שמות, פרק א׳, פסוק י״ז

In a direct clash between absolute human tyranny and moral conscience, the profound courage of women who chose to risk their own lives is revealed. Rather than obey a decree of mass destruction issued by the most powerful ruler on earth, the midwives remained loyal to the divine command, fully prepared to pay a heavy personal price. This moral conviction was rooted deeply in their awe of God. Although the Egyptian king had explicitly ordered them to look closely at the birthstools to identify the infants, the midwives chose reverence over observation. Because they truly feared the King of the Universe, they were completely immune to the terror of a mortal king [קאסוטו, שפתי כהן, רשב״ם, אבן עזרא]. Furthermore, this profound reverence for God and the dread of being punished for shedding innocent blood was not limited to the chief midwives alone, but was shared by all the midwives of the nation [העמק דבר].

The king's dark command was not issued as a public decree. Instead, he spoke to the midwives in secret whispers, attempting to ensure that the guilt of murder would hang exclusively around their necks [מלבי״ם, תורה תמימה]. Beyond the plot to kill the infants, this secretive encounter suggests that the king also attempted to seduce them into immoral acts, which they bravely resisted [תורה תמימה, חתם סופר, נתינה לגר]. Recognizing that both murder and immorality are severe transgressions for which one must sacrifice their life rather than commit, the midwives willingly put themselves in mortal danger and refused his demands [כלי יקר, חנוכת התורה]. Their defiance was immediate. Despite the overwhelming intimidation that typically accompanies a royal decree, these righteous women instantly dismissed his orders [אור החיים].

The primary approach among commentators is that the midwives' defiance went far beyond a mere passive refusal to commit murder [שד״ל, רלב״ג]. Instead of simply walking away, they engaged in a highly active rescue mission. Using every ounce of their strength [אבן עזרא], they provided the infants with water and food to guarantee their survival [רש״י, אור החיים, ברטנורא], caring equally for both male and female babies [העמק דבר]. The king had anticipated that, at the very least, they would withhold their medical assistance and let nature take its course. Instead, they did the exact opposite, working vigorously to sustain the newborns [דברי דוד]. To ensure they remained free from any suspicion in the eyes of both God and humanity, the midwives prayed fervently that no child would be born stillborn or with a deformity. They were terrified that if an infant died of natural causes, people might suspect they had actually carried out the king's murderous plot, driving them to make every possible effort to protect the children's well-being [רש״ר הירש, שפתי כהן, אור החיים].