2,672 passages in Modern Compilations & Folklore
Individual passages from Legends of the Jews, shown in source order. Page 48 of 56.
The familiar story centers on Jacob, later named Israel, and his brother Esau. Their relationship? Let’s call it “fraught.” But according to the Legends of the Jews, peace didn't l...
The drama was far from over. The scene: Jacob's sons, fired up, chasing the remnants of Esau's army all the way to Adora. Esau's own sons? They were so eager to escape, they left t...
It’s a fascinating exercise, and sometimes, you stumble upon something truly surprising. Like this: who was the most righteous of Esau's sons? You might be surprised to learn it wa...
Job, in his suffering, throws something of a low blow. He basically snarls at Eliphaz, "Look at your father, ESAU!" Ouch. Esau is familiar. The brother who traded his birthright fo...
Let me tell you a story, a legend really, that explores just that. It involves a princess, a rejection, and a nation's suffering. Her name was Timna, and she wasn't just anyone – s...
The story goes that Anah, son of Zibeon, had an encounter that left him shaken to his core. The text simply tells us, "When Anah saw all this, he was exceedingly afraid on account ...
It's often because the story isn't just about one family or one kingdom, but about the tangled web of relationships between them all. Take, for instance, the story of Esau and Jaco...
The Jewish tradition has a fascinating, and sometimes troubling, figure that embodies this very idea: the golem. The most famous golem story, of course, revolves around the Golem o...
It’s a wild one, and it involves a homunculus, a miniature, artificially created human. The story goes that Maimonides had a brilliant young assistant, a student he poured his hear...
Time and again, the Jewish community of Prague faced the horrifying accusation of blood libel – the false claim that they used the blood of children in their Passover matzah. These...
Legend says it holds a secret, a silent sentinel waiting for a day that is yet to come. What's hiding up there? The remains of the Golem. Not just any golem, but the Golem, created...
The followers of the Ba'al Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidic Judaism, knew a thing or two about joy. Every year, they celebrated Simhat Torah – the culmination of Sukkot (the Festiv...
Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) turns to The Dancing Of The Ari. Every Lag ba-Omer – that joyous day nestled between Passover and Shavuot – the Ari would lead his students to the gr...
Yozel Frandrik stole the Name of God and hid it in his own flesh. The Israel Folktale Archives preserves the strange tale of a wonder child from the days of the Temple. Yozel could...
There's a story about a rabbi, Rabbi Hayim ben Attar, known as the Or ha-Hayim (אור החיים), "the light of life," after his famous biblical commentary. He lived in Jerusalem and had...
The tradition paints a powerful picture. The Legends of the Jews tells us that Moses spent the time from the first day of Shevat (a month in the Jewish calendar, usually falling in...
It wasn't always a simple, smooth affair, as we learn in the fascinating accounts woven into the tradition of Jewish legend. The scene: Moses, nearing the end of his life, is deter...
The biblical account in the Books of Kings gives us glimpses of his fiery personality, his confrontations with kings, and his miraculous deeds. But those are just snapshots. They b...
What would you do? What wisdom would you impart? This is the poignant scene we find ourselves in with Moses, nearing the end of his earthly journey. According to Legends of the Jew...
Our story begins with Elijah, a figure who embodies that very spirit. We find him first appearing during the reign of King Ahab, a period marked by religious turmoil and defiance o...
He was, let's just say, very enthusiastic about idol worship. And he wasn't shy about flaunting it. As Ginzberg retells it in Legends of the Jews, Ahab taunted Elijah, basically sa...
The Torah says God showed Moses the land, but the Legends of the Jews fills in the blanks with breathtaking detail. God, pointing to the land, says, "'This is the land which I swar...
The story of Elijah the prophet gives us a lot to think about. Remember the story of King Ahab? He wasn't exactly known for his piety. And as the Legends of the Jews tells us, a de...
Here's a curious detail: this single mountain, according to some accounts, bore not one, but four names: Nebo, Abarim, Hor, and Pisgah. Why so many names for one place? Well, the L...
This comes to us from Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews, drawing from various Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) sources. Remember the story? Elijah, challenging the priests...
It was a showdown of epic proportions, a challenge to prove who the real God was. As we know from the biblical narrative, Elijah proposed a simple yet profound test: build two alta...
Sometimes, it's about making a statement, about proving a point. And in Jewish tradition, the idea of doing things in broad daylight, for all to see, carries a special weight. Thin...
It’s a story filled with both sorrow and profound peace, a final chapter worthy of such a monumental figure. The command from God for Moses to ascend Mount Nebo and there meet his ...
Legends of the Jews turns to Elijah's Transgression and the Altar. In Ginzberg's retelling in, Legends of the Jews, Elijah needed to rebuild an altar, dig a trench, and get everyth...
It’s the day of Moses' death. A day of immense sorrow, surely, but also a day of unparalleled privilege. God, in an act of extraordinary grace, allows Moses to ascend to a high pla...
Even after all the miracles, all the divine interventions, the people of Israel… well, they just weren't getting it. They were still caught up in idolatry. According to Legends of ...
Being in his sandals, standing in the very presence of God. It's a question that has captivated Jewish scholars and storytellers for centuries. The Legends of the Jews, that incred...
What would you ask? Well, according to Ginzberg’s Legends of the Jews, Moses wasn’t just curious about any old thing. He wanted to know about the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple. N...
The prophet Elijah knew. And according to tradition, the events leading up to that moment, and even his ascent to heaven, hold profound meaning for us all. The story goes that befo...
Legends of the Jews turns to Elijah Documenting Every Human Deed Until the End of Days. A being who exists forever, tirelessly documenting everything that happens here on Earth. No...
Legends of the Jews turns to Elijah and the Angels and the Chariot. What if Elijah..was always an angel? That’s the fascinating idea explored in Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzbe...
The story of Moses’ death in Jewish tradition is so much more than just an ending; it's a evidence of his unparalleled relationship with the Divine. After receiving the decree of h...
Legends of the Jews turns to Samael Comes for Moses's Soul but Loses Courage. Moses is nearing the end. He's bargaining with God, trying to stave off the inevitable decree. But as ...
After a lifetime of leading the Israelites, of speaking directly to God, he was being told his journey was ending. The story goes that another hour had passed, and a heavenly voice...
They get collected, woven into something beautiful, something divine. And that's where Sandalphon comes in. Sandalphon. It's a name that resonates with power. He's described as one...
His story doesn't end there. According to tradition, Elijah didn't die. Instead, he ascended to heaven in a whirlwind, riding a chariot of fire (2 (Kings 2:1)1). And that's where t...
Here's a man who spoke to God, led his people out of slavery, and performed miracles. But now, facing his own mortality, he’s brought to his knees. The story goes that Moses, knowi...
He’s carrying a gift from the Jewish community to the Emperor – a gift of great value, meant to secure favor and understanding. But somewhere along the way, disaster strikes. Thiev...
It’s a powerful moment to contemplate. Tradition tells us that as Moses knew his time was drawing to a close, he summoned Joshua, his successor. He gathered all of Israel, and impa...
The weight of responsibility falls on Joshua's shoulders. He turns to Moses, his mentor, his teacher, with a worry etched on his face. "O my teacher Moses," he asks, "what will bec...
Because sometimes, when you read about Elijah the Prophet in Jewish lore, you can’t help but smile. He wasn't just a messenger of God; he was a master of disguise, a champion of th...
He's led the Israelites for forty years, through thick and thin, through miracles and rebellions. He’s shepherded them from slavery to the very edge of the Promised Land. And now, ...
This is about Rabbi Simon ben Yohai, a contemporary of Rabbi Meir. Now, Rabbi Simon wasn't just any rabbi. He was a force of nature, a brilliant scholar, and, unfortunately for him...
