Midrash Rabbah

3,279 texts · Page 6 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 Impure Nazirite Brings Turtledoves on the Eighth Day

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:14

We’re looking at (Numbers 6:10), which discusses the ritual a nazir – a person who has taken a vow of separation – must perform if they become ritually impure during their period o...

RepentanceSacrificeAnimalsBible

Power of Repentance

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:15

Sometimes, the smallest details unlock a whole world of understanding. to a passage from Bamidbar Rabbah, specifically section 10, where we explore the laws surrounding a nazir – a...

SoulRepentanceWisdomSacrifice

How the Nazirite's Guilt Offering Achieves Atonement

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:16

to a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah 10, a midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic commentary on the Book of Numbers, specifically dealing with the laws of the nazir,...

CreationTorahRepentance

Samson in Paradise

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:17

Today, we’re diving into a fascinating corner of Jewish law: the rules surrounding the nazir, or nazirite, a person who takes a special vow to abstain from certain pleasures for a ...

Adam & EveTorahMessiahProphecy

The Nazirite's Three Offerings of Lamb Ewe and Ram

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:18

(Numbers 6:14) lays it out: "He shall sacrifice his offering to the Lord: One unblemished lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one unblemished ewe in its first year as a sin...

TempleRepentanceSacrifice

Unleavened Bread and Wafers in the Nazirite's Basket

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:19

The verse in question, (Numbers 6:15), describes the offerings brought by a Nazirite upon completing their term: “And a basket of unleavened bread, loaves of high quality flour mix...

RepentanceSacrificeHumorChanukah

Step by Step Through the Nazirite's Completion Sacrifice

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:20

It's easy to imagine the grand sweep of sacrifice, the smoke rising to the heavens, the priests in their sacred garments. But what about the minute details, the exact sequence of e...

RepentanceSacrificeHumorWit

Kingdom of Nazirite

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:21

Specifically, a nazir – a Nazirite. The passage we're looking at today comes from Bamidbar Rabbah 10, which is a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Numbers. It f...

CreationMosesTorahTemple

The Cooked Foreleg Placed on the Nazirite's Palms

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:22

We're going to unpack the rules surrounding the offerings brought at the conclusion of their period of separation. The verse we’re focusing on is (Numbers 6:19): “The priest shall ...

TorahSamsonTzedakah (Charity)Charity

What the Nazirite Offers After Shaving the Sacred Hair

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:23

to a passage from Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Numbers. Specifically, we’re looking at chapter 10, which gets into the specifics of the ...

MosesTorahHoly LandEgypt

The Nazirite's Vow and What 'Besides What He Can Afford' Means

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:24

We're looking at Bamidbar Rabbah 10, which unpacks the rules surrounding the nazirite. The text centers around (Numbers 6:21), which states: “This is the law of the nazirite who vo...

TorahTempleRepentance

Rabbi Shemaya on Why the Impure Nazirite Gets Leniency

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:25

Rabbi Shemaya poses a profound question: Why is the impure nazir, someone who took a vow of separation but then became ritually impure, offered leniency in the form of turtledoves ...

CreationHeavenTorahTemple

Why the Wicked Prosper and How Aaron Blesses Israel

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 11:1

It’s a question that’s plagued humanity for millennia. And believe it or not, our ancient texts wrestle with it too. We find a fascinating perspective in Bamidbar Rabbah, specifica...

CreationHeavenHell/GehennaPatriarchs

Moses and Creation of Sinai

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 11:2

Today, we're diving into Bamidbar Rabbah 11, a section of a Midrash, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Numbers, and we'll find some surprising and hopeful insigh...

CreationHeavenNoah & FloodPatriarchs

Solomon's Song

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 11:3

Jewish tradition has a lot to say about that moment – that before and after. And it all starts with a verse from Song of Songs: "Behold the bed of Solomon..." (Song of Songs 3:7). ...

CreationDemonsAdam & EveJoseph

Aaron and Noah of Priestly

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 11:4

Today, we’re diving deep into the Priestly Blessing, also known as Nesi’at Kapayim, the Lifting of the Hands, found in the Book of Numbers (6:22-27) and explored in Bamidbar Rabbah...

