Midrash Rabbah

2,921 texts · Page 209 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.

Ruth's Journey

Midrash Rabbah Ruth Rabbah (Lerner) 22:1

And in this little snippet of that text, we find a moment of intense connection, and a gentle but firm assertion of self. The verse we're focusing on is Ruth 1:16: "Do not beseech ...

RepentanceSabbathHoly LandShabbat

Gilgal Before the Altar

Midrash Rabbah Ruth Rabbah (Lerner) 22:5

The story of Ruth is all about that, about choosing a people, a faith, a destiny. And it begins with those famous words: "Your people shall be my people, and your God my God." (Rut...

TempleHoly Land

Story of Ruth

Midrash Rabbah Ruth Rabbah (Lerner)

Not just the biblical Ruth, but the Ruth we meet in the rabbinic imagination – a figure so compelling that her story continues to resonate with us centuries later. We all know the ...

Abraham: Ishmael and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 1:1

"These are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; each came with his household" – that’s how the Book of Exodus begins. But what does that have to do wit...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Jacob and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 1:3

It's rarely just repetition. Often, it's about adding layers of meaning, offering a deeper appreciation for what came before. Take the very beginning of the Book of Exodus. We’re i...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses

Joseph and the Patriarchs of Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 1:4

It's like, bam, out of nowhere, you're bearing a load you didn't even see coming. Well, the ancient Israelites knew that feeling all too well when they found themselves in Egypt. W...

PatriarchsJosephEgypt

Leah: Reuben at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 1:5

The ancient rabbis certainly did. They saw layers of meaning, hidden connections, and prophecies woven into the very fabric of the Torah. Take the beginning of the Book of Exodus, ...

CreationHeavenMatriarchsJoseph

Levi's Legacy and Yehoshua

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 1:6

It’s not a typo, and it’s definitely not random! There’s a beautiful lesson tucked away in that apparent inconsistency. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, quoting Rabbi Levi, offered a pow...

PatriarchsProphecyHoly Land

Wisdom of Joseph of Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 1:7

The book of Exodus, Shemot in Hebrew, opens with a seemingly simple verse that holds a profound message about humility and identity. "All the people who emerged from the loins of J...

PatriarchsJosephMosesEgypt