Midrash Rabbah

2,921 texts · Page 5 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 Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 2:26

Today, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah, specifically section 2, which gives us a peek into the lives of Aaron's sons, Elazar and Itamar, and their role...

CreationPatriarchsMosesKing David

Cosmic Origins

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 3:1

It all starts with the verse, "Bring the tribe of Levi near and stand it before Aaron the priest, and they shall serve him" (Numbers 3:5–6). This is where our sages begin to unpack...

CreationHeavenAdam & EvePatriarchs

Jacob: Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 3:2

And it's one that our sages grappled with too. This week, in our journey through Bamidbar Rabbah, specifically Bamidbar Rabbah 3, we stumble upon a fascinating exploration of being...

CreationPatriarchsMosesKing David

Teachings of Aaron and Levites

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 3:3

"And stand it before Aaron, the priest, and they shall serve him." This seemingly simple instruction reveals a whole world of responsibility. But what does it mean to "serve him"? ...

Hell/GehennaMosesKing David

Dawn of the World and Levites

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 3:4

Sometimes, a seemingly simple verse can unlock a whole world of understanding about God's relationship with us. to one such passage from Numbers, specifically 3:11-13. It starts pl...

CreationNoah & FloodJosephMoses

Moses and the Messiah of Levites

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 3:5

It’s a story of sin, substitution, and…redemption. Originally, get this, the b’chorim—the firstborn sons—held a special spiritual role. They were designated to perform sacred servi...

MosesMessiahHoly LandEgypt

Moses: David and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 3:6

We know, according to tradition, that God created the world in six days. But what about since then? The Talmudic sages pondered this very question. In Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection...

CreationAngelsNoah & FloodPatriarchs

Moses and Joseph of Levites

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 3:7

Sometimes the pieces don’t quite fit at first glance. Take, for instance, the tribe of Levi. In the Book of Numbers – Bamidbar in Hebrew – we find two seemingly opposing instructio...

JosephMosesTemplePrayer

Samuel and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 3:8

Today, we're diving deep into a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah, a midrashic (interpretive) compilation on the Book of Numbers, to explore just that. This particular secti...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsJoseph