738 passages in Rabbinic Midrash
Individual passages from Midrash Tanchuma, shown in source order. Page 10 of 16.
And Isaac trembled very exceedingly (Gen. 27:33). May it please our master to teach us the blessing one pronounces upon tasting oil. Thus do our masters teach us: One who tastes oi...
And the Lord said unto Jacob: “Return unto the land of thy fathers” (Gen. 31:3). May it please our master to teach us whether an Israelite may light a candle with another candle up...
And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came from Padan-aram (Gen. 35:9). May it please our master to teach us: What is the punishment meted out to one who does not permit the p...
And God almighty give you mercy before the man (Gen. 43:14). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: For this let everyone that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when...
And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28). Scripture states elsewhere: Behold, I send My messenger, and he shall clear the way before Me (Mal. 3:1). Observe that every misfortune t...
Let my soul not come into their council (Gen. 49:6). This relates to when Zimri came and had intercourse with Cozbi. Let my soul not be mentioned in reference to them. And that is ...
And he went out on the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving together (Exod. 2:13). Who were these men? They were Dathan and Abiram, who later said: Let us m...
See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet (Exod. 7:1). Just as the lecturer sits and lectures, and the interpreter explains his wor...
And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron: “This is the ordinance of the passover” (Exod. 12:43). There are chapters of the Torah in which a general statement is made at the beginning...
And lift thou up thy rod (Exod. 14:16). Ten miracles were performed in their behalf at the sea. The sea was split asunder for them, and became a kind of vault, as it is said: Thou ...
In the third month (Exod. 19:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Have I not written unto thee excellent things (shilshom) of counsels and knowledge (Prov. 22:20...
The two different items that were pledged, habol tahbol. The verse teaches us that if one borrows the pin of a plow, he must return it upon awakening. In one verse Scripture says: ...
And thou shalt make the altar of acacia-wood (Exod. 27:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Tell them to erect an altar for burnt offerings so that it may atone for the ...
This is the thing that thou shalt do unto them (Exod. 29:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: But Thou, O Lord, art on high for evermore (Ps. 92:9). And prece...
This they shall give, everyone that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel (Exod. 30:13). Because they had sinned at the sixth hour, which is the middle of the day, th...
And Bezalel made the ark (Exod. 37:1). You find that everything constructed for the Tabernacle was made in its proper order. First he made the boards and joined them together. Afte...
And they brought the Tabernacle to Moses (Exodus 39:32). This homily from Midrash Tanchuma on the portion of Pekudei opens, as the Tanchuma often does, with a halakhic question pos...
(Lev. 8:2:) “Take Aaron and his sons.” This text is related (to Prov. 20:7), “The one who walks in his integrity is righteous; blessed are his children after him.” This refers to A...
All of those seven days that Moshe was occupied with the tabernacle, he was sprinkling the blood and incinerating the fats. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "What do you t...
The verse reads (Lev. 13:2), "When a man has on the skin of his flesh" the marks of the affliction the Torah calls tzaraat. The Midrash Tanchuma opens with a striking claim about d...
(Lev. 17:3:) “If any single person from the House of Israel.” This text is related (to Ps. 51:20–21), “Make Zion prosper in Your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then...
(Lev. 19:23:) “When you come into the land and plant.” This text is related (to Eccl. 2:5), “I made gardens and orchards for myself, and in them I planted every kind of fruit tree....
(Lev. 22:27:) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat […].” This text is related (to Micah 6:3), “My people, what have I done to you and how have I wearied you; testify against Me.” R. A...
(Numb. 2:2:) [“The Children of Israel shall camp,] each with his standard, under the banners for their fathers' houses….” This text is related (to Ps. 20:6), “Let us shout for joy ...
Another interpretation (of Numb. 6:23-24), “Thus shall you bless the Children of Israel: The Lord bless you and keep you.” “Bless you,” with wealth; “and keep you,” so that may do ...
(Numb. 16:1:) “And On ben Peleth.” Why was he named On (which means "sorrow")? Because he remained in sorrow all his days. (Ibid.) “Ben Peleth (plt)?” The son of (ben) one for whom...
(Numb. 20:12:) “But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in Me.’” Why was Aaron punished? The matter is comparable to a creditor who came to take the thresh...
(Numb. 22:31:) “Then the Lord uncovered the eyes of Balaam and he saw [the angel of the Lord….].” Was he blind? [These words were] simply to inform him that even the eye is not und...
(Numb. 27:15-16:), “And Moses spoke […], ‘Let the Lord, [the God of the spirits of all flesh], appoint….’” Let our master instruct us: What blessing does one say on seeing a human ...
(Numb. 34:2), “This is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance.” What is the meaning of “to you?” To you it is fitting. [The matter] is comparable to a king who had male ...
Two tablets of stone (Deuteronomy 10:1): Corresponding to a groom and bride; corresponding to two ushers/benefactors; corresponding to heaven and earth; corresponding to two scribe...
(Deut. 14:22:) “You shall surely tithe.” This text is related (to Prov. 28:22), “An evil-eyed person (i.e., a miser) moves quickly after wealth; [and he does not know that loss wil...
As these nations that you are, etc. (Deuteronomy 18:14): This is that which is stated in the verse (Deuteronomy 28:13), "The Lord will make you the head, not the tail; you will alw...
(Deut. 25:18, cont.) And he cut off (rt. znb) all who were lagging behind you. He smote them with a blow to the tail (rt. znb). And this agrees with what R. Hanina bar Shilqa, said...
And the Lord said unto him: “Therefore, whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” and the Lord set a sign for Cain (Gen. 4:15). The Holy One, blessed be H...
Another explanation of go forth from the ark. David said: Bring my soul out of prison (Ps. 142:8). Noah, while in the ark, prayed continually: Bring my soul out of prison, and it i...
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram (Gen. 15:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous; He is a shiel...
And the two angels came to Sodom … and he said: “Behold now, my lords, turn aside, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet” (Gen. 19:1–2). Th...
And Isaac trembled very exceedingly (Gen. 27:33). What is written before this? Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father (ibid., v. 30). This indicates t...
Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred (Gen. 31:3). What is written above concerning this? Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the he-goats which leap upon the fl...
And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28). Jacob sent Judah before him to establish an