2,672 passages in Modern Compilations & Folklore
Individual passages from Legends of the Jews, shown in source order. Page 16 of 56.
It's not a new phenomenon, not by a long shot. the tradition turns to the story of Simon, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and his struggle with envy. The scene: Simon is on his de...
He returns from a major campaign, a triumphant hero. Imagine the scene: the people are ecstatic, overflowing with gratitude, crediting God for placing this leader among them. They ...
The story of Adam's creation is far richer than it first appears. God, having finally convinced the angels that creating humankind was a good idea, turns to Gabriel and says, "Go f...
It’s a story of family betrayal, simmering rage, and, ultimately, a hard-won path to self-control. The drama unfolds like this: the brothers are out tending the flocks. Joseph, the...
You’ve traveled with your son-in-law and the Israelites through the desert, witnessed miracles, and then… Moses sends you packing. Back home. Just before the biggest moment in Jewi...
There's a remarkable deathbed scene tucked into the legends of the Judges, a moment starring Kenaz, a Judge who reigned for fifty-seven years. As his life neared its end, Kenaz had...
Legends of the Jews turns to Reuben Told His Father He Had Liver Pain to Hide His Guilt. Reuben, knew he was partially responsible for the sale of Joseph into slavery. Can you imag...
The tradition says the timing was absolutely crucial, divinely ordained, and brimming with meaning. The Israelites are freed from centuries of slavery, they witness incredible mira...
There was. God is about to create humankind. But before the first breath is drawn, before the first foot touches the earth, the Torah itself, the divine instruction, the blueprint ...
Like his brother Reuben before him, Simon focused intently on a particular vice: unchastity. Why? Because, according to him, it's the root of all evil! Can you imagine? The mother ...
It wasn't just about God wanting to give the Torah, you see. According to the legends, it was about who was receiving it. right after the Exodus from Egypt, the Israelites weren't ...
The Legends of the Jews, that incredible compilation by Louis Ginzberg, gives us a glimpse into moments like this. Imagine the scene: Kenaz, overcome, breaks into wails so loud the...
After giving his final words of wisdom to his children, Simon, full of years – one hundred and twenty to be exact – breathed his last and joined his ancestors. Now, it first appear...
You’re marching towards… well, you don't exactly know where, but it's away from Pharaoh! Wouldn't you expect the Divine to hand down the ultimate instruction manual right then and ...
Jewish tradition loves patterns, and the number three seems to be deeply woven into the fabric of our story, connecting the Torah, the people of Israel, and even the very act of re...
Legends of the Jews turns to Zebul Succeeds Kenaz and Rebuilds the Tabernacle. Enter Zebul. He’s appointed as Kenaz’s successor. But Zebul isn't just interested in filling a vacanc...
Legends of the Jews turns to How God Crafted the Human Soul with Immense Care. In fact, the soul's creation is so important that it happened right at the beginning! According to so...
As his days dwindled, he called his children together, not just to say goodbye, but to share the story of his life, and astonishingly, to foretell their futures, all the way to the...
Legends of the Jews turns to Angel of the Lord. The passage takes us on a journey, a spiritual ascent through the heavens. "I entered the first heaven," the text recounts, "and I s...
For a second. Six different names, each hinting at a different facet of that earth-shattering moment. It’s like trying to describe a diamond – you can So, what are these names? And...
It’s quite a journey. All the souls of humanity, not just those alive now, but every soul that ever was or ever will be, all nestled together. Where? In a heavenly storehouse, a pr...
The angel, acting as our guide, unveils the secrets of each celestial plane, explaining their purpose and the events that unfold within. And then, the day of judgment is proclaimed...
It involves a divine tour, some hard "nos," and a resounding "yes" that changed everything. The story goes that before God presented the Torah to Israel, He offered it to all the n...
Evening falls. Not just any evening, but the evening immediately after you’ve passed from this world. An angel, a malakh, escorts your soul on a… shall we say, revealing tour. This...
