Shemos 1:7 · EXTRA 1 — fruitful and swarmed EXTRA

Parashas Shemos · Side page (no TT primary unit)

The Complete Passuk

וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל פָּר֧וּ וַֽיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּ וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ אֹתָֽם׃ {פ}

But the Israelites were fertile and prolific; they multiplied and increased very greatly, so that the land was filled with them.

Shemos Rabbah 1:8 — EXTRA.

Core Text

וישרצו — מלמד שהיו יולדות ששה בכרס אחד.

English: “And they swarmed” — this teaches that they would give birth to six at one time.

On the midrash / in context: The verb sharatz is midrashically linked to extraordinary fertility during the Egyptian sojourn.

Custom

Chazal teach that the increase in Egypt was miraculous in its rate and multiplicity of births.