Midrash Rabbah

3,279 texts · Page 37 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 Wise and the Wicked Meet the Same End

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 15:3

That fear, that nagging doubt, echoes in the ancient words of Kohelet Rabbah, a rabbinic commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes. It grapples with the seeming unfairness of life, th...

King DavidSolomonDanielTemple

A Little Folly Outweighs a Lifetime of Wisdom

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 15:4

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet in Hebrew, grapples with these very questions. And the ancient Rabbis, in their commentary on Kohelet, called Kohelet Rabbah, really dig into t...

SolomonWisdomDeath

The Wise Scholar Whose Eyes Are in His Head

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 15:5

Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, dives into this very idea, using the verse "The wise man, his eyes are in his head, but the fo...

SolomonTorahPrayerWisdom

I Hated Life Because Everything Is Vanity

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 16:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, Kohelet in Hebrew, certainly grapples with that feeling. "I hated life," it says, "because the actions performed under the sun were distressing to me; as ...

CreationKing DavidSolomonSoul

Rabbi Meir and the King

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 17:1

The Book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it’s known in Hebrew, tackles this head-on. There's this passage that really hits home: "I hated all my toil that I toiled under the sun, as...

King DavidSolomonWisdom

Hadrian in Solomon's Court

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 20:1

"I turned my heart to despair regarding all the toil that I toiled under the sun," it says (Ecclesiastes 2:20). It's a sentiment that resonates even today. But Kohelet Rabbah, a co...

SolomonRomeAdam & EveHumor

Enosh and Creation of Simon

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 21:1

Specifically, (Ecclesiastes 2:21) states: "For there is a man whose toil is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man who has not toiled in it, he will leave it...

CreationNoah & FloodKing DavidSolomon

Ecclesiastes Maps the Generations of Suffering

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 23:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet, certainly grapples with that feeling. It can feel bleak. But within that perceived bleakness, ancient interpreters found profound meaning. Tak...

CreationHell/GehennaNoah & FloodJoseph

Nothing Better Than to Eat, Drink, and Find Meaning

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 24:1

That's what some of our sages suggest when interpreting the famous verse from Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) 2:24: "There is nothing better for a man than for him to eat and drink, and ind...

SolomonTorahSoul

Tadmor in Solomon's Court

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 25:1

Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as we know it in Hebrew, is full of Solomon's reflections on life, often tinged with a certain weariness. And one particular verse, (Ecclesiastes 2:25), re...

SolomonJoyKingsLaw

Avimelekh — Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 26:1

"For to the man who is good before Him, He gave wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He gave the task to gather and to amass, to give to one who is good before God. This, ...

CreationPatriarchsJosephSolomon

Adam and Creation of There

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 1:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet in Hebrew, grapples with this very idea, and the rabbinic commentary on it, Kohelet Rabbah, digs even deeper. It all starts with that famous li...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveNoah & Flood

A Good Name at Death Outweighs a Good Birth

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 2:1

We often think of success, happiness, maybe even leaving a legacy. But what if the key lies not just in how we live, but also in how we approach death? Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes, th...

MatriarchsMosesSolomonRepentance

A Time to Be Born and a Time to Die Says Ecclesiastes

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 2:2

Kohelet Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, dives into this very idea, particularly when it comes to life, death, and the mome...

AngelsSolomonProphecyPrayer

Stars and Firmament of Hezekiah

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 2:3

This question has been debated for centuries, and today, we're diving into a fascinating discussion about it from the ancient text of Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic inter...

CreationHeavenAngelsMoses

A Time to Kill and a Time to Heal in Ecclesiastes

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 3:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, grapples with this very idea. It’s a meditation on the cyclical nature of existence, the ups and downs that define our...

SolomonHealingViolenceWar

A Time to Weep and a Time to Dance

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 4:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, gets it. It’s a book that doesn't shy away from the complexities, the contradictions, the sheer messiness of being hum...

SolomonTribesJoyDeath

A Time to Cast Stones and a Time to Gather Them

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 5:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, wrestles with these very questions. And one particular verse, (Ecclesiastes 3:5), has sparked some fascinating interpr...

SolomonHumorRainWisdom

Solomon and the Promised Land

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 6:1

Remember the famous lines, "A time to be born, and a time to die...a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted"? (Ecclesiastes 3:2). It goes on from there. And wi...

SolomonHoly LandTimeWisdom

A Time to Rend and a Time to Sew Up What Is Torn

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 7:1

King Solomon, wiser than anyone, certainly thought so. In the book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as we call it in Hebrew, he tells us, "A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to b...

SolomonTorahTimeMourning

A Time to Love and a Time for War Says Ecclesiastes

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 8:1

The Book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, certainly thought so. And the Rabbis, plumbing its depths in Kohelet Rabbah, took that idea and ran with it. Consider ...

SolomonWarLoveAdam & Eve

Caleb and the Dreamer

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 8:2

A time for everything, as the saying goes. But what does that really mean? Well, one fascinating interpretation comes to us from Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, found within Kohelet Rab...

JosephKing DavidSolomonProphecy

What Advantage Does the Worker Gain From Toil

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 9:1

And the rabbinic commentary on it, Kohelet Rabbah, digs even deeper. It all starts with the question: "What is the advantage of one who works, in that he toils?" (Ecclesiastes 3:9)...

MosesSolomonTorahMessiah

The Matters God Has Given Humanity to Engage

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 10:1

But what does it really mean? Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, digs into this very question, using the verse from (Ecclesiastes...

