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.

Abraham and the Patriarchs of Jerusalem

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 2:1

Ever read the Song of Songs and thought, "Wow, that's...intense?" It's a book of love poetry, after all, and some of the imagery can feel pretty direct. Take the verse, "How fair a...

PatriarchsJosephMosesSolomon

Passover's Song

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 2:2

Take the verse from the Song of Songs, Shir HaShirim, "How fair are your feet in sandals [bane’alim]," with its slightly unusual plural form, "sandals" [ne’alim]. What could that p...

CreationJosephMosesTorah

Covenant of Circumcision

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 2:3

Today, we're diving into Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on the Song of Songs, and unpacking just such a verse. Get ready for a journey through noble lineage, the power of bri...

Noah & FloodPatriarchsMosesKing David

Sanhedrin and the King

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:1

Ever read the Song of Songs and thought, "Wow, that's... descriptive?" It’s poetry, of course, but sometimes those ancient metaphors leave you scratching your head. Take Song of So...

King DavidSolomonHoly Land

Dust of the Earth and Pentateuch

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:2

Jewish tradition often uses metaphors to explore those pivotal moments, and today we're diving into one that uses lilies – yes, lilies! – to explain the power of Torah. We find thi...

Adam & EveTorahRepentance

Saga of Joseph and Songs

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:3

I know, it sounds random. But stick with me. In Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Song of Songs, that very grain becomes a powerful symbol for t...

PatriarchsJosephMosesKing David

Ministering Angels and Esau

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:1

It’s like a tiny seed containing an entire orchard. Take, for instance, the verse from Song of Songs 7:5: "Your neck is like an ivory tower; your eyes are pools in Ḥeshbon, by the ...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsMoses

Sanhedrin and Moses of Songs

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:2

They understood that a community, just like a person, needs eyes to see, to discern, to navigate the complexities of life. And where do we find these "eyes"? The answer, surprising...

MosesHoly LandEgyptJudgment

Temple and the Heavenly Realms

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:3

It's filled with metaphors, and some of them are truly striking. Take this one: "Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon." What does that even mean? Well, the Rabbis of Shir HaShiri...

HeavenPatriarchsKing DavidTemple