That’s kind of what happened to Levi, son of Jacob, in the story of Dinah and the city of Shechem. It’s a tale filled with passion, betrayal, and some pretty intense family dynamic...
Zebul's story is brief but important. We learn that he reigned for twenty-five years. What's really interesting is how he chose to end his time as judge. Before he passed, he didn'...
The feeling is as old as time, and it certainly echoes through the ancient stories of our ancestors. Let me tell you about a vision, a calling, described in Ginzberg's Legends of t...
The story goes that when it came time for God to reveal the Torah, all the mountains in the world began to vie for the honor. Imagine them, these colossal peaks, practically jostli...
Tucked away in the ancient stories of the Israelites, we find hints of just such a place. Our story begins with Othniel. Now, Othniel's reign, which lasted forty years, starts with...
Legends of the Jews turns to Songs of the Angels. Imagine, if you will, an angel – a celestial guide – entrusted with the soul even before it enters the earthly realm. According to...
The entire world, and that's the spot chosen for the most monumental event in Jewish history? It wasn't just about the mountain's own supposed humility, though that plays a part. A...
Jewish tradition, particularly the aggadic literature (those stories that expand on biblical narratives and explore deeper meanings), paints a vivid picture of that encounter. It's...
Levi, son of Jacob and father of the Levites, did. And it all started with a dream. Two days after a particularly vivid dream, Levi and his brother Judah went to their grandfather,...
You're in good company. Even Moses, the great lawgiver, felt that way. God Himself tells Moses, "Go, deliver Israel!" And what's Moses's response? "Who am I?" He essentially says, ...
Take Othniel, for example, a figure from the Book of Judges. You'd think a guy like that would be riding high. Well, yes and no. In Legends of the Jews, not everything went smoothl...
He's surrounded by his children, his life's work laid bare before him. He’s not reminiscing about past glories, though. He's consumed by a vision of the future – a future where his...
Legends of the Jews turns to Asahel — Adam at the Dawn of Creation. The stories tell us his dimensions were. well, gigantic. Some say he stretched from heaven to earth! Or, to put ...
The familiar picture has Moses standing alone on the mountain, receiving the word of God. But what about the women? Did they play a role? And if so, what was it? In Legends of the ...
Pull up a chair, because the Book of Ruth, that beautiful story of loyalty and redemption, actually unfolds against a backdrop eerily similar to our own. In rabbinic tradition, the...
The Legends of the Jews, that incredible compilation of rabbinic stories and lore by Louis Ginzberg, offers a few compelling reasons. It all boils down to wisdom, foresight, and a ...
The story of Orpah, from the Book of Ruth, makes you think about just that. Naomi, had lost her husband and two sons in Moab. Heartbroken, she decided to return to her homeland. He...
The Legends of the Jews, that monumental work by Louis Ginzberg, compiles centuries of Jewish folklore, and it paints a pretty incredible picture. It tells us that most of humankin...
We'll start with Levi. We read that he finished giving his sons his final instructions, and then, at the ripe old age of one hundred and thirty-seven – older than any of his brothe...
The familiar version gives us the big picture – freedom from slavery, the Ten Commandments. But what about the finer details? What was the tone, the emphasis, the heart of his mess...
Her story isn't just a sweet tale; it’s a cornerstone of Jewish tradition. Ruth wasn's born Jewish. She was a Moabite princess. But her heart, it seemed, had other plans. Ruth's pa...
Ruth, as we know, found herself in a tough spot, widowed and far from her homeland. She chose to stay with her mother-in-law, Naomi, and together they struggled to survive. Ruth we...
The scene: God is preparing to breathe the soul into Adam's body, a body still like clay, unformed and lifeless. But where to place this precious neshama, this soul? It's a questio...
Judah wasn't shy about sharing his battlefield exploits. He recounted his bravery in the wars against the Canaanite kings and even against Esau and his descendants. Apparently, in ...
