Midrash Aggadah

3,763 texts · Page 81 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.

Moses and the Origins of the World

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta DeRav Kahana 1:1

It’s not random. There's a beautiful and intricate choreography to our relationship with the Divine. Take, for example, the dedication of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. The Book of N...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveMoses

Moshe Beyond the Firmament

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta DeRav Kahana 2:7

Sometimes, the connection isn’t immediately obvious. Take, for instance, the verses about atonement and taking a census in the book of Exodus. What’s the link? The Pesikta DeRav Ka...

HeavenMosesTempleProphecy

Amalek and the Lawgiver

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta DeRav Kahana 3:15

And they found fascinating ways to resolve those tensions within the sacred texts. Take, for instance, the perplexing case of Amalek. Who was Amalek? A biblical nation known for it...

MosesProphecyHoly LandEgypt

Moses in David's Court and Songs

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta DeRav Kahana 5:6

This tension, this very human struggle, lies at the heart of a beautiful passage in the Pesikta DeRav Kahana, a collection of Midrashic teachings. The passage opens with a verse fr...

MosesKing DavidSolomonJob

Kingdom of David and Midnight

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta DeRav Kahana 7:1

We rush toward it on New Year's Eve, celebrate Cinderella's transformation, and tell spooky stories about what lurks in the darkness. But in Jewish tradition, midnight holds a uniq...

King David

Adam Among the Heavenly Host and Baruch

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta DeRav Kahana 7:2

According to the Pesikta DeRav Kahana, a collection of rabbinic teachings, there's so much more to it than meets the eye. Rabbi Acha delves into the verse from Isaiah (42:8): "I am...

AngelsAdam & EvePrayerDivine Names

Angels Attend to Jacob and Moses

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta DeRav Kahana 7:3

The text opens with a verse from Isaiah (44:26): "[God] confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers; that saith of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inh...

AngelsPatriarchsJosephMoses

David's Transgression

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta DeRav Kahana 7:4

We often picture opulent feasts, lavish parties, maybe strategizing with advisors late into the night. But what about King David, the sweet singer of Israel? What filled his nights...

PatriarchsMatriarchsJosephMoses

Moses in Battle and Egypt

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta DeRav Kahana 7:5

The Torah tells us about the 10th plague, the death of the firstborn in Egypt, and the Exodus that followed. But the details… they’re fascinating. Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai, a toweri...

CreationAngelsJosephMoses