Midrash Rabbah

2,921 texts · Page 309 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.

Adam Names the Animals and Israelites

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 22:8

That’s the image Rabbi Pinḥas, quoting Rabbi Levi, uses to explain a powerful idea in Vayikra Rabbah. He tells the story of a king’s son who’d developed a taste for… well, let’s ju...

DemonsAdam & EveJosephTemple

Elijah in Paradise

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 22:9

The rabbis of old grappled with this question, especially concerning the laws around building altars for sacrifice outside the designated Temple in Jerusalem. This wasn't some free...

Adam & EveElijahTempleProphecy

Levi's Transgression

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 22:10

It’s a fascinating idea, and one that Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah), specifically section 22, explores in a surprisingly beautiful way. The passage begins by quoting Psalm 146:...

CreationHeavenCreaturesAdam & Eve

Laban: Rebecca and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 23:1

The Torah tackles this very question, and the answer is surprisingly nuanced. We find a fascinating passage in Vayikra Rabbah 23, which delves into Leviticus 18:3: “You shall not a...

CreationPatriarchsJosephSolomon

Saga of Joseph and Elazar

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 23:2

Rabbi Elazar paints a vivid picture. Imagine a lily growing amidst a thicket of thorns. Beautiful. But how difficult would it be to pluck it, to reach in and claim that delicate fl...

Adam & EveJosephMosesKing David

Enosh and the Ark

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 23:3

And they used stories – beautiful, powerful stories – to make sense of it all. One of my favorites comes from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Levi...

Noah & FloodMosesKing DavidTorah

Rabbi Elazar and Noah

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 23:4

This feeling isn’t new. In fact, the ancient rabbis grappled with it, too, and found profound meaning in it. Rav Ḥanan of Tzippori offers a beautiful interpretation of doing acts o...

Noah & FloodPrayer

Halls of the Angels and Aivu

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 23:5

And believe it or not, there's an ancient teaching that uses a similar image to describe the Jewish people's relationship with… well, pretty much everything. It all starts with a l...

HeavenPatriarchsKing DavidMessiah

Avin: Esau at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 23:6

It’s a question that’s echoed down the centuries, and one that the ancient rabbis grappled with too. In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus, ...

CreationPatriarchsTorahMessiah