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.

Jacob: World to Come

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 73:11

We often think of money, houses, cars... but what about flocks? Genesis 30:43 tells us that Jacob, the patriarch, "became exceedingly prosperous." Now, "prosperous" is an understat...

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Jacob: Kingdom of Laban

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 73:12

The Torah, in the story of Jacob, gives us a masterclass in reading those unspoken cues. It all starts when Jacob, working for his less-than-honest father-in-law Laban, begins to p...

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Birth of Jacob and Lakish

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:1

It’s a feeling as old as time, and it resonates deeply within the story of Jacob. We find him in Genesis 31:3, receiving a direct message from the Almighty: "Return to the land of ...

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Gamliel: Rachel at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:2

It turns out, this isn't just a modern consideration. The ancient rabbis were thinking about this too! Our story today comes from Bereshit Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah), a collection of ...

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Laban's Transgression

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:3

Jacob, our patriarch, knew that feeling all too well. He was working for his father-in-law, Laban, and things were…complicated. In Genesis 31, we hear Jacob expressing his frustrat...

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Death of Rachel

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:4

But the rabbis of the Talmud saw something more. Rabbi Yudan offers one explanation: Rachel died first "because she spoke before her sister." It's a fascinating idea, suggesting pe...

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Canaan: Jacob at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:5

We pick up the story with Jacob preparing to leave Laban. Remember the scene? Jacob, after years of hard work and trickery (and being tricked himself!), is finally heading back to ...

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Kingdom of Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:6

Genesis 31:22 tells us, "It was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled." Three days! That's all it took for word to reach Laban. But here’s where it gets interesting. R...

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Laban's Vision

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:7

It’s a question that’s been pondered for centuries, and our tradition offers some fascinating insights. a passage from Bereshit Rabbah 74, which delves into the nature of prophecy ...

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