Shemos 1:11 · unit 2

Parashas Shemos · Passuk 1:11

The Complete Passuk

וַיָּשִׂ֤ימוּ עָלָיו֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מִסִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן עַנֹּת֖וֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיִּ֜בֶן עָרֵ֤י מִסְכְּנוֹת֙ לְפַרְעֹ֔ה אֶת־פִּתֹ֖ם וְאֶת־רַעַמְסֵֽס׃

They placed upon him taskmasters in order to afflict him with their burdens; and he built store-cities for Pharaoh — Pisom and Raamses.

Chabad.org — 1:11

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sotah 11a (verified).

Sefaria — Sotah 11a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sotah 11a

שרי מסים — דבר שמשים.

English: “Taskmasters of missim” — a matter that is imposed (or: that places [the burden]).

On the daf / in context: The unusual term is linked to the brick-mold already discussed: the officers enforced a fixed quota that had been demonstrated on Pharaoh.

Type of Learning

Custom — linguistic reading of missim.

What Is Learned

The officers were appointed to impose and enforce the labor quota that had been publicly modeled.