1,056 passages in Rabbinic Midrash
Individual passages from Bereshit Rabbah, shown in source order. Page 13 of 22.
The Bible tells us the bare bones of the story, but the Rabbis, in their endless quest to understand God's word, delve deeper, seeking hidden meanings and profound truths. In Beres...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to Isaac Carries the Wood Like His Own Cross. "Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and placed it upon Isaac his son; he took in his hand the fire and ...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to Abraham — Samael at the Dawn of Creation. The Book of Genesis gives us the bare bones, but the rabbinic tradition, particularly Bereshit Rabbah, fleshes ou...
The story of the Akeidah, the binding of Isaac, is one of the most powerful and disturbing in the Hebrew Bible. We usually focus on Abraham's faith, Isaac's (near) sacrifice, and G...
The familiar story is this: God commands Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. Abraham, with unwavering faith, prepares to fulfill this divine decree. "They came to the plac...
The familiar story is this: Abraham, tested by God, is asked to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. He obeys, bringing Isaac to Mount Moriah. Just as Abraham raises his knife, an ang...
The story of Abraham and the binding of Isaac, the Akeidah, is a cornerstone of Jewish tradition, and within it, a tiny detail holds profound meaning. It's in the repetition of Abr...
The familiar story centers on Abraham and the binding of Isaac – the Akeidah, as it's known in Hebrew. But what about Isaac? Was he just a passive participant in this earth-shatter...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to The Ram Caught in the Thicket and Temple Prophecy. What does it really mean? The Torah tells us, “Abraham lifted his eyes and saw that behold, there was a ...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to Jacob's Heavenly Vision. The Torah tells us (Gen. 28:10-19) that Jacob dreamt of a ladder set upon the earth, its top reaching to heaven, with angels ascen...
It seems a little… unexpected, doesn't it? We tend to think of prayer as something we do, directing our hopes and needs toward the Divine. But according to Jewish tradition, God Hi...
Names hold power, history, and sometimes, the very essence of a place. Take Jerusalem, for example. Its story, according to the ancient Rabbis, is far more intricate than you might...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to Why the Angel Swore an Oath After the Binding. (Genesis 22:15) tells us, "The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from the heavens." And then...
He's stood on Mount Moriah, knife raised, ready to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. The tension is almost unbearable. And then? (Genesis 22:20) tells us, "It was after these matter...
It’s a beautiful image, isn't it? But what does it really mean? Our sages, confronting this very verse, connected it to something we say every day: a blessing. Specifically, the bl...
The ancient rabbis certainly did, and they explored this question through stories, through midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) – those beautiful, imaginative expansions on t...
While there aren't easy answers, Jewish tradition grapples with this in profound ways. a fascinating Midrash – a rabbinic interpretation – from Bereshit Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah), sp...
It's rarely a mistake. More often, it’s a little breadcrumb, a hint that there's something deeper going on. Take the verse in (Genesis 23:1): "Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred year...
Jewish tradition teaches us to see endings not as final stops, but as vital transitions. Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, puts it simply: "The sun rises and the sun sets." (Ecclesiastes 1:5)...
Rabbi Akiva knew the feeling well! The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) tells us he was once teaching, and noticed his audience starting to nod off. So, being the quick-w...
The Torah tells us, "Abraham came to lament for Sarah, and to weep for her" (Genesis 23:2). Simple enough. But where did he come from? That's where things get interesting. The sage...
The story of Abraham burying Sarah in the book of Genesis, specifically as explored in Bereshit Rabbah 58, really brings that feeling to life. "Abraham arose from before his dead, ...
He needs to acquire a burial plot. And what unfolds is a fascinating negotiation, a real estate transaction steeped in cultural nuance, as recorded in Bereshit Rabbah (Genesis Rabb...
Our focus is (Genesis 23:17-18), describing how Abraham acquired the field of Ephron, including the cave of Makhpela, as a burial place. "The field of Ephron that was in Makhpela t...
