* Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
A group of nursing students sent me the following message:
“The parasha of Shemot is our parasha! Its about midwives and nurses and assorted caretakers and the care they provide. Redemption begins with Shifra and Puah, two midwives, who teach us so much:
Self-sacrifice to save lives. In the parasha, the midwives are ordered by Pharaoh to kill the Jewish baby boys. But what do they do instead? “And they let the children live.” They defy Pharaoh’s decree and save the infants.
Connection to God. The source of their courage an determination was their connection to God. “And it was because the midwives feared God.”
Professionalism and humanity. What exactly did the midwives do? Their names testify to their essence and their approach, as Rashi explains: Shifra — meaning beautify or improve — would clean the baby and look after his health. Puah — meaning coo — would coo softly, sing and speak to the baby, comforting and calming him.
In the parasha we see, first of all, that Shifra and Puah work together. Proper care demands teamwork. However, they do not work just according to protocol but go beyond what is required. They smile, reassure and comfort the baby. Within a dark reality, they emanate light.
With God’s help, may we all succeed in our studies and merit to be nurses in Israel. May we learn from Shifra and Puah, devotion, connection to Hashem, to be professional but also to be sensitive and humane.”
Good luck to you and thank you to all of the nurses.
