The Torah emphasizes that Amram aimed for the top when he got married. He married the greatest Tzadekes, Yocheved, who was the daughter of Levi himself. Although this was the second time they married each other, this time the Torah tells us how Amram broke the norm (of marrying someone of his own generation) in favor of greatness; because Moshe, who was the greatest person who ever lived, came from this union.
As if is to say, the reason why Amram was Zoche to Moshe was because he was willing to sacrifice for greatness. And in Parshas Va’eira, the Torah rubs it in again: וַיִּקַח אֶת יוֹכֶבֶד דֹּדָתוֹ וארא ו כ he married Yocheved, his aunt, to tell us how a person can be somewhat inappropriate in his quest for greatness. Notice how Yehuda went back all the way to the daughter of Shem (Tamar) to marry his son. Also Manoach, who was an Am HaAretz and from a low Shevet Dan, married a Chashuva woman from the top Shevet, Yehuda, and they were Zoche to Shimshon HaGibbor.
Chazal and Medrash Insights
שמות רבה (א טו) וַתְּחַיֶיןָ אֶת הַיְּלָדִּים (א יז) וכי מאחר שלא עשו כאשר דבר אליהן , אין אנו יודעין שקיימו את הילדים, למה הוצרך הכתוב לומר וַתְּחַיֶיןָ אֶת הַיְּלָדִּ ים , יש קילוס בתוך קילוס, לא דיין שלא קיימו את דבריו אלא עוד הוסיפו לעשות עמהם טובות , יש מהם שהיו עניות , והולכות המילדות ומגבות מים ומזון מבתיהם של עשירות ובאות ונותנות לעניות והן מחיות את בניהן , הוא שכתוב וַתְּחַיֶיןָ אֶת הַיְּלָדִּים . ובסוטה יא ב, וַתְּחַיֶיןָ אֶת הַיְּלָדִּים (א יז ) תנא , לא דיין שלא המיתו אותן אלא שהיו מספיקות להם מים ומזון .
שמות רבה (א יג )ד"א פועה , שהופיעה פנים כנגד פרעה וזקפה חוטמה בו ואמרה לו אוי לו לאותו האיש כשיבא האלהים ליפרע ממנו , נתמלא עליה חמה להרגה .
עֲשָרָה דוֹרוֹת מִּנֹּחַ וְּעַד אַבְּרָהָם אבות ה ב There were ten generations from Noach till Avraham (plus a few more until Yehuda’s son). This is an extreme of extremes; to go back so far for a Shidduch; and there is no question they did this because of their lofty aspirations. And look at the name “Amram” which means: עַ ם רָ ם exalted nation, just like Avraham who married Sara: לָ שׁוֹן שְּ רָ רָ ה meaning “nobility”. Miriam was a tiny little girl when she gave her father advice to remarry her mother, because...
Defiance and Kosher Chutzpa
קָשָׁה גְּזֵרָתְּךָ יוֹתֵר מִּשֶל פַרְּ עֹּה סוטה יב א “Your separation is worse than Paroh’s decree”, i.e., Paroh only killed the boys, but you are also killing the potential girls that could be born. Yocheved and Miriam were also defiant to Paroh: וַתִּירֶאןָ הַמְּיַלְּדֹּת אֶת הָאֱלֹקִּ ים וְּלֹּא עָשוּ כַאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶר אֲלֵיהֶן מֶלֶךְ מִּצְּרָיִּם וַתְּחַיֶיןָ אֶת הַיְּלָדִּ ים א יז not only did they did not listen to him (to kill them), they Davka rejuvenated them. (Medrash).
And Chazal say that Miriam almost got killed when she called Paroh: “You wicked king!” Some people (not everyone) need to learn from her kosher chutzpa! Notice how Yehuda’s son, Peretz, who was supposed to be born after Zorach, suddenly broke forth, and he became king because he was: פוֹרֵ ץ גֶ דֶ ר broke barriers!
Those who “fool themselves” and break barriers and appear conceited come out ahead
