Midrash Rabbah

2,921 texts · Page 304 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.

Noah and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 17:5

After all, it's not exactly a flattering name given Canaan's, shall we say, complicated backstory. Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Lev...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsMoses

Joshua's Prophetic Vision

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 17:6

Sometimes, the most unexpected things can lead us to hidden riches. Take leprosy, for example. Yes, leprosy. Now, I know what you're thinking. Leprosy? Good tidings? Seems impossib...

ProphecyHoly Land

Jeremiah in David's Court

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 17:7

But stick with me. In Vayikra, Leviticus, chapter 14, we find a curious passage about a plague that can afflict houses. Now, Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrashic collection of interpretatio...

King DavidTempleProphecyPrayer

Humility of Moses and Akavya

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 18:1

And wouldn't you know it, the ancient rabbis grappled with this too. In fact, they found some pretty profound answers hidden within the verses of the Torah. We begin with a seeming...

Hell/GehennaMosesSolomonJob

Esau: Adam at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 18:2

And today, we're diving into one such example, a passage from Vayikra Rabbah 18, which tackles a seemingly simple verse from Leviticus: "Any man, when he has a discharge from his f...

CreationHeavenHell/GehennaAdam & Eve

Pillars of Existence and Rabbinic

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 18:3

And, as we often find, the ancient texts of our tradition offer powerful, if sometimes unsettling, insights. Today, we're diving into Vayikra Rabbah 18 – a midrash, a Rabbinic inte...

CreationAngelsNoah & FloodMoses

Moses in the Wilderness and Calf

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 18:4

Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai paints a powerful picture of that experience. He teaches that when the Israelites stood at Sinai and proclaimed, "Everything that God said we will perform an...

Noah & FloodMosesSolomonHoly Land

Life of Moses and Kings

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 18:5

It’s a question that’s been pondered for centuries, and Jewish tradition offers some fascinating insights. Imagine a king, a ruler of flesh and blood. What powers does he wield? He...

MosesProphecyHoly LandExile

Moses the Lawgiver and Songs

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 19:1

That’s because, often, it is! one such instance. We find ourselves in Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah) 19, diving into a seemingly straightforward verse from Leviticus 15:25, deal...

CreationMosesKing DavidSolomon