Noah & FloodMosesKing DavidTemple

May the Lord Bless You and Keep You Unpacked Layer by Layer

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 11:5

(Numbers 6:24). It’s more than just a nice sentiment. It’s a layered blessing, packed with meaning and implications. Let's unpack it, shall we? Bamidbar Rabbah, a classic collectio...

HeavenNoah & FloodKing DavidSolomon

What It Means for God to Shine His Face Upon You

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 11:6

You know, the one that starts "Yevarechecha Adonai v'yishmerecha – May the Lord bless you and keep you..." It’s a beautiful, powerful blessing, and it's packed with layers of meani...

CreationHeavenKing DavidSolomon

May the Lord Show Favor and Grant You Peace

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 11:7

Jewish tradition grapples with this apparent contradiction all the time. Take the famous Priestly Blessing from (Numbers 6:26): "May the Lord show favor to you, and grant you peace...

CreationHell/GehennaAngelsNoah & Flood

Rabbi Tarfon in the Days of Moses

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 11:8

Today, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Numbers, that explores exactly how that Name was used—and pro...

MosesTemplePrayerDivine Names

Tabernacle — The Golden Calf

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:1

We find ourselves in Bamidbar Rabbah 12, a section of the Midrash Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic teachings on the books of the Torah. The text opens with a seemingly simple stat...

MosesKing DavidTorahTemple

Jacob Blessed Pharaoh and Outshone God's Own Generosity

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:2

The passage begins with a curious question, referencing the Book of Job: "Will a man be more just than God...?" (Job 4:17). It seems like a rhetorical question, almost a challenge....

CreationPatriarchsMosesJob

Moses Entered the Cloud and Psalm 91 Protected Him

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:3

That image, that feeling, is right at the heart of Psalm 91, and it takes center stage in a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah 12. The verse "He who dwells in the shelter of ...

CreationHeavenHell/GehennaDemons

Solomon's Palanquin as a Metaphor for All of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:4

But what if the answer wasn’t a cold, scientific explanation, but a beautiful, poetic description hidden within our sacred texts? The Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teac...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveNoah & Flood

How God Differs from Earthly Kings in Granting Favors

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:5

Let’s turn to Bamidbar Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Numbers. In Bamidbar Rabbah 12, we find a powerful idea presented by Rabbi Avin. ...

MosesTemplePrayerHoly Land

The Hidden Deal God Made with Israel Back in Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:6

The passage in Bamidbar Rabbah 12 kicks off with a seemingly simple word: "Vayhi" – usually translated as "it was." But in the world of Jewish interpretation, nothing is ever just ...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveJoseph

God's Woe on the Day the Tabernacle Was Dedicated

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:7

The ancient rabbis grappled with that feeling too, especially when things were going well for the Israelites. Take the story in Bamidbar Rabbah 12, which begins with a single, load...

CreationAngelsMosesKing David

Abraham and Creation of Presence

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:8

It all starts with a verse from the Song of Songs (3:11): "Go out and gaze, daughters of Zion, at King Solomon, at the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wed...

CreationHeavenAngelsAdam & Eve

Joshua in Heaven of Moses

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:9

Our jumping-off point is Bamidbar Rabbah 12, a fascinating exploration of the verse "On the day that [Moses] concluded." Now, you might think this is just a throwaway line, but the...

HeavenMosesKing DavidSolomon

Tabernacle — Betzalel in the Days of Moses

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:10

And it turns out, it’s a feeling that resonates even within the stories of our most revered figures. Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Numbers, div...

MosesKing DavidSolomonTemple

Elijah and Creation of Kings

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:11

Bamidbar Rabbah 12, a section of the classic midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic text, wrestles with this very question, using the construction of the Tabernacle – the mis...

CreationHeavenAngelsPatriarchs

Angels Attend to Metatron

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:12

We often talk about big, abstract ideas, but sometimes the most profound truths are found in the everyday acts of kindness, learning, and… well, building a really special house. to...

AngelsJosephMosesKing David

The Tabernacle Equals the Entire Created World

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:13

The text starts with a seemingly simple phrase, “Et hamishkan” – "the Tabernacle.” But according to this Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), it's so much more than it seems...

CreationHeavenMosesKing David

How Goodly Are Your Tents Jacob and Their Hidden Meaning

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:14

to one of those metaphors, found in Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Numbers. We begin with a beautiful verse from Numbers (24:5): "How goodly are...

Adam & EvePatriarchsMosesKing David

What Day Moses Finished Erecting the Tabernacle

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:15

It wasn't just a matter of unfolding some tents and calling it a day. The Torah tells us, in (Exodus 40:17), that it was "in the first month during the second year, on the first of...

CreationMosesTempleMessiah

Moses and the Heavenly Realms of Tabernacle

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:16

And it seems even the leaders of ancient Israel weren't immune. We find a fascinating story in Bamidbar Rabbah 12, a section of the great collection of Midrash (rabbinic interpreti...

HeavenJosephMosesTemple

Tabernacle Offerings That Mirror All Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:17

Take, for example, the book of Numbers, or Bamidbar in Hebrew, specifically chapter 7, verse 3. It describes the offerings brought by the princes of Israel for the Tabernacle: "The...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsMatriarchs

Tribal Princes Bring Wagons to Serve the Tent of Meeting

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:18

We find one such moment in Bamidbar Rabbah 12, nestled within the Book of Numbers. It's a story about offerings, divine reassurance, and the enduring nature of service. The passage...

MosesSolomonTempleSoul

Gershon and the Lawgiver of Merari

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:19

It all starts with the verse: “Moses took the carts and the bulls, and gave them to the Levites” (Numbers 7:6). Simple enough. But the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) ne...

MosesAdam & EveConversionKabbalah

David Learned the Hard Way How to Carry the Ark

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:20

That holiest of objects, containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Now, you might assume everyone always knew exactly how it was supposed to be handled. But, as we learn from...

AngelsNoah & FloodMosesKing David

The Princes Dedicate the Altar on the Day of Anointing

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:21

The Book of Numbers, Bamidbar in Hebrew, is full of details about the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. And in chapter 7, we find a fascinating account of the dedication ...

CreationHeavenMosesTemple

Nahshon's Seemingly Humble Offering at the Tabernacle

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 13:1

And the very first offering? It's from Naḥshon, son of Aminadav, from the tribe of Judah. We read, "The one who presented his offering on the first day was Naḥshon..." (Numbers 7:1...

CreationKing DavidSolomonTemple

Divine Presence of Tabernacle

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 13:2

It’s a story rich with symbolism, divine presence, and, believe it or not, even a little tension about who gets to offer what. , shall we? According to Bamidbar Rabbah 13, it all b...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveNoah & Flood

Adam and Creation of Abba

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 13:3

Our starting point is a verse from the Book of Numbers (7:12), kicking off the offerings brought by the tribal leaders: "The one who presented..." But this simple phrase sparks a m...

CreationHeavenAdam & EvePatriarchs

Judah's Offering

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 13:4

But from that small verse, the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) launches into a fascinating exploration of Judah, the tribe of lions, fiery furnaces, and ultimately, God'...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsJoseph

Vayhi and Vehaya - Two Hebrew Words That Signal Destiny

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 13:5

They saw hidden depths and endless possibilities in the very fabric of the Hebrew language, and one fascinating example of this is their discussion of the words vayhi and vehaya. T...

CreationNoah & FloodJosephMoses

Stars and Firmament of Abba

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 13:6

Light and darkness, separation of waters... But according to some fascinating rabbinic interpretations, there's a whole other layer to unpack. Our story comes from Bamidbar Rabbah,...

CreationHeavenMosesTemple

Why Nahshon Was Named After the Wave He First Entered

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 13:7

And it’s why the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), specifically Bamidbar Rabbah 13, dwells on his name, his lineage, and his pivotal role. The text begins by asking a sim...

MosesPrayerHeroismTribes
No texts match your filter.