The Torah, as it often does, gives us clues, and this time it’s wrapped up in the story of Abraham burying his beloved Sarah. In (Genesis 23:19), we read, “Then, Abraham buried Sar...
The sages of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), those brilliant interpreters of our sacred texts, really dug into this. Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbin...
Our sages, in the ancient collection of rabbinic homilies known as Bereshit Rabbah, delve deep into this very question. They find an answer woven into the fabric of Torah itself. T...
The Psalmist certainly pondered this. "Even when I am old and gray, God, do not forsake me" (Psalms 71:18). A simple plea. But Rabbi Aḥa, in Bereshit Rabbah, asks a deceptively sim...
This one, found in Bereshit Rabbah 59, a compilation of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Genesis, definitely did that for me. It's a story about a rabbi, a myrtle branch, and a fie...
It might sound surprising, but the ancient Rabbis certainly thought so! The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), specifically Bereshit Rabbah 59, explores a fascinating inte...
The Torah tells us that Abraham was old, zaken (Genesis 24:1). But the rabbis in Bereshit Rabbah 59 ask, what does that really signify? The rabbis dig deep, finding layers of meani...
Blessings is often remembered as material wealth, good health, maybe even a long life. But what if the true blessing is something far deeper, something almost…invisible? The tradit...
It begins, "Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household, who was in charge of everything that was his: Please, place your hand under my thigh" (Genesis 24:2). Under his...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to Abraham's Suspicious Servant Sent to Find a Wife. Take the story of Abraham sending his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac (Genesis 24). Seems strai...
In the Torah, we find Abraham, the patriarch, facing just such a moment when sending his servant, Eliezer, to find a wife for his son, Isaac. It's a journey fraught with responsibi...
The Torah is full of incredible journeys, and sometimes, the distance covered seems almost impossible. to a fascinating passage from Bereshit Rabbah (59) about Eliezer, Abraham's s...
Sometimes, those signs came from the most unexpected places… even from barking dogs. I know, it sounds a little out there. But bear with me. The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive comm...
The story of Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, gives us a powerful glimpse. In (Genesis 24:12), we find Eliezer on a crucial mission: to find a wife for Isaac. He prays, "Lord, God of my...
Take Eliezer, for instance, Abraham's trusted servant. He might seem like a supporting player, but Bereshit Rabbah 60 reveals a depth of understanding that's truly remarkable. The ...
As we learn in Bereshit Rabbah 60, it's a theme that runs through some pretty significant stories in our tradition. He's standing by a well, praying for a sign. "May it be," he ask...
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, a towering figure in Jewish mysticism, points to three individuals who experienced this incredible immediacy. He says there are three people who were answer...
Sometimes, the really juicy stuff is hidden in between the lines, prompting the Rabbis to fill in the gaps with their own interpretations. Take the story of Rebecca, for instance, ...
It's a story packed with subtle cues and divine hints, all swirling around a well in Aram Naharaim. The servant arrives and asks Rebecca for a sip of water: "Please allow me to sip...
The story begins with Rebecca, who, upon meeting Eliezer at the well, "ran and told her mother’s household all about these matters" (Genesis 24:28). Now, Rabbi Yoḥanan makes an int...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to Eliezer's Camels and the Test of Idol Worship. Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Yirmeya pose a fascinating question to Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Rabba: Were Abraham's camels, pa...
The story unfolds in Genesis chapter 24. Abraham has tasked his most trusted servant (traditionally identified as Eliezer) with a monumental mission: to find a wife for his son, Is...
The story kicks off in (Genesis 24:50-51), where Laban and Betuel, Rebecca's brother and father, respond to Abraham's servant's request for Rebecca's hand in marriage for Isaac. Th...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to Were Rebecca's Gifts Fruit or Exotic Treasures. The tradition turns to (Genesis 24:53), the story of Abraham's servant securing a wife for Isaac. It says, ...
