Parshas Shemos begins the horrific enslavement and persecution of Klal Yisroel in Mitzraim.  Indeed, enslavement was not enough, Parroh enacted a multitude of other decrees to insure there was no opportunity for them to gain freedom.  Parroh’s astrologers had informed him that the savior of Bnei Yisroel would be born in the near term so he enacted a directive that the midwives should kill all baby boys as they were born (Shemos 1:16). The Torah goes on to tell us that Shifra and Poo’ah (identified as Yocheved and Miriam) refused to kill the boys because they feared Hashem (1:17).  The Torah then tell us that “Because they feared G-d, He made them houses” (1:21).  Houses? Maybe he should have blessed them with many children, perhaps with long life but what do “houses” have to do with them sparing the boys lives?  How is that an appropriate reward for the brazen and dangerous act they were committing by violating Parroh’s decree?

Rashi addresses this point and says “houses” refers to the houses of Kehuna, Leviya and Malchus which descended from Yocheved and Miriam. [1]  An interesting point for sure but the question remains, why is this an appropriate reward for this particular act of courage?  My father often spoke over an interesting take on this pasuk and Rashi.  He pointed out that if Yocheved and Miriam had listened to Parroh, what would have happened?  Klal Yisroel would have continued.  The baby girls would have grown up and presumably married Egyptian men.  Their children would have been Jewish.  But what would have been lost – the Kehuna, the Leviya and Malchus, because those were paternally transmitted.  

Accordingly, this promise of Hashem to make them “houses” could not be more fitting.  It was the actions of Yocheved and Miriam in saving the baby boys that allowed the paternal line to survive and preserved the Kehuna, the Leviya and Malchus.  We are told many places how the Cheshban of Shamayim is mida k’neged mida, Eyen tachas Eyen and Shein tachas Shein.  Sometimes we see it right away and others generations later but it is always there.                               


[1] Rashi cites the gemara in Sotah which informs us how the Davidic dynasty descended from Miriam through one of her granddaughters.