Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg)

2,650 texts · Page 165 of 295

Selections from Louis Ginzberg's monumental Legends of the Jews, a seven-volume compilation that weaves together aggadic material from the Talmud, Midrash, and other rabbinic literature into a continuous narrative.

Joshua's Prayer

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 1:126

The battlefield was set, the armies were engaged, but the real battle, according to Legends of the Jews, wasn't on the ground at all. It was happening on a nearby height, where Mos...

HeavenJosephMosesTemple

Moses's Transgression and Joshua

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 1:127

That’s precisely what happened, according to tradition, with Moses. Picture this: the Israelite army locked in a fierce battle. The sun's sinking fast, threatening to plunge everyt...

MosesPrayerHoly Land

Amalek Faces Judgment

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 1:128

Today, let's talk about Amalek. You might remember Amalek from the Bible – this was the nation that attacked the Israelites shortly after their miraculous Exodus from Egypt. It see...

Hell/GehennaJosephMosesMessiah

Joshua in Battle and Amalek

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 1:129

This isn't just another name in the Bible; it represents something deeper. A persistent, almost archetypal force of opposition. The story of Amalek isn't just a historical account;...

MosesHoly LandExile

Wisdom of Amalek and Eliphaz

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 1:131

The Jewish tradition is full of stories that explore these themes, and one particularly striking example revolves around the ever-present animosity toward the nation of Amalek. Why...

Hell/GehennaMosesKing DavidHoly Land

Amalek's Offering

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 1:134

Why "My Miracle?" Midrash tells us it’s because the miracle God wrought against Amalek wasn't just for Israel, but, in a way, for God too. The Sages explain that as long as the Isr...

MosesTempleMiraclesHoly Land

Moses and Noah of Jethro

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 1:136

It’s a question that pops up again and again in Jewish tradition, and one story in particular, about Moses and his father-in-law Jethro, really brings it home. At first, Moses wasn...

Noah & FloodJosephMosesKing David

Birth of Jethro

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 1:137

Sometimes, it's not those who’ve lived with the miraculous all their lives, but rather a newcomer, a convert, who can see it most clearly. Our story begins with Jethro, the father-...

CreaturesJosephMosesPrayer

Jethro's Miracle

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 1:139

Sometimes, it’s about setting aside your own prestige, your own sense of self-importance, to serve. To truly see the other person’s needs. We find a beautiful example of this in th...

PatriarchsMosesSacrifice