Derasha 37 on Shemos 2:3

Parashas Shemos · Passuk 2:3

The Complete Passuk

וְלֹא־יָכְלָ֣ה עוֹד֮ הַצְּפִינוֹ֒ וַתִּֽקַּֽח־לוֹ֙ תֵּ֣בַת גֹּ֔מֶא וַתַּחְמְרָ֥הֿ בַחֵמָ֖ר וּבַזָּ֑פֶת וַתָּ֤שֶׂם בָּהּ֙ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וַתָּ֥שֶׂם בַּסּ֖וּף עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sotah 12a (verified).

Sefaria — Exodus 2:3

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sotah 12a
״וַתַּחְמְרָה בַחֵמֶר וּבַזָּפֶת״, תָּנָא: חֵמָר מִבִּפְנִים וְזֶפֶת מִבַּחוּץ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָרִיחַ אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק רֵיחַ רַע.

English: “She coated it with mortar and pitch” — the mortar was inside and the pitch outside, so that the righteous child would not smell the bad odor.

In context: See the cited source for the full section.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Chazal note that the mortar was placed inside and the pitch outside so the righteous child would not be exposed to the bad smell of pitch.