Midrash Rabbah

3,279 texts · Page 35 of 69

The great Midrash Rabbah, a collection of aggadic midrashim on the Torah and the Five Megillot. These rabbinic commentaries explore the deeper meanings of Scripture through parable, allegory, and legend.

The Hidden Power of Saying Amen

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:1

I’m talking about amen. (Deuteronomy 28:1) promises, "It will be if you will heed the voice of the Lord your God to observe, to perform all His commandments that I am commanding yo...

Noah & FloodMosesKing DavidTorah

Happy Is the Person Who Studies Torah for Its Own Sake

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:2

The ancient sages grappled with these questions, and their insights, preserved in texts like Devarim Rabbah, offer a powerful guide. to a passage that unpacks the verse from (Prove...

HeavenKing DavidSolomonTorah

Torah Compared to Water, Wine, Honey, and Milk

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:3

Water, wine, honey… it's a veritable feast of metaphors! But what's the meaning behind it all? Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the book of Deuteronomy, explor...

CreationSolomonJobTorah

Is It Better to Know the Torah and Ignore It

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:4

The rabbis of old grappled with this very question. They asked: Is it better to be ignorant of the Torah’s demands, or to know them intimately and then… ignore them? It’s a tough o...

Hell/GehennaTorahProphecyJudgment

Blessed in the City and Blessed in the Field

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:5

Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on Deuteronomy, unpacks this verse in a beautiful way. Rabbi Yitzhak suggests that being "blessed in the city" is a reward ...

MosesKing DavidSolomonRepentance

God Opens the Heavenly Storehouse of Rain

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:6

The ancient rabbis did, and their answer, found within the pages of Devarim Rabbah, is both surprising and deeply comforting. The verse from Deuteronomy (28:12) sets the stage: “Th...

CreationAngelsKing DavidProphecy

The World Prospers Because of Israel's Merit

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:7

Jewish tradition teaches us that we have far more influence than we might realize. Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Deuteronomy, sheds light ...

CreationKing DavidHoly LandEgypt

How Abraham and Moses Read Torah to the People

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:8

Take reading from the Torah, for example. The verse we're looking at is from (Deuteronomy 29:2): "Moses summoned all Israel, and he said to them: You have seen everything that the ...

HeavenPatriarchsJosephMoses

Angelic Hierarchies

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:9

Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, tackles this very question. It starts with a verse from Proverbs (2:1): "My son, if you take my sayin...

AngelsNoah & FloodJosephMoses

Why God Did Not Give Israel a Heart to Know Until Now

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:10

The Torah touches on this very human struggle. In (Deuteronomy 29:3), Moses says to the Israelites, "But the Lord has not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to he...

Adam & EveNoah & FloodMosesKing David

How Israel's Clothes Never Wore Out for Forty Years

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:11

We often focus on the manna, the miraculous food from heaven. But what about something as basic as clothing? I mean, forty years is a long time. Did their clothes just… last? That'...

AngelsMosesSolomonTorah

God Raised Israel Like a Devoted Parent in the Desert

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 7:12

Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homiletic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, offers a powerful and surprising answer, focusing on God's relationship with the Israelites during t...

King DavidProphecyHoly Land

Cain and Creation of Mincha

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 8:1

We've all been there. So, what do we do? How do we make sure we still fulfill our obligation to connect with the Divine? That's exactly what Devarim Rabbah 8 explores. It delves in...

CreationKing DavidSolomonProphecy

The Origin of Blessing Food After Eating

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 8:2

It seems so natural, so ingrained in Jewish practice, that we might not even stop to ask why. But the Rabbis of old, they were always asking. They wanted to know the source, the re...

AngelsMosesKing DavidSolomon

The Fool Who Walks Into a House of Study and Leaves

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 8:3

Devarim Rabbah 8 opens with a quote from Proverbs: "Wisdom is lofty to a fool; at the gate, he will not open his mouth" (Proverbs 24:7). But what does it really mean? Rabbi Tanhuma...

