This week’s Torah begins a new book, the second book of the Torah, Sh’mote or names. This book deals with Moses and the Exodus from Egypt. In the beginning of the sedra the author of the Torah says that after the death of Joseph the Israelites multiply greatly, the new Pharaoh who does not remember Joseph is afraid of so many Jews living in Egypt.

He tells the Israelite midwives Shifra and Puah to destroy the male children. To protect their people Shifra and Puah did not obey Pharaoh. An interesting answer the Rabbis made to the question, who are these women? The Rabbis said these women are actually Yocheved and Miriam, Moses’ mother and sister. Although Pharaoh threatened to burn them alive if they continued to disobey him, they nonetheless stood firm and were miraculously spared from punishment.