Midrash Rabbah

3,279 texts · Page 48 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.

God's Ordinances Give Life Unlike the Nations

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 30:22

It's not just about rules, it's about life itself. That's the powerful message we find in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. The text op...

TorahProphecyHoly Land

The King's Might Is That He Loves Justice

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 30:23

The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), specifically Shemot Rabbah, dives right into this question with a powerful idea. It begins with the verse, "These are the ordinances...

MosesKing DavidTorahProphecy

Maintain Justice and Perform Charity Says Isaiah

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 30:24

The Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, dives deep into this question, particularly in section 30. It all starts with a verse from Isaiah...

CreationHeavenHell/GehennaPatriarchs

Lending Money and the Hidden Cosmic Debt We Owe

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:1

And more importantly, there's a way out. The verse in Exodus (22:24) says, "If you lend money to My people, to the poor who is with you, you shall not be as a creditor to him; you ...

MosesKing DavidProphecyRepentance

The Three Pilgrimage Festivals and Their Deeper Meaning

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:2

Rabbi Abahu offers a powerful insight into this very question, drawing from the book of Exodus. "Three pilgrimage festivals you shall hold a festival to Me during the year" (Exodus...

MosesKing DavidSolomonJob

Job and Divine Judgment

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:3

Our tradition teaches that wealth, valor, and wisdom are not inherently good or bad – it's how we use them that truly matters. Shemot Rabbah (31) delves into this very question, dr...

Hell/GehennaCreaturesMosesKing David

Ovadya and the King

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:4

Jewish tradition teaches us that our actions, especially those involving money and compassion, carry immense weight. to a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of ra...

King DavidElijahTorahProphecy

Solomon's Prayer

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:5

to a passage from Shemot Rabbah (chapter 31) that grapples with this very issue. The passage begins by referencing the verse, "If you lend money to My people..." (Exodus 22:24). Bu...

HeavenAdam & EveKing DavidSolomon

The Dangers of Lending Money With Interest

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:6

to a passage from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, and see how shockingly relevant it still is. We're talking about money, lending, an...

Adam & EveMosesKing DavidMessiah

Return a Borrowed Garment Before the Sun Sets

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:7

to a passage from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, and see how it pulses with a very human heart. It's a passage all about lending, bo...

MosesRepentanceEgypt

Do Our Opinions of Judges Have Divine Consequences

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:8

One minute someone is a hero, the next... well, not so much. It's human nature. But what about those in positions of authority, like judges? Do our shifting opinions of them have c...

Hell/GehennaMosesHoly LandEgypt

The Newborn Animal Must Stay Seven Days With Its Mother

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:9

In this week's exploration, we turn to Shemot Rabbah 31, a beautiful midrash (rabbinic interpretation) on a seemingly simple verse in Exodus, to unpack this very idea. The verse in...

MosesProphecyHoly LandEgypt

Jeremiah — Messiah at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:10

That feeling, that fear, is something the Jewish people have grappled with throughout our history. And it's right there in Shemot Rabbah 31, a midrash on the book of Exodus. The pa...

CreationPatriarchsMosesTemple

Esau Among the Fathers

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:11

And Jewish tradition, as always, has some fascinating perspectives. The Book of Exodus, Shemot in Hebrew, is rich with laws and ethical guidelines. And within Shemot Rabbah, a clas...

PatriarchsSolomonProphecyHoly Land

Job in Solomon's Court

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:12

It’s not just about giving what you have, but about how you give it. In the book of Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, we find a powerfu...

DemonsSolomonJobJudgment

How We Treat the Poor Reveals Who We Are

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:13

Jewish tradition has a powerful answer to that feeling, and it all revolves around how we treat the poor and vulnerable among us. In Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilie...

Adam & EveMosesKing DavidSolomon

God Humbles One and Elevates Another Like a Wheel

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:14

Sometimes you're on top, sometimes you're on the bottom. It's a powerful image, and one that resonates deeply in Jewish tradition. Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of Midrash (r...

MosesKing DavidSolomonJob

You Shall Not Be as a Creditor to Him

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:15

It’s all about how we interact, how we support each other, and what happens when that balance is disrupted. Consider this: the Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of Rabbinic comme...

CreationMosesKing DavidSolomon

Korah in Paradise

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:16

It's not just about power, but about the very fabric of society and our relationship with the Divine. The book of Exodus, specifically 22:27, lays down a firm rule: "You shall not ...

Adam & EveJosephMosesSolomon

Cain and the Greed That Rushes After Wealth

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 31:17

Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Exodus, dives deep into this idea, using the verse "If you lend money to My people" (Exodus 22:24) as a springboard ...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveNoah & Flood

How the Golden Calf Changed Everything for Israel

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 32:1

Jewish tradition is filled with these "what ifs," these pivot points where history teetered. Take the story of the Golden Calf. According to Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic...

CreationHell/GehennaAngelsAdam & Eve

God Sends an Angel After Israel's Betrayal

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 32:2

In Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, we find a fascinating exploration of this very question. It begins with a verse: "Behold, I am sen...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsJoseph

Moses Pleads With God After the Golden Calf

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 32:3

Our story begins after the devastating sin of the Golden Calf. Can you imagine the scene? Moses is up on Mount Sinai, receiving the very word of God, while down below, the Israelit...

AngelsMosesPrayerRepentance

The Angel Whose Name Is in Him Cannot Pardon

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 32:4

These questions bubble to the surface when we delve into a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Exodus. It centers on a v...

HeavenAngelsMosesPrayer

A Woman Betrayed Her Lover and So Did Israel

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 32:5

to Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Exodus. Specifically, we're looking at section 32, where Rabbi Yitzchak opens with a verse from Jeremiah ...

