Shifra and Puah — Who were they?

This is a wonderful examination of this week’s Torah portion by Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild. She looks at the figures of Shifra and Puah, the midwives who defied Pharaoh. Her questions about the treatment they have received from the traditional commentaries bothers me too. What do you think about the questions at the end? Who WERE Shifra and Puah?

Shifra & Puah, midwives of our history. Parashat Shemot names some strong women without whom Moses w… – http://wp.me/p2PDCW-oj

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Rabbi Ruth Adar is a teaching rabbi in San Leandro, CA. She has many hats: rabbi, granny, and ham radio operator K6RAV. She blogs at http://coffeeshoprabbi.com/ and teaches at Jewish Gateways in Albany, CA.

3 thoughts on “Shifra and Puah — Who were they?”

  1. Pingback: Shifra and Puah — Who were they? — Coffee Shop Rabbi – suzysmart

  2. Definitely activists: “Shifra and Puah, whose names describe beauty, are also women who radiate morality and who call us to arms, to fight for what is right.”

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