Bread upon the Water

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 449

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·March 24, 2026

449. Bread upon the Water. Aarne Z.V. Vlksd. XIX,

p. 298—301. cf. BenGorion III, p.105, 304-

v. d. Gabelentz, ZDMG.

LII, p. 297.

Kohler, Kl. Schriften, II, p. 610 f.

cf. Cod. G. 246, f. 35 b. (Variant of No. 381.)

Themes

Wisdom Charity Humor Adam Eve Tzedakah

Continue Reading

Ben SiraHow to Avoid the Pitfalls of Poor JudgmentWe've all been there. But what if I told you an ancient text, attributed to Ben Sira, offers some pretty timeless advice on how to avoid those pitfalls? It's no Ben SiraThe Injustice of Unequal RelationshipsThe ancient wisdom of Ben Sira, also known as Ecclesiasticus, wrestles with these very imbalances. Ben Sira, in chapter 13, pulls no punches. He gets right to t Introduction to Sulam CommentaryThe Gap Between Right and Left Is Not PhysicalIntroduction to Sulam Commentary turns to The Gap Between Right and Left Is Not Physical. Specifically, Now, before you start picturing a physical space with di Kalach Pitchei ChokhmahHow Evil Connects Back to the Highest RealmIn the text Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a profound idea is explored: even though evil seems to originate in the lower realms of existence – Beriyah (Creation), Yet Kalach Pitchei ChokhmahWhere the Other Side Originates in Higher RealmsOne fascinating, and frankly, a little mind-bending text, Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah (Wisdom) – which translates roughly to "Forty-Four Openings of Wisdom" – explo Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelRabbi Nathan Drew a Sharp Line Between What Israel Experienced atRabbi Nathan drew a sharp line between what Israel experienced at Sinai and what the rest of the world perceived. The nations heard about the revelation. Israel