AngelsJosephMosesProphecy

One Good Deed Earns You a Guardian Angel

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 32:6

It hinges on the verse, "Behold, I am sending an angel before you" (Exodus 23:20). But it doesn't stop there. It connects it beautifully with a passage from Psalms: "The angel of t...

AngelsMosesKing DavidEgypt

God Reconciles Mercy and Justice for Israel's Sake

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 32:7

It’s a question that takes us to the heart of Jewish thought, and to a fascinating passage in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. The pas...

CreationHeavenAngelsPatriarchs

God Almost Destroyed Israel for the Golden Calf

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 32:8

It happened. And the story, found in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, is It all starts after the Golden Calf incident. Moses, understa...

AngelsJosephMosesSolomon

Divine Presence of Isaac

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 32:9

The Jewish tradition is rich with stories of angels, not just as winged figures, but as manifestations of the Divine Presence itself. And their role? To safeguard and redeem. to on...

CreationHeavenAngelsPatriarchs

Take Me as a Gift - Torah as God's Own Presence

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 33:1

It all starts with the verse, "Speak to the children of Israel, and they shall take Me a gift; from every man whose heart pledges, you shall collect My gift" (Exodus 25:2). But ins...

MosesKing DavidSolomonTorah

Moses Ascended Sinai and Took Torah as Captive Gift

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 33:2

Our story begins with the verse, "They shall take Me a gift" (Exodus 25:2). But where does this gift come from? Shemot Rabbah dives into this, connecting it to a verse in Psalms: "...

MosesKing DavidTorahPrayer

Rod and Serpent of Songs

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 33:3

The congregation of Israel itself has felt that way! Our passage opens with a fascinating connection between the verse "They shall take Me a gift" (Exodus 25:2), which refers to th...

MosesKing DavidSolomonTemple

Yours O Lord Is the Greatness and the Might

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 33:4

The ancient rabbis grappled with this, and in Shemot Rabbah (that's the Book of Exodus explained and expanded upon by the Rabbis) we find a fascinating exploration of this very ide...

CreationHeavenAngelsPatriarchs

Moses and Adam of Zimri

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 33:5

Our tradition teaches us that something else holds even greater worth: a good name. And it's not just about reputation, but about the power and blessing inherent in a name earned t...

Adam & EvePatriarchsMosesKing David

The Torah as a Gift That Deepens Connection With God

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 33:6

We often think of gifts in a transactional way, something given and then possessed. But what if the greatest gift is actually a deeper connection? Shemot Rabbah, a treasury of Midr...

SolomonTorahHoly Land

All 613 Commandments Given Through Moses

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 33:7

It’s a question that has captivated scholars and everyday folks for centuries. Where did they all come from? The Book of Deuteronomy (33:4) tells us, "Moses commanded us the Torah....

MosesSolomonTorahTemple

Behind the Scenes of Building the Tabernacle

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 33:8

Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, gives us a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes preparations for this monumental task. It a...

CreationPatriarchsMosesTemple

Why the Ark of the Covenant Was Made of Acacia Wood

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 34:1

It’s a question that's plagued philosophers and theologians for centuries, and it all starts, strangely enough, with a box. A very special box, mind you – the Ark of the Covenant. ...

HeavenNoah & FloodMosesKing David

Build Me a Sanctuary and I Will Dwell Among You

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 34:2

The answer, according to our Sages, might surprise you. In Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Exodus, we find a fascinating discussion about the Ark, ...

CreationNoah & FloodMosesSolomon

Building a Dwelling Place for the Divine Presence on Earth

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 34:3

And it all starts with this idea of building a home – not just for ourselves, but for the Divine. We find this idea beautifully illustrated in Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbi...

Noah & FloodMosesKing DavidSolomon

Enosh and Creation of Eden

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 35:1

Jewish tradition certainly has. to a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, that explores just that. The text open...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveNoah & Flood

Moses and the Holy Sanctuary of Betzalel

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 35:3

It's more than just readily available lumber in the desert. According to Shemot Rabbah, it’s a lesson in mindful living, a gentle nudge towards respecting the natural world. Imagin...

MosesTempleWisdomEgypt

Moses and the Holy Sanctuary and the Tabernacle

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 35:4

It all comes down to the seemingly simple phrase, "You shall craft the boards for the Tabernacle." This comes from Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations o...

MosesTempleHoly Land

Edom Among the Fathers

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 35:5

It wasn't just about aesthetics or availability. According to Shemot Rabbah, it was a symbolic statement about history, power, and ultimately, redemption. We read in (Exodus 25:3),...

PatriarchsJosephMosesKing David

Moses and the Heavenly Realms and the Tabernacle

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 35:6

The ancient rabbis certainly understood that feeling. a fascinating Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) that speaks directly to that sense of inadequacy, and how we can over...

HeavenAngelsMosesTemple

Temple and the Dreamer of Songs

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 36:1

It's more than just a source of delicious oil; it's a metaphor for the Jewish people themselves. to a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah 36 and unpack its rich layers of meanin...

JosephMosesKing DavidSolomon

God Does Not Need Our Light but Asks for It Anyway

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 36:2

It's not that God needs our light, the text insists. As it says, it’s not that I need the light of the candelabra." But why then does God command us to bring light? Here's the beau...

MosesKing DavidTempleProphecy

Torah as a Flourishing Olive Tree That Lights the Way

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 36:3

The ancient rabbis had something to say about that, and it all comes down to light. Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic interpretati...

Hell/GehennaKing DavidSolomonTorah
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