Shemot (Hebrew: שְׁמוֹת, "Names") is the first weekly Torah portion of Exodus, covering Exodus 1:1–6:1. It tells of the enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt, the birth and rescue of Moses, his flight to Midian, the burning bush, and God's commissioning of Moses to redeem Israel.
Enslavement in Egypt
The parasha opens: "Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt" (Exodus 1:1), listing the 70 souls. Joseph and his generation die; the Israelites multiply exceedingly. "A new king arose over Egypt, who knew not Joseph" (Exodus 1:8). He says to his people: "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply" (Exodus 1:9–10). The Egyptians set taskmasters over Israel and afflict them with hard labor: building Pithom and Raamses. "But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew" (Exodus 1:12). Pharaoh orders the Hebrew midwives (Shiphrah and Puah) to kill male babies; they fear God and let them live. Pharaoh then commands all his people: "Every son that is born you shall cast into the river" (Exodus 1:22).
Birth and Rescue of Moses
A man of the house of Levi marries a daughter of Levi. She conceives and bears a son. Seeing he is good, she hides him three months. When she can hide him no longer, she makes an ark of bulrushes, daubs it with slime and pitch, and places the child in it among the reeds by the river's bank. His sister (Miriam) stands afar off. Pharaoh's daughter comes to bathe; she sees the ark and sends her maid to fetch it. She opens it and sees the child weeping. She says: "This is one of the Hebrews' children" (Exodus 2:6). Miriam asks: "Shall I go and call a nurse of the Hebrew women?" Pharaoh's daughter agrees. Miriam brings the child's mother. Pharaoh's daughter says: "Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages" (Exodus 2:9). The child grows; the mother brings him to Pharaoh's daughter, who names him Moses (מֹשֶׁה, "drawn out"), "because I drew him out of the water" (Exodus 2:10).
Moses in Midian
Moses grows up. He goes out to his brethren and sees their burdens. He sees an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew; he looks about, kills the Egyptian, and hides him in the sand. The next day he sees two Hebrews striving and says to the wicked one: "Wherefore smite you your fellow?" (Exodus 2:13). The man replies: "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? intend you to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?" (Exodus 2:14). Moses fears; Pharaoh seeks to slay him. Moses flees to Midian. He sits by a well. The priest of Midian's seven daughters come to draw water; shepherds drive them away. Moses stands up and helps them water their flock. Their father Reuel (Jethro) invites Moses to stay. Moses dwells with him and marries his daughter Zipporah. She bears a son, Gershom (גֵּרְשֹׁם, "a stranger there"), "for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land" (Exodus 2:22).
The Burning Bush
וַיֵּרָא מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה אֵלָיו בְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה
"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush." (Exodus 3:2)
Moses keeps the flock of Jethro. He leads them to the backside of the desert and comes to the mountain of God, Horeb (Sinai). The angel of the Lord appears in a flame of fire out of a bush that burns but is not consumed. Moses turns aside to see. God calls from the bush: "Moses, Moses." He says: "Here am I." God says: "Draw not nigh hither; put off your shoes from off your feet, for the place whereon you stand is holy ground" (Exodus 3:5). God says: "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (Exodus 3:6). Moses hides his face, afraid to look. God says: "I have surely seen the affliction of My people which are in Egypt... and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:7–8). God sends Moses to Pharaoh to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses says: "Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh?" (Exodus 3:11). God promises: "Certainly I will be with you" (Exodus 3:12).
Moses asks God's name. God says: "I AM THAT I AM (אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה); and He said, Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you" (Exodus 3:14). God gives the mission: to tell the elders of Israel that God has visited them and will bring them to Canaan. God tells Moses that Pharaoh will not let them go until God smites Egypt with wonders; then Pharaoh will let them go, and they will not go empty-handed.
Return to Egypt
Moses objects: "But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, The Lord has not appeared unto you" (Exodus 4:1). God gives him three signs: (1) his rod becomes a serpent and returns; (2) his hand becomes leprous and is healed; (3) water from the Nile becomes blood on the dry land. Moses still objects: "O my Lord, I am not eloquent... but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue" (Exodus 4:10). God says: "Who has made man's mouth?... Have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth" (Exodus 4:11–12). Moses says: "O my Lord, send, I pray you, by the hand of him whom You will send" (Exodus 4:13). God is angry and appoints Aaron, Moses' brother, as spokesman: "Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well" (Exodus 4:14).
Moses returns to Jethro and asks permission to go to Egypt. God tells him: "All the men are dead which sought your life" (Exodus 4:19). Moses takes his wife and sons and returns. On the way, "the Lord met him, and sought to kill him" (Exodus 4:24); Zipporah circumcises their son and touches Moses' feet with the foreskin, saying: "Surely a bloody husband are you to me" (Exodus 4:25). She says "A bloody husband" because of the circumcision. Moses and Aaron meet and gather the elders of Israel. Aaron speaks; the people believe and bow their heads. Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh: "Thus says the Lord God of Israel, Let My people go" (Exodus 5:1). Pharaoh replies: "Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go" (Exodus 5:2). Pharaoh increases the burden: the Israelites must gather their own straw for bricks but produce the same quota. The Israelite officers complain. Moses returns to God: "Lord, wherefore have You so evil entreated this people? Why is it that You have sent me?" (Exodus 5:22). God says: "Now shall you see what I will do to Pharaoh" (Exodus 6:1).
Major themes
- Oppression and redemption: The Israelites' enslavement and God's promise of deliverance.
- Divine call: Moses' calling at the burning bush and his reluctance.
- God's name: The revelation of "I AM THAT I AM" (YHWH).
- Providence: God's protection of the infant Moses and His plan for Israel.
- Leadership and humility: Moses' sense of inadequacy and God's assurance.
Rashi
Rashi explains that "a new king" may mean a new Pharaoh or the same Pharaoh with new decrees. On the midwives, Rashi identifies Shiphrah and Puah as Yocheved and Miriam. On Moses' name, Rashi notes that Pharaoh's daughter named him, showing that a non-Jew can merit prophecy. On the burning bush, Rashi explains that God chose a thornbush to show that He is with Israel in their affliction.
Ramban
Ramban explains that God's name "I AM THAT I AM" signifies His eternal, unchanging nature. On Moses' reluctance, Ramban sees it as genuine humility, not disobedience.
Midrashic interpretations
- Shemot Rabbah 1:1: The Israelites were enslaved because they did not listen to Joseph's request to be buried in Canaan.
- Shemot Rabbah 1:20: The midwives feared God more than Pharaoh.
- Shemot Rabbah 1:26: Moses was called "good" because he was born circumcised.
- Shemot Rabbah 2:5: The burning bush represents Israel, which burns but is not consumed.
- Shemot Rabbah 3:14: Moses argued with God for seven days before accepting the mission.
Haftarah
The haftarah (Isaiah 27:6 – 28:13; 29:22–23) speaks of Israel's future flourishing and God's judgment on the proud. It connects to the theme of God's redemption of Israel and His faithfulness to the covenant.
References
- Exodus 1:1 – 6:1 (Masoretic Text)
- Rashi, Commentary on the Torah
- Ramban, Commentary on the Torah
- Ibn Ezra, Commentary on the Torah
- Shemot Rabbah (Midrash)
- The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus (Nahum M. Sarna, 1991)
- Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary (JPS, 2001)
- Sefaria.org, "Shemot" (parasha)