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The question is: Why? Genesis 17:17 tells us that after God tells Abraham (who was then still called Abram) that his wife Sarah (then Sarai) will bear him a son, he "fell on his fa...
That image – of falling on one's face – becomes incredibly potent when we explore the story of Abraham. The Midrash of Philo, an ancient commentary attributed to Philo of Alexandri...
It turns out, even Abraham, our forefather, might have had a moment of… well, not exactly doubt, but perhaps profound wonder. The Torah tells us, in Genesis 17:17, after God promis...
One such moment comes to us in Genesis 17:18. Abraham, after hearing God's promise of a son, Isaac, through Sarah, turns to God and says, "O may my son Ishmael live before thee!" W...
Our ancestor Abraham knew that feeling well. We find him in a fascinating moment in the Midrash of Philo, grappling with hope, faith, and the very definition of a "blessing." Philo...
Like the universe is saying, "Okay, sure, but are you really ready for this?" That's the kind of vibe I get from this little nugget of a midrash based on Genesis 17:19. You know th...
He’s just received the earth-shattering news that he, in his old age, is going to have a son with Sarah. A son who will carry on the covenant with God. It's huge! But then comes th...
The ancient sages grappled with this very idea. They saw two paths to wisdom, two types of people who approached the divine. And Philo, that brilliant Jewish philosopher from Alexa...
to this because, as often happens with our tradition, there's more to it than meets the eye. The Midrash of Philo, a collection of interpretations attributed to the ancient philoso...
