Midrash Rabbah

2,921 texts · Page 161 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.

Joseph and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 100:9

After years of slavery in Egypt, orchestrated by his own brothers’ jealousy, Joseph rose to become second-in-command to Pharaoh. When famine struck, who should come begging for foo...

CreationHeavenJosephProphecy

Moses: Joseph at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 100:10

It's easy to read the Torah as a collection of individual stories, but the rabbis of old saw something more: echoes, parallels, and meaningful connections woven throughout the gene...

CreationJosephMosesSolomon

Death of Joseph and Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 100:11

It’s a theme that runs deep in Jewish tradition, and it surfaces in the story of Joseph, the favored son of Jacob, who rose to prominence in Egypt. We find ourselves at the end of ...

CreationJosephMosesHoly Land

Isaac: Jacob at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 100:12

The verse in question is Genesis 49:28: "This is what their father Jacob spoke to them." But the Rabbis in Bereshit Rabbah notice something subtle. It doesn't say, "This is what th...

CreationPatriarchsMosesKing David

Zion and the First Humans

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 100:13

It’s a deep-rooted tradition, one filled with both sorrow and, surprisingly, a glimmer of hope. But what’s the connection between grief and joy? Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collecti...

Adam & EveProphecyHoly Land

Rabban Gamliel at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:1

The book of Devarim, Deuteronomy, opens with the simple phrase, "These are the words…" And immediately, the ancient interpreters of our tradition, the rabbis of the Midrash, latch ...

CreationHeavenAdam & EvePatriarchs

Moses Before the King and Bilam

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:2

It’s not just about pointing out flaws. According to Jewish tradition, it’s a profound act, potentially more valuable than empty praise. Let’s delve into a fascinating interpretati...

MosesSolomonProphecyRepentance

The Golden Calf and Shmuel

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:3

But did they really get away with it? The Book of Devarim — Deuteronomy — opens with the phrase, "These are the words that Moses spoke…" And the Midrash, specifically Devarim Rabba...

MosesKing DavidRepentanceHoly Land

Bilam and Moses of Israelites

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:4

It’s baked right into Jewish tradition. to a fascinating idea from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homiletic interpretations of the Book of Deuteronomy. The very first verse of Deu...

MosesPrayerHoly Land