CreationAdam & EveSolomonJob

Abbahu — Solomon at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 11:1

The ancient rabbis, in Kohelet Rabbah, that treasure trove of commentary on Ecclesiastes, dive deep into this verse. Rabbi Tanhuma suggests a simple, elegant idea: the world came i...

CreationNoah & FloodMosesKing David

Why God Waited Twenty Generations to Create Abraham

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 11:2

Jewish tradition grapples with this question, especially when it comes to the timing of pivotal moments in our history. And sometimes, the answers are more surprising than you'd ex...

CreationAdam & EveNoah & FloodPatriarchs

He Made Everything Beautiful in Its Time

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 11:3

The book of Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, wrestles with these very questions. And Kohelet Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, digs even deeper. a fascinating passage from it....

CreationAngelsMosesKing David

Nothing Better Than to Rejoice and Do Good

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 12:1

And one particular passage in Kohelet (3:12-13) offers a surprising answer: "I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good during their lifetime. Al...

SolomonTorahJoyAdam & Eve

Elijah — Adam and Eve in Eden

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 14:1

The sun rises, the seasons turn... it all seems so fixed, so unchangeable. But is it, really? Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Ecclesiastes, ...

CreationAdam & EveNoah & FloodPatriarchs

Elijah — Moses at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 15:1

And the ancient Rabbis, in their commentary called Kohelet Rabbah, dive deep into a specific verse that really makes you think: "What has been, already is, and what will be has alr...

CreationAdam & EveNoah & FloodPatriarchs

Zekharya in Heaven

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 16:1

The verse from Ecclesiastes (3:16) sets the stage: “Moreover, I have seen, under the sun, in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of justice there is wickedn...

HeavenHell/GehennaMosesKing David

The Righteous and the Wicked Both Face God's Judgment

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 17:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet, grapples with this very question, stating, "I said in my heart: The righteous and the wicked, God will judge, as there is a time for every pur...

Hell/GehennaSolomonDanielMessiah

Are Humans Really Better Than Animals

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 18:1

Today, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, to explore this very dilemma. The passage ...

King DavidSolomonJobMessiah

The Fate of Humans and Animals Is the Same

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 19:1

And the Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, unpack it even further in Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on Ecclesiastes. Specifically, we’re looking at Kohelet...

SolomonSoulDeath

Everything Returns to Dust But the Soul Returns to God

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 20:1

We find ourselves grappling with this very question in the ancient text of Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Ecclesiastes. The verse in questi...

CreationKing DavidSolomonJob

Who Knows If the Human Spirit Ascends Upward

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 21:1

Today, we're diving into a passage from Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, to explore what it has to say about the ultimate fate ...

Hell/GehennaKing DavidSolomonProphecy

Who Will Bring Us to See What Comes After

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 22:1

It’s a very human feeling, this sense of being limited to the present. The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet, wrestles with this very idea. "I saw that there is nothing better than ...

King DavidSolomonWisdomKings

The Tears of the Oppressed With No One to Comfort

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 1:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet, grapples with this very human experience. "I returned and saw all the oppressions that are performed under the sun; and behold the tears of th...

HeavenHell/GehennaAdam & EveKing David

Enosh and the Ark of Egyptians

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 2:1

Take this passage from Kohelet Rabbah, a rabbinic commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes (Kohelet). It grapples with a pretty stark statement: "I praise the dead who are already de...

Noah & FloodSolomonMessiahPrayer

Better the Unborn Who Never Saw Evil Done

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 3:1

But (Ecclesiastes 4:3) dances with it: "Better than both of them is one who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil actions that are done under the sun." Now, Kohelet Rabbah, a...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsMoses

The Fool Folds His Hands and Two Torah Students Diverge

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 5:1

It’s a universal human experience. And it's something the ancient rabbis wrestled with too, as we see in Kohelet Rabbah, a fascinating commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes. The v...

SolomonTorahAdam & EveDivine justice

Shabbat and the Dreamer

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 6:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, has something to say about that. "A handful of tranquility is better than two handfuls of toil and herding wind" (Eccl...

JosephMosesKing DavidSolomon

Vanity of Vanities and the Angel of Death

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 7:1

The ancient sages grappled with that feeling too, and they left us some pretty intense imagery to describe it. Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, is a book all about...

AngelsSolomonDeath

Why Abraham Never Felt Alone Despite Having No Son

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 8:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it’s known in Hebrew, dives right into that feeling. One particular verse, (Ecclesiastes 4:8), really hits home: "There is one and not anoth...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses

Two Are Better Than One - The Power of Partnership

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 9:1

It turns out, that feeling has deep roots in Jewish thought. We find it beautifully expressed in (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12): “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward fo...

CreationHeavenJosephMoses

The Yetzer Hara - The Old and Foolish King Within

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 13:1

Like there's a little angel on one shoulder and... well, something else on the other? Jewish tradition recognizes this internal struggle, personifying it in a fascinating way. to a...

SolomonJobWisdomYetzer Hara (Evil Inclination)

Rabbis — Nimrod at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 14:1

The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet in Hebrew, speaks to this feeling with raw honesty. And the Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, found layers of meaning within its verses, especi...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses

The Mystery of the Second Child in Ecclesiastes

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 15:1

Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, certainly does. And Kohelet Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, really digs into the layers of meaning within its ver...

SolomonYetzer Hara (Evil Inclination)HumorWit
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