Shemos 2:2 · unit 2 — that he was good

Parashas Shemos

The Complete Passuk

וַתַּ֥הַר הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֹתוֹ֙ כִּי־ט֣וֹב ה֔וּא וַֽתִּצְפְּנֵ֖הוּ שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה יְרָחִֽים׃

The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw how beautiful he was, she hid him for three months.

Chabad.org — 2:2

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to baraisa — Sotah 12a (verified).

Sefaria — Sotah 12a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text

כי טוב הוא — תניא, ר׳ מאיר אומר טוב שמו, ר׳ יהודה אומר טוביה שמו, ר׳ נחמיה אומר הגון לנביאות הוא, אחרים אומרים שנולד מהול, וחכמים אומרים שנתמלא כל הבית אורה.

English: “That he was good” — it was taught: R’ Meir said “Tov was his name”; R’ Yehudah said “Toviyah was his name”; R’ Nechemyah said he was fit for prophecy; others said he was born circumcised; and the Sages said the whole house was filled with light.

On the daf / in context: Multiple readings of “tov” are offered on the same amud, ranging from a proper name to miraculous light at birth.

Type of Learning

Custom — multiple midrashic readings of tov.

What Is Learned

Chazal offer several complementary explanations of the goodness perceived at Moshe’s birth, culminating in the tradition that light filled the house.