There is a lot Midresh, commentary, about the non-biological mother of Moshe (is there a better way to word this).
Growing up on said Midresh she became one of inspirations and role models.
And I wanted to share some here (if you know any others about/more info about her from a Judaic wellspring please share)
She was in the Nile because was joining the family and her father had all Mikvahs shut down. Her name was Batyah.
We do know that she name Moshe a Hebrew name and comes from root word meaning to draw/drew in reference to water because she drew him from water.
It is said that in Eshet Chayil, Woman of Valor this verse is about her:
ืึทืชึธึผึคืงืืโื ืึฐึผืขึฌืึนื ืึทึืึฐืึธื ืึทืชึดึผืชึตึผึฃื ืึถึฃืจึถืฃ ืึฐืึตืืชึธึืึผ ืึฐึืึนึืง ืึฐื ึทืขึฒืจึนืชึถึฝืืึธื She rises while it is still night, And supplies provisions for her household, The daily fare of her maids.
There is a lot of commentary about how the name that we know Moshe by is not the name given to him by his birth mother.
But rather the one by Batyah.
And how that shows just how important she was in his life and how much she taught him and impacted him.
We also know that raised him to know who he was and who he came from. And she did knowing the risk it the both of them in.
Moshe is someone who is surrounded by incredible women. Both of his mothers, his sister, and his wife. They are all strong, independent, proud Jewish women who are very heard and seen and who take risks.
They are all women who had large impacts on me as not just a child, but as I grew and even still. They helped and still help in determining what kind of Jewish woman I want to be and how I want to be.
But I really wanted to highlight Batyah right now because it felt really fitting with current events going on and that it is Black History Month.
Batyah was the daughter of the Pharaoh was in a position of great power. It would have very easy for her to turn away and ignore all that was going on around her.
But she didn't. She did what she could where and when she could. She took Moshe and raised him as her own her. She was his mother and he was her son. She named him and she protected him.
She brought risk to her own head.
Batyah is also one the many examples of Black Jews in the Tanach and was an incredible person.
I greatly admire her and do my best to model myself after her in many ways.
I hope you have enjoyed learning about her just as much I enjoyed sharing what I know with you.
