Midrash Rabbah

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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.

From Nothing to Everything and Abraham

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 48:12

I've been pondering just that as I was reading through Bereshit Rabbah, specifically section 48, which elaborates on a seemingly simple verse: Genesis 18:6. It reads, "Abraham hurr...

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Abraham: Ishmael and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 48:13

That’s the kind of feeling I get when I think about Abraham and that young bull. Let's set the scene. Remember when three divine guests show up at Abraham's tent in the heat of the...

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Sarah: Abraham and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 48:14

But the Rabbis of Bereshit Rabbah – that amazing collection of rabbinic interpretations of Genesis – see so much more. First, that "butter and milk" bit. What kind of butter are we...

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Marriage of Abraham and Sarah

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 48:15

The three angels, disguised as men, are visiting Abraham, and they ask him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He replies, "Behold, in the tent.” Simple enough. But here’s the thing: in s...

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Sarah: Ishmael and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 48:16

The verse in question? "He said: I will return to you at this time next year and, behold, a son for Sarah your wife. And Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, and it was...

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Kingdom of Sarah of Abraham

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 48:17

We're looking at the story of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, when she overhears that she's going to have a child at the ripe old age of 90. Her reaction? A little chuckle to herself. As Ge...

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Abraham: Kingdom of Sarah

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 48:18

Sounds wild. to it. The story comes from Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Genesis. We're looking at section 48, which deals with the...

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Sarah's Transgression and Abraham

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 48:19

Because today's little story from Bereshit Rabbah, the great commentary on the Book of Genesis, is all about the power of the seemingly impossible. The verse we’re focusing on is G...

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Rebecca: Shem at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 48:20

The verse in question is Genesis 18:15: "Sarah denied, saying: I did not laugh, for she was afraid. He said: No, but you did laugh.” It's a simple exchange. But Rabbi Yehuda ben Ra...

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