Midrash Aggadah

3,763 texts · Page 109 of 419

Midrash Aggadah texts, a body of rabbinic literature devoted to the narrative, ethical, and homiletical interpretation of the Hebrew Bible. These works illuminate Scripture through stories, parables, and theological reflection.

Ishmael's Journey

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 30:6

The text recounts Hagar's desperate wanderings with her son. "And she departed and wandered," the passage begins, referencing Genesis 21:14. But Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer interprets "...

PatriarchsMatriarchsSoulWisdom

Abraham's Transgression of Ishmael

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 30:7

Sometimes, those threads are stronger than we imagine, woven with love and a touch of the divine. Our story today comes from Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating work of Jewish li...

PatriarchsMatriarchsSoul

Death of Abraham and Isaac

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 30:9

We meet her after the death of Sarah, when Abraham – yes, that Abraham – takes her as his wife. But who was she, really? Some traditions identify her with Hagar, the mother of Ishm...

PatriarchsMessiah

Ishmael in Battle and Cain

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 30:10

The text starts by connecting the name of Ishmael’s son, Kedar, directly to the people known as the "sons of Kedar." It’s a seemingly straightforward connection. The verse cited fr...

Noah & FloodPatriarchs

Ishmael and the Heavenly Realms

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 30:12

This ancient text, a non-canonical Midrash, offers a unique, sometimes cryptic, perspective on the relationship between Israel and the descendants of Ishmael, and the events that w...

HeavenPatriarchsJosephKing David

Ishmael in Battle and Rome

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 30:13

It’s a question that’s occupied thinkers for millennia, and the Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating collection of stories and interpretations from the early Middle Ages, certainl...

PatriarchsKing DavidMessiahHoly Land

Trial of Abraham and Akeidah

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 31:1

Talk about trials! And the tenth, according to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, that's the one that really takes the cake. "And it came to pass after these things, that God did prove Abraha...

PatriarchsTorahTemple

Kingdom of Abraham of Isaac

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 31:2

We're talking about Abraham, and the agonizing moment when he was commanded to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Now, we all know the basic story. But the beauty of Jewish tradition lies i...

Patriarchs

Kingdom of Abraham and Moses

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 31:4

It’s a question that echoes through the ages. The verse in Genesis says, "And offer him there for a burnt offering" (Genesis 22:2). But where is "there"? According to Pirkei DeRabb...

PatriarchsJosephMosesKing David