Midrash Rabbah

2,921 texts · Page 163 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.

Teachings of Moses

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:14

Our ancestors certainly did. And in Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, we find a beautiful explanation of why Moses chose the stars as a...

MosesProphecyHoly Land

Esau and Creation of Dama

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:15

Jewish tradition has a lot to say on the subject, and some of the stories might surprise you. Our jumping-off point is the verse in Deuteronomy 2:3, "You have circled this mountain...

CreationPatriarchsMosesTorah

Rome and the Fires of Gehenna

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:16

In the very first section, the rabbis grapple with the verse, "You have circled this mountain enough" (Deuteronomy 2:3). What does it mean to circle a mountain "enough?" They see i...

Hell/GehennaMosesKing DavidHoly Land

Esau and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:17

It begins with the phrase "you have circled enough," and then dives into what it really means to be patient, to trust, and to understand the long game of history. The verse in ques...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsKing David

Jacob and Creation of Esau

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:18

to Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy. There's this fascinating passage that starts with the phrase, "You have circled enough..." or "Rav...

CreationPatriarchsPrayer

Isaac: Esau and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:19

The story of Esau and Jacob is a classic example, and the Rabbis in Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homiletic interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, unpack it with incredible ...

CreationPatriarchsKing DavidSolomon

Teachings of Moses and Esau

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:20

According to Devarim Rabbah, there's a whole world of meaning packed into those words. It wasn't just a one-time instruction to Moses. The Holy One, blessed be He, was saying, "Not...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses

Noah in the Days of Moses

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:21

to a fascinating passage from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, that touches on this very dilemma and much more. The verse that k...

Noah & FloodMosesTorahSabbath

Heavenly Assembly

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:22

It's not always as simple as a direct hand from above. Sometimes, there's a cosmic chess game happening behind the scenes. Devarim Rabbah, in its very first section, opens with a p...

AngelsJosephMosesKing David