Midrash Rabbah

2,921 texts · Page 7 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.

Fire of the Prophet and Hannah

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 4:4

The book of Bamidbar Rabbah, a treasure trove of rabbinic commentary on the Book of Numbers, delves into this very idea. It all starts with the command to count the firstborn males...

JobProphecySoul

Dreams of Joseph and Egyptians

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 4:5

The Book of Numbers (Bamidbar) is where we find this story. God tells Moses, "You shall take the Levites for Me, I am the Lord, in place of every firstborn among the children of Is...

JosephMosesTorahProphecy

Moses the Lawgiver and Levites

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 4:6

The verse we're looking at is Numbers 3:42: “Moses counted, as the Lord commanded him, all firstborn among the children of Israel.” Simple enough. But the Rabbis never let anything...

HeavenMosesTempleHoly Land

Moses's Journey and Levites

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 4:7

We find ourselves in just such a situation in the Book of Numbers, Bamidbar in Hebrew. Specifically, in Bamidbar Rabbah, a Midrashic compilation – that is, a collection of interpre...

MosesHoly Land

Birth of Levi

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 4:8

It all goes back to a fascinating swap, a divine exchange, that re-shaped the spiritual landscape of ancient Israel. We find the seeds of this story in Bamidbar Rabbah, specificall...

CreationAdam & EveNoah & FloodPatriarchs

Agentus and Moses

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 4:9

The ones that make you tilt your head and ask, "Wait, what?" Well, let's dive into one from Bamidbar Rabbah, specifically section 4, that had even a Roman general scratching his he...

MosesTorahHoly Land

Joseph and the Heavenly Realms of Levites

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 4:10

Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of Rabbinic teachings on the Book of Numbers, delves into this very question, specifically in the context of redeeming firstborn sons. The passage hin...

HeavenMatriarchsJosephMoses

Aaron and Moses and the Firstborn

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 4:11

Let’s talk about shekels. Not just any shekels, but sacred shekels. Specifically, we’re looking at Numbers 3:50, which tells us about the silver taken from the firstborn of Israel:...

MosesMessiahHoly Land

Aaron and the Ark of Kehat

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 4:12

The Book of Numbers, or Bamidbar in Hebrew, gives us some fascinating insights into this very question, particularly in the fourth chapter, as explored in Bamidbar Rabbah, a classi...

Noah & FloodMosesTemple