SolomonElijahTorahMysticism

Torah as Medicine for the Soul According to the Sages

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 8:4

Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the book of Deuteronomy, opens our eyes to just how deeply Torah can impact us. It starts with a verse from Proverbs (4:22): “...

CreationJosephMosesKing David

Without Torah the World Reverts to Emptiness

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 8:5

And in Jewish tradition, the answer might surprise you: it's the Torah. Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homilies on the Book of Deuteronomy, offers a powerful idea: God says that i...

MosesTorahHoly Land

The Torah Is Not in Heaven But Right Here With Us

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 8:6

In (Deuteronomy 30:12-14), we find the verse, "It is not in the heavens… It is not beyond the sea… Rather, the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you...

HeavenCreaturesMosesSolomon

The Torah Is Nearer Than You Think According to Moses

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 8:7

That’s the feeling Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Naḥman evokes in his teaching on the verse, "Rather the matter is very near to you" (Deuteronomy 30:14). It's a beautiful passage about the ...

King DavidJobTorahMysticism

Behold Your Days Are Approaching to Die Says God to Moses

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 9:1

In (Deuteronomy 31:14), God says to Moses, "Behold, your days are approaching to die; summon Joshua, and stand in the Tent of Meeting and I will command him." This verse, "Behold, ...

CreationAngelsJosephMoses

The Race Is Not to the Swift Says Ecclesiastes

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 9:2

Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, delves into the meaning of a verse from Ecclesiastes (9:11): "I again saw under the sun that the race...

HeavenMosesSolomonWisdom

No One Rules Over the Spirit to Retain It at Death

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 9:3

Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, digs deep into the verse from Ecclesiastes (8:8): “There is no person who rules the spirit, to retain...

AngelsMosesKing DavidSolomon

Moses Pleads With God After All His Miracles

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 9:4

Even Moses, the great lawgiver, felt it. In Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, we find a poignant moment where Moses pleads with God. He...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsMoses

The Extraordinary Death of Moses

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 9:5

We often think of death as the great leveler, the fate that awaits us all. But Jewish tradition suggests that for some, like Moses, the end is… different. Special. : Moses, the man...

HeavenMosesDeath

Moses Begs God to Let Him Enter the Land

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 9:6

Well, Jewish tradition offers a powerful, and frankly heartbreaking, story about just such a predicament involving Moses himself. The text we're diving into today comes from Devari...

JosephMosesEgypt

How Moses' Own Praise May Have Cost Him the Promised Land

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 9:8

We often think of praise as purely positive, a gift freely given. But what if even our most sincere compliments could carry a hidden cost? Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homiletic...

CreationAdam & EveMosesRepentance

Death of Moses of Joshua

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 9:9

But in Jewish tradition, we find a fascinating story in Devarim Rabbah that touches upon just such a concept when it comes to the death of Moses. The text starts by asking, "What i...

Noah & FloodMosesSolomonJob

Moses and Creation of Listen

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 10:1

It's not just about being polite! It’s about life itself. (Deuteronomy 32:1) begins, “Listen, heavens, and I will speak, and the earth will hear the sayings of my mouth.” A simple ...

CreationMosesSolomonTorah

How Extraordinary People Bent the Laws of Nature

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 10:2

Day follows night, the seasons turn, the land stays put, the sea stays… well, you get the idea. But what if I told you that this order, seemingly immutable, has actually been bent ...

CreationPatriarchsMosesKing David

Elisha Among the Mothers

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 10:3

It’s a question that’s echoed throughout Jewish tradition, and Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, offers a pretty amazing perspective. I...

MatriarchsElijahHoly LandSacrifice

Do the Heavens Have a Mouth, Heart, and Ears

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 10:4

It's not just poetic flourish. According to Devarim Rabbah, there's a profound and multifaceted reason why Moses calls upon them as witnesses, as partners, as something more. Rabbi...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsMoses

What Happens When You Make a Mistake in Prayer

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 11:1

Maybe you stumble over your words during a presentation, or completely blank on someone's name. Imagine the pressure, then, of leading a congregation in prayer and making a mistake...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsMoses

Who May Ascend God's Mountain and Stand in Holiness

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 11:2

to a fascinating passage from Devarim Rabbah that explores this very idea, using the example of Moses himself. The passage opens with a question drawn from the Psalms (24:3): “Who ...

MosesKing DavidSoulPrayer

Why Moses Surpassed Every Great Figure Before Him

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 11:3

The verse in question comes from (Proverbs 31:29): "Many women have performed valiantly, but you have surpassed them all." But who is the "you" being referred to here? According to...

CreationHeavenAngelsAdam & Eve

Moses Blessed Israel with the Torah Itself at His Side

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 11:4

The Book of Deuteronomy, or Devarim in Hebrew, opens with Moses preparing to bless the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. But the Rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic inter...

CreationHeavenJosephMoses

Moses Wrestles the Angel

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 11:5

Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, gives us a glimpse into that incredible scene, a cosmic struggle between life and death, between Mose...

CreationHell/GehennaAngelsMoses

Why We Bless Before and After Reading Torah

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 11:6

Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the book of Deuteronomy, opens up this very question for us. It begins with the verse, "This is the blessing," and then delves...

CreationMosesKing DavidJob

Moses Earned His Legacy by Carrying Joseph's Bones

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 11:7

The answer, according to Devarim Rabbah, isn't what you might immediately think. It's not just about Moses being a great prophet; it's about a specific act of kindness and dedicati...

CreationJosephMosesMessiah

Moses Looks Upon the Promised Land He Cannot Enter

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 11:8

Moses had spent a lifetime leading the Israelites through the desert, of receiving the Torah at Sinai, of being the conduit between the Divine and humanity. The Holy One, blessed b...

MosesKing DavidSolomonProphecy

Death of Moses of Behold

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 11:9

The ancient rabbis wrestled with this very idea, and their insights, preserved in texts like Devarim Rabbah, can still resonate deeply today. Our story begins with Moses, nearing t...

AngelsMosesSolomonElijah

The Ten Deaths Written for Moses in the Torah

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 11:10

It sounds almost unbelievable, doesn't it? Yet, according to Devarim Rabbah, this is precisely the monumental struggle Moses faced at the end of his life. Rabbi Yoḥanan tells us th...

CreationHeavenAngelsDemons

Solomon's Search for Meaning as King in Jerusalem

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 1:1

Like everyone else is contributing, and you're just... there? Our sages grappled with this feeling, and their stories, preserved in texts like Kohelet Rabbah, offer surprising comf...

AngelsNoah & FloodKing DavidSolomon

Three Prophets Named After Their Fathers

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 1:2

It’s a question that comes up right at the beginning of Kohelet Rabbah, the ancient rabbinic commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes. It kicks off by asking about the opening line: ...

CreationHeavenKing DavidSolomon

Vanity of Vanities and What It Really Means

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 2:1

It starts with a bang: "Vanity of vanities, said Kohelet; vanity of vanities, everything is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 1:2). But what does that even mean? What is this "vanity," this he...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveJoseph

The Sages Almost Suppressed the Book of Ecclesiastes

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 3:1

That question, that nagging feeling, is at the heart of the Book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet in Hebrew. And it’s a question the Rabbis grappled with deeply. The opening verse of Ko...

CreationAdam & EveMosesKing David

One Generation Passes and Another Comes to Take Its Place

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 4:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, certainly did. “One generation passes, and one generation comes; and the earth abides forever. The sun rises and the s...

SolomonSinAdam & EveDeath

All is Vanity

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 4:2

It’s a question that’s wrestled with in Jewish tradition, and one fascinating answer comes to us from Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Ecclesias...

DeathSolomonViolenceDemons

I Crushed and I Will Heal - Destruction Followed by Hope

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 4:3

Kohelet Rabbah, a fascinating exploration of the book of Ecclesiastes, delves into this very idea, offering a surprisingly hopeful perspective. The verse they latch onto is a power...

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