Philo of Alexandria

414 texts · Page 40 of 46

The writings of Philo of Alexandria (c. 20 BCE -- c. 50 CE), a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who sought to harmonize Jewish Scripture with Greek philosophy. His allegorical interpretations of the Torah remain influential to this day.

Foundations of Being

Philo The Midrash of Philo 10:6

The Midrash of Philo, a collection of interpretations and elaborations on the Torah, offers a profound perspective. It highlights the expression, "And he took unto him," suggesting...

CreationJosephSoulMiracles

Abraham's Transgression and Sacrifice

Philo The Midrash of Philo 11:1

What does it even mean? The verse appears in the context of the brit bein ha-betarim, the “covenant between the pieces.” God makes a covenant with Abraham, promising him descendant...

CreationSacrificeCovenant

Whirlwind and Job

Philo The Midrash of Philo 11:2

to a fascinating little corner of Jewish tradition, a passage from what's known as The Midrash of Philo. Now, Philo of Alexandria was a Jewish philosopher who lived a long, long ti...

Job

Moses and the Origins of the World

Philo The Midrash of Philo 11:7

It all starts with the verse: "Abraham passed over and sat upon them" (Genesis 15:11). Simple enough. But what does it mean? What is Abraham sitting on? Some interpret this verse a...

CreationPatriarchsMosesTemple

Abraham and the Origins of the World

Philo The Midrash of Philo 12:1

Our ancestor Abraham felt it too. The Torah tells us, in Genesis 15:12: "About the time of the setting of the sun a trance fell upon Abraham; and lo, a great horror of darkness cam...

CreationPatriarchs

Repair of the Soul and Dreams

Philo The Midrash of Philo 12:2

Philo, the great Jewish philosopher of Alexandria, writing millennia ago, gives us a fascinating glimpse into this concept of divine ecstasis, or trance. He describes it as "a depa...

SoulWisdom

Abraham and Creation

Philo The Midrash of Philo 13:1

The Torah, in its unflinching honesty, doesn't shy away from these tough questions. to one particularly weighty example. In Genesis 15:13, God tells Abraham – Avraham, the patriarc...

CreationEgypt

Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

Philo The Midrash of Philo 13:2

The ancient sages certainly did. And they found profound meaning in that feeling. to a fascinating interpretation of a well-known biblical passage, explored in the Midrash of Philo...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsJob

When God Created

Philo The Midrash of Philo 15:1

We find ourselves pondering this very question in a fascinating corner of Jewish thought, a place where ancient wisdom meets profound insight. The question arises from the Book of ...

Creation