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We're turning to the Midrash of Philo, a fascinating collection of interpretations that expands on the stories we find in the Hebrew Bible. Specifically, we're looking at a moment ...
The story, of course, revolves around Sarah, Abraham, and Hagar. Sarah, unable to conceive, gives her handmaiden Hagar to Abraham. But as we know, things get complicated. Hagar con...
We all know the story of Abraham, or Avraham as we say in Hebrew, and his wife Sarah, or Sarah. They longed for a child, but time was passing. So Sarah, following the customs of th...
Our story revolves around a "wise man" – and we aren't explicitly told who, which almost makes him universal. He's speaking about a woman who has conceived a child with him. Now, h...
We often think of affliction as purely negative, something to be avoided at all costs. But what if I told you that, according to some ancient wisdom, affliction can actually be… be...
The Midrash of Philo dives into this very question, exploring the human soul's capacity for growth and its resistance to it. It suggests that not every soul possesses the ability t...
Jewish tradition certainly understands that feeling. And it can be pretty direct about it, too. Take this passage from The Midrash of Philo. Now, Philo of Alexandria, he was a fasc...
We're diving into a very specific verse: (Genesis 16:8). It's where Hagar, the maidservant of Sarah, answers the angel's question about where she's going. Her reply? "I am fleeing ...
Take Hagar, for example. Poor Hagar. A handmaiden, caught in the middle of Sarah and Abraham's struggle to have a child. She runs away into the desert, desperate and alone. And the...
Like there's a surface narrative, and then... something deeper, waiting to be uncovered? That's precisely what the ancient sages believed about the Torah. They saw layers upon laye...
The verse in question, from (Genesis 16:10), has an angel speaking to Hagar, Sarah's handmaid, who is pregnant with Abraham's child, Ishmael. The angel says, "I will multiply thy s...
Philo, the great Jewish philosopher of Alexandria, grappled with this very idea centuries ago. In his writings, often called "The Midrash of Philo" by scholars, he touches upon the...
And they gave us a whole treasure trove of interpretations, embellishments, and downright fascinating tales to flesh things out. The verse in question? (Genesis 16:15): "Hagar brou...
It’s a question that takes us to the heart of how we understand ourselves in relation to the world, and even to God. Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish philosopher living in Roman Egypt...
He offered some truly unique insights. Philo, in his allegorical style, sees deep meaning behind seemingly simple words and numbers. In this particular passage, he examines the sig...
to a fascinating interpretation from the Midrash of Philo, a collection of interpretations attributed to the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria. The passage in question revolve...
We find him in (Genesis 17:3), and the Torah tells us, "Abraham fell on his face." But... why? What was going on in that moment that caused Abraham, the patriarch, the man of faith...
That’s the feeling swirling around in this passage from the Midrash of Philo, an ancient commentary attributed to Philo of Alexandria, as it grapples with the moment someone encoun...
We often stumble upon verses that seem straightforward but hint at something profound, something beyond the literal. Take (Genesis 17:4), where God says to Abraham, "And I, behold,...
We often take them for granted, but in the ancient world – and particularly in the Jewish tradition – names held incredible power. They weren't just labels; they were reflections o...
It might sound trivial, but Jewish tradition is full of stories about how the smallest things can have enormous significance. Today, we're diving into one such story, found in The ...
The question centers around a powerful promise God makes to Abraham in (Genesis 17:6): "I will greatly increase thee, and set thee among the nations, and kings shall proceed from t...
Philo, the great Jewish philosopher of Alexandria, grappled with this very question. And his answer, preserved in "The Midrash of Philo," is surprisingly insightful. He suggests th...
The verse in (Genesis 17:10) states, "And every male of you shall be circumcised, and you shall circumcise, or you shall be circumcised, in the flesh of your foreskin." Seems strai...
That’s certainly true when we delve into the deeper interpretations of brit milah, the covenant of circumcision. We all know the physical act: the circumcision of the male child, a...
It’s a question that’s been pondered for millennia, and the answers, well, they’re as layered and fascinating as the tradition itself. The Torah tells us in (Genesis 17:11) that Go...
We're talking about life and death here, and sometimes the stakes feel… intense. Take this one, for example. It’s a verse that’s given interpreters headaches for centuries. (Genesi...
It's a practice deeply rooted in Jewish law, but when you really stop and think about it, some tough questions arise. Philo, the 1st-century Jewish philosopher from Alexandria, gra...
Sometimes, it’s in those tiny nuances that we find the biggest revelations. Take the story of Sarah. We all know Sarah. Wife of Abraham, matriarch of our people. But have you ever ...
But stick with me. We find a fascinating idea tucked away in the Midrash of Philo, a collection of interpretations attributed to the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria. It's al...
The question is: Why? (Genesis 17:17) tells us that after God tells Abraham (who was then still called Abram) that his wife Sarah (then Sarai) will bear him a son, he "fell on his ...
That image – of falling on one's face – becomes incredibly potent when we explore the story of Abraham. The Midrash of Philo, an ancient commentary attributed to Philo of Alexandri...
It turns out, even Abraham, our forefather, might have had a moment of… well, not exactly doubt, but perhaps profound wonder. The Torah tells us, in (Genesis 17:17), after God prom...
One such moment comes to us in (Genesis 17:18). Abraham, after hearing God's promise of a son, Isaac, through Sarah, turns to God and says, "O may my son Ishmael live before thee!"...
Our ancestor Abraham knew that feeling well. We find him in a fascinating moment in the Midrash of Philo, grappling with hope, faith, and the very definition of a "blessing." Philo...
Like the universe is saying, "Okay, sure, but are you really ready for this?" That's the kind of vibe I get from this little nugget of a midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) ...
He’s just received the earth-shattering news that he, in his old age, is going to have a son with Sarah. A son who will carry on the covenant with God. It's huge! But then comes th...
The ancient sages grappled with this very idea. They saw two paths to wisdom, two types of people who approached the divine. And Philo, that brilliant Jewish philosopher from Alexa...
to this because, as often happens with our tradition, there's more to it than meets the eye. The Midrash of Philo, a collection of interpretations attributed to the ancient philoso...
