Parashat Shemot - The Faith of Yocheved

Shemot 2:1-10 A man went from the house of Levi and he took a daughter of Levi.  The women conceived and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was good and she hid him for three months. She could not hide him any longer, so she took for him a wicker basket and smeared it with clay and pitch; she placed the child into it and placed it among the reeds at the bank of the River.  His sister stationed herself at a distance to know what would be done with him.  Pharaoh's daughter went down to bathe by the River and her maidens walked along the River. She saw the basket among the reeds and she sent her maidservant and she took it.  She opened it and saw him, the child, and behold! a youth was crying. She took pity on him and said, "This is one of the Hebrew boys."  His sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and summon for you a wet nurse from the Hebrew women, who will nurse the boy for you?"  The daughter of Pharaoh said, "Go." The girl went and summoned the boy's mother.  Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this boy and nurse him for me, and I will give you pay." So the woman took the boy and nursed him.  The boy grew up and she brought him to the daughter of Pharaoh and he was a son to her. She called his name Moshe, as she said, "For I drew him from the water."

Secrets kept, your baby is in hiding
You try to keep by your side
One day you are warned your child is in danger
Find a way to keep him alive.


Yocheved.
(your beautiful baby)
Yocheved,
(Yocheved, your heart must be breaking)
So you take your tiny babe and you place him in a basket on the waves
How great is your faith.


With trembling hands you weave a tiny basket
and place your son inside
Through your tears you sadly wonder
Will I ever see my little boy alive?


Yocheved.
(Yocheved, he's sailing away now)
Yocheved,
(Yocheved, your heart must be breaking)
And as he sails away, your heart breaks with pain.
How great is your faith,
Yocheved.
And if I had been in your place
Would I have done the same,
Do I have the faith of Yocheved?


And the pain we feel today can be the joy we know tomorrow.
And through our faith we can see beyond our blinding sorrow.


Yocheved,
(Yocheved, he's sailing away now)
Yocheved,
(Yocheved, your heart must be breaking)
And as he sails away, your heart breaks with pain.
How great is your faith.


Yocheved,
(My beautiful baby)
And if I had been in your place
Would I have done the same?
Do I have the faith of Yocheved?


-----------------------


- words by Dana Mase from the CD "Diary" 
Click to listen