The Women Who Saved Moses: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times

Discover how five courageous women defied the most powerful empire in the ancient world and set in motion the greatest liberation story ever told. This isn’t just history—it’s a blueprint for resistance, leadership, and faith that resonates powerfully in our modern world.

📚 In this transformative Torah exploration, discover: • Why Pharaoh targeted Jewish baby boys specifically (and the astrologers’ prediction) • The profound theological battle between paganism and monotheism hidden in names • How women embodied the power of life and freedom throughout the Exodus • The three methods of Jewish survival: weapons, building, and prayer • Moses’ leadership training through shared suffering with his people • Why looking “left and right” politically has deep spiritual significance

🕰️ Detailed Navigation:

🤔 Reflection Questions:

1. In what areas of your life do you have a “slave mentality” even though you’re physically free? How can you cultivate the mindset of inner freedom?

2. Which of the five women in this story (Shifra/Yocheved, Pua/Miriam, Pharaoh’s daughter, or Miriam as the prophetess) resonates most with you, and why?

3. Rabbi Rubashkin said “I was in a place called prison, but I was never in prison.” What circumstances in your life are trying to imprison your spirit, and how can you maintain inner freedom?

4. When have you experienced a moment where you tried to do something that seemed impossible, and a “miracle” happened? How did that strengthen your faith?

5. Moses experienced the suffering of his people (being thrown in the Nile). How does shared experience make someone a better leader in your community or workplace?

6. The lesson about looking “left and right” politically is that Jews can’t rely solely on any political system. How do you balance civic engagement with spiritual independence?

📖 Primary Sources & References:

Biblical Text:

• Exodus (Shemot) 1:1-2:25
• Genesis references to Joseph’s story
• Genesis 1:4 (“God saw the light that it was good”)

Rabbinic Sources:

• Rashi’s commentary on Exodus
• Talmud Bavli, Sotah 11b-12b (women in the Exodus)
• Midrash Rabbah, Shemot Rabbah 1
• Marsha (Rabbi Shmuel Eliezer Edels) on Sotah

Modern Sources:

• Rabbi Meyer Shapiro (Piaseczner Rebbe) - founder of Daf Yomi
• “Hasidic Tales of the Holocaust” by Dr. Yaffa Eliach
• Rabbi YY Jacobson’s teachings on Jewish survival
• Stories of the Baal Shem Tov