Midrash Rabbah

2,921 texts · Page 306 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.

Aaron and the Lawgiver of Holies

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 20:5

The book of Job speaks to that feeling. "Even at this my heart trembles veyitar from its place" (Job 37:1). What does veyitar even mean? Rabbi Aha and Rabbi Ze'eira, in Vayikra Rab...

MosesJobTemple

Aaron's Transgression and Avihu

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 20:6

Vayikra Rabbah, specifically chapter 20, dives right into this difficult territory. It starts with a quote from Proverbs (17:26): “To punish also the righteous is not good." It's a...

MosesSolomonTempleProphecy

Rabbi Manei and Divine Judgment

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 20:7

Specifically, we're looking at section 20, which touches upon a delicate matter: when is it okay for a student to start making their own rulings on halakha – that is, Jewish law? R...

Hell/GehennaHoly Land

Death of Aaron and Elazar

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 20:8

Take the story of Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu. Their sudden, tragic deaths after offering "alien fire" before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1-2) is one of the most jarring moments in th...

MosesRepentance

Death of Aaron and Avihu

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 20:9

Take the story of Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron, who died suddenly after offering a "strange fire" before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1-2). What really happened? What led to such a...

MosesEgypt

Nadav in Heaven

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 20:10

The story centers around Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron, Moses' brother and the High Priest. These two weren’t just any ordinary guys. They were close to the top, practically J...

HeavenMosesKing DavidSolomon

Nadab and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 20:11

We find ourselves in Vayikra Rabbah, specifically chapter 20, digging into the story of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, and their brothers Elazar and Itamar. You remember Nadab and ...

CreationPatriarchsMosesKing David

Aaron: Death of Miriam

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 20:12

The ancient rabbis grappled with this question, and their insights, preserved in texts like Vayikra Rabbah, offer some truly fascinating answers. Rabbi Abba bar Avina, a sage of ol...

MosesRepentance

Aaron's Transgression and David

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 21:1

And it's one that the ancient rabbis understood deeply. They wrestled with these feelings in their interpretations of scripture, offering us a timeless roadmap for finding strength...

Hell/GehennaJosephMosesKing David