[Avodah] Chutzpah is sometimes praiseworthy? I don't think so...

[Richard Wolberg]

> This refers probably to her remarking to her father that his decree  
> was worse than Pharo's.

In researching what Miriam said to her parents, the following will  
explain it in context:

Egypt enjoyed the free labor for over half a century before the  
Pharaoh's astrologers foresaw the birth of an Israelite leader who  
would end the slavery. Terrified at the economic ramifications of this  
news, the Pharaoh ordered that all male babies born to Israelite  
families be drowned in the Nile River. When two leaders of the  
Israelites, Amram and his wife Yokheved, heard the news, they decided  
to separate rather than continue to bring babies into the world to a  
certain death. Many Israelite couples followed their lead and divorced  
as well. Amram and Yokheved already had two children: a younger boy  
named Aharon and an older girl named Miriam. Miriam vocally opposed  
the separation, informing her parents that while Pharaoh was merely  
preventing the propagation of male progeny, Amram and Yokheved were  
preventing the propagation of any progeny – male or female. Miriam's  
parents listened to their daughter and remarried; the divorced  
Israelite couples followed their lead. Just over six months later,  
Yokheved gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The year was 2368 after  
creation, or 1527 BC.

Now in the above context, there is no chutzpah or disrespect. Also,  
Miriam wasn't being cute or presumptuous at all. She was demonstrating  
a strong characteristic of bitochon and unwavering faith in HaShem. To  
say that Pharaoh was merely preventing the propagation of male progeny  
and her parents were preventing the propagation of any progeny – male  
or female was like giving them a pep talk. No one would ever compare  
the motive of Pharaoh with the motive of her parents. That obviously  
was not the comparison -- but rather a gentle push to motivate Amram  
and Yokheved to be brave and defy Pharaoh.

KT/BR
ri
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