2,672 passages in Modern Compilations & Folklore
Individual passages from Legends of the Jews, shown in source order. Page 4 of 56.
The Jewish tradition has some fascinating stories about that, and one of the most intriguing is the tale of Asenath and Joseph. It's a story about beauty, prejudice, divine interve...
Take Joseph, for instance. His story is one of dramatic ups and downs, from slavery to becoming second-in-command in Egypt. But how did he find love? The answer, according to the a...
Family dynamics are always in play. to a lesser-known tale, a sort of epilogue to the Joseph story, found in Ginzberg's fascinating Legends of the Jews. The story picks up on the t...
Her story takes a dramatic turn in Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg, and it involves treachery, divine intervention, and a whole lot of pebbles! Asenath, surrounded by her six...
As Joseph lay on his deathbed, he made his brethren swear a solemn oath. He didn't just ask it of them, but instructed them to have their sons swear it too: when God would finally ...
In Jewish tradition, names are far more than just labels; they’re prophecies, histories, and profound statements about a person's character and destiny. And it’s not just individua...
In Legends of the Jews, a couple of years after Joseph's death, Reuben fell ill, sensing his time was near. He gathered his sons, grandsons, and brothers, ready to share his hard-e...
It’s a powerful emotion, one that can lead us down paths we never thought we’d tread. The Torah, our sacred text, is full of stories that explore these complex human emotions, and ...
The story, as told in Legends of the Jews, paints a vivid picture of divine encounters and a sacred calling. In Ginzberg's retelling, when Levi knew his time was near, he gathered ...
In Legends of the Jews, these were Judah's parting thoughts to his sons. He begins by reminding them of his strength, his obedience to his father, and the blessings he received. "I...
The familiar telling remembers the big names – Abraham, Moses, David. But what about the seemingly quieter figures, the ones whose stories whisper rather than shout? the life of Is...
The Legends of the Jews by Ginzberg recounts this scene, drawing from various rabbinic sources. Zebulon, at the ripe old age of 114 – two years after Joseph's death – calls his son...
The Legends of the Jews, Louis Ginzberg's masterful compilation of rabbinic lore, gives us a fascinating glimpse into the deathbed confession of Dan, one of Jacob’s sons. It's a ra...
Compiled by Ginzberg, in his 132nd year, Naphtali invited his children to a banquet. The next morning, he announced his impending death, which they, of course, disbelieved. But Nap...
It’s a human experience, unfortunately, one that even touched the lives of the biblical figures readers often hold up as paragons of virtue. the tradition turns to Gad, one of the ...
that incredible compilation of rabbinic lore by Louis Ginzberg, in his one hundred and twenty-fifth year, while still healthy, Asher gathered his children. He wasn't frail or fadin...
The final testament of Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob, as recounted in Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews. Benjamin, at the ripe old age of one hundred and twenty-five, gathers hi...
The Book of Job, of course, tells the story of a man who suffers immensely, testing his faith. But the Legends of the Jews, as retold by Ginzberg, adds layers to this familiar narr...
What's the worst thing that could happen to you? Most of us probably wouldn't pick poverty. We might think of illness, or losing a loved one. But in the ancient world, and perhaps ...
The story we know so well has a prologue, a hidden conflict that sets the stage for all of Job's suffering? Our tale begins not with divine pronouncements, but with envy. Satan, or...
The story of Job, as amplified in Jewish legend, takes us to some truly harrowing depths. We know the basic outline from the Book of Job in the Bible, but the aggadah, the body of ...
The story of Job and his companions, as retold in Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews, offers a powerful, if sometimes strange, glimpse into that very question. It’s a tale filled with ...
Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) turns to Job Restored. As Job continues to proclaim his innocence, his friends grow increasingly convinced that he's being punished for some hidden s...
There was a transition, a gradual dimming of the light. It’s almost like the Egyptians were waiting for something… or someone. Ginzberg tells us that as long as the sons of Jacob w...
The scene: Egypt, a mighty empire, feeling threatened. The Israelites, a growing population within their borders, are perceived as a potential fifth column. "Behold, the people of ...
A reader can focus on the big battles and powerful leaders, but sometimes the most profound changes come from the courage of ordinary people. The source turns to one such story, a ...
As retold by Ginzberg, it was the one hundred and thirtieth year after the Israelites arrived in Egypt. Pharaoh, uneasy in his power, had a disturbing dream. He saw an old man, sca...
The story of the Israelite enslavement in Egypt is one of those. It's a stark reminder of human cruelty, but also a evidence of resilience and faith. And at the heart of it is a tr...
Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) turns to The Parents Of Moses. The story begins with Pharaoh's horrific decree: Hebrew baby boys were to be cast into the Nile. In response, Amram, a...
The story of Moses' birth is a powerful evidence of that kind of bravery, laced with faith and a touch of the miraculous. It all begins with a decree from Pharaoh, ordering the dea...
Pharaoh has decreed that all Hebrew baby boys must be killed. What's a mother to do? As Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) tells us, she takes matters into her own hands. She builds an...
Take Moses, for example. We know him as the liberator, the lawgiver, the one who spoke to God face to face. But what about Moses the baby? What was his story? In Legends of the Jew...
Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) turns to Moses Rescued By Gabriel. Can you imagine the scene? Gasps ripple through the room. According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews...
It’s a story ripe with tension, a hero in the making, and a glimpse into the early acts that shaped one of the most pivotal figures in Jewish history. In Legends of the Jews, Ginzb...
As retold by Ginzberg, an angel whisked Moses away – not just across the border, but forty days' journey away! That’s a serious relocation. Far enough, apparently, that the fear th...
Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) turns to The King Of Ethiopia. It sounds wild, doesn't it? According to Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews, the Ethiopians, in desperate need of a leader...
Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) turns to Jethro. In Ginzberg's retelling in, Legends of the Jews, Jethro lived for many years in the city of Midian – a place named for a son of Abra...
Moses encountered seven maidens at a well. One of them, Zipporah, caught his eye with her modesty. He proposed marriage, but Zipporah wasn't immediately swept off her feet. She tol...
The Bible tells us about the Israelites' enslavement in Egypt, but some of the most chilling details come from other sources, like Legends of the Jews by Rabbi Louis Ginzberg. Ginz...
The Jewish tradition offers a fascinating answer, one beautifully illustrated in the story of Moses, the great lawgiver. Before he led the Israelites out of Egypt, before the burni...
Moses, tending his flock near Mount Horeb, a place already imbued with a sense of holiness – even the birds seemed to know to avoid landing there – experiences something extraordin...
The stories surrounding Moses, our great leader and prophet, offer glimpses into just such an experience. It's more than just receiving the Ten Commandments; it's about a complete ...
Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) turns to Moses Visits Paradise And Hell. The story goes that as Moses was preparing to leave heaven, a divine voice declared, "Moses, you have seen t...
Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) turns to Moses Declines The Mission. The familiar story is this: Moses encounters the burning bush. But there's so much more to it than just a fiery ...
Even Moses, arguably the most important prophet in Judaism, tried to avoid his divine calling. And, as the Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) tells us, he paid a price for that relucta...
It wasn't just a simple "Okay, God, I'll go." According to the Legends of the Jews, as retold by Ginzberg, Moses' agreement came with conditions. He wanted assurances that his requ...
The day Moses and Aaron made their grand entrance was actually Pharaoh's birthday. Can you imagine the pomp and circumstance? He was surrounded by kings from all corners of the ear...
It wasn't all smooth sailing once Moses and Aaron showed up. In fact, things initially got a whole lot harder for the Israelites. Pharaoh, that stubborn, prideful king, didn't just...
