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's Song and Isaac

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 79:4

His story, as told in Bereshit Rabbah (the great commentary on Genesis), is a masterclass in turning sorrow into joy, sowing in tears and reaping with songs. The verse says, "Jacob...

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Jacob's Journey and Intact

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 79:5

That feeling, that resilience, is at the heart of a beautiful teaching about Jacob, our patriarch. The Torah tells us that Jacob "arrived intact" (Genesis 33:18) after his long jou...

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Rabbi Shimon and the Heavenly Realms of Elazar

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 79:6

The Torah teaches us about showing appreciation for the benefits we receive, and this sentiment is beautifully explored in Bereshit Rabbah, the classic rabbinic commentary on the B...

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Abraham: Shekhem and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 79:7

Our ancestors felt it too. And the Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, addressed it head-on. We find a fascinating discussion in Bereshit Rabbah, specifically section 79, sparked by ...

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Jacob and Creation of Lakish

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 79:8

It’s a feeling as old as...well, as old as Jacob, actually. to a fascinating little corner of Bereshit Rabbah, a treasure trove of rabbinic commentary on the Book of Genesis, and s...

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Birth of Dina

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 80:1

The verse tells us, "Dina, daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land." Seems simple enough. But the rabbis saw much more. The text im...

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Dinah and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 80:2

That’s a feeling that echoes through the story of Dinah in the Book of Genesis, and it explodes with dramatic force in the rabbinic interpretations. Dinah, daughter of Leah, ventur...

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Dinah and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 80:3

Jewish tradition certainly has. to a fascinating, if unsettling, tale from Bereshit Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah) 80 that explores just that. The verse we’re unpacking is from 2 Kings 14...

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Dina and Creation of Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 80:4

We make our plans, we have our dreams, but as the Book of Proverbs (27:1) wisely reminds us, "Do not glory in tomorrow, for you do not know what the day will bring." This idea of t...

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