Tzipporah: Moshe's Righteous Wife

Tzipporah, Moshe's wife, is one of the most intriguing women in the Torah. A daughter of Yitro, a Midianite priest who ultimately embraced belief in Hashem, Tzipporah's story is marked by heroism, humility, and deep devotion.

From Midian to Egypt: A Righteous Wife's Journey

After fleeing Egypt for killing an Egyptian slave driver, Moshe arrived in Midian, where he rescued Yitro’s daughters from hostile shepherds. In gratitude, Yitro gave him Tzipporah as a wife, and she bore him two sons: Gershom and Eliezer.

Tzipporah received her name because she purified the home from idolatry before Moshe arrived, just as a tzippor (bird) is used in the purification ritual for a metzora (leper), cleansing him from impurity (Shemot Rabbah 1:39).

One of the most dramatic moments in her life occurs during the family’s journey to Egypt. When Moshe delayed circumcising their son, he was struck with a life-threatening illness. Tzipporah immediately took a knife, circumcised their son, and touched the blood to Moshe’s feet, declaring, “You are a bridegroom of blood to me” (Shemot 4:25). Through this act, she saved her husband's life and fulfilled a crucial mitzvah (Divine commandment).

A Woman of Beauty, Action, and Spiritual Strength

Tzipporah is referred to in the Torah as “the Cushite (dark-skinned) woman” (Bamidbar 12:1), a term that prompted discussion among the sages. The Targum Yerushalmi explains that just as a dark-skinned person's skin is uniquely distinct, Tzipporah stood out from other women through her exceptional beauty and righteous deeds. As the Gemara states: “Just as a Cushite is different in color, Tzipporah was different in her actions” (Moed Katan 16b).

She is counted among the righteous converts praised by the Midrash: “There are pious women converts: Hagar, Asenath, Tzipporah, Shifrah, Puah, Bat Pharaoh, Rachav, Ruth, and Yael, wife of Chever the Kenite” (Yalkut Shimoni, Yehoshua 1).

Despite her merits, Tzipporah did not witness the major events of the Exodus. When Moshe was instructed by Hashem to return to Egypt and lead the redemption of Israel, he brought Tzipporah and their sons with him. At the border, Aharon came to greet him and asked about the woman and children. When Moshe explained who they were and his intention to bring them to Egypt, Aharon objected, saying, “We are already burdened by those who are here. Should we add to that burden?” As a result, Moshe sent Tzipporah and the children back to Yitro’s home. They did not witness the Ten Plagues or the splitting of the sea.

A Life of Modesty and Spiritual Dedication

Following Matan Torah (the giving of the Torah at Sinai), Moshe reached a level of prophecy unlike any other. As a result, he and Tzipporah began to live separately, maintaining a life of spiritual elevation and abstinence.

Tzipporah’s legacy endures not only as the wife of the greatest prophet in history but also as a woman whose quiet strength and decisive actions are a model for generations.