undermine the
Torah’s core ethical teachings, we are morally bound to resist them—as Shifra
and Puah taught us.
I suspect
that in the coming weeks and months, we will need to draw on their courage and
resolve. May the Holy One of Justice and
Compassion guide us on the forthcoming journey.
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