Midrash Rabbah

2,921 texts · Page 158 of 325

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.

Samson and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:14

In Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations of Genesis, they dig deep into this verse, connecting it to the story of Samson, the legendary strongman from t...

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Acts of Creation and Joshua

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:15

The story begins with the tribes of Reuben and Gad. As Israel was in the process of conquering and dividing the land, these tribes, as the midrash tells it, had left young children...

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Asher and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:16

The Torah, in Genesis 49:20, says of Asher, "From Asher, his bread is rich, and he will provide royal delicacies." Simple enough. But as is often the case with sacred texts, there’...

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Naphtali at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:17

First, "Naphtali is a doe let loose [sheluḥa]." The Rabbis connect this to the land of Naphtali being full of irrigated fields [beit hashelaḥin]. They point to Deuteronomy 3:17, wh...

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Trial of Joseph and Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:18

The Torah describes Joseph as a "fruitful tree, a fruitful tree alongside a spring; branches run over the wall" (Genesis 49:22). But what does that really mean? The rabbis in Beres...

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Joseph and Creation of Potiphar

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:19

It’s a universal feeling, and it echoes even within the ancient texts of our tradition. Let's delve into a verse from Genesis, explored in Bereshit Rabbah 98, that touches upon thi...

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Marriage of Joseph and Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:20

We all know the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife, but the ancient rabbis saw layers of complexity there, hints of struggle just beneath the surface. to a fascinating passage fro...

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Tavor and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 99:1

It wasn't just a random selection, you know. According to Bereshit Rabbah, the classic collection of Rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Genesis, there was some serious competi...

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Jacob in Battle and Babylon

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 99:2

Specifically, we're looking at section 99, which explores a verse from Amos: "For the Lord God will not do anything, [unless He has revealed His secret to His servants the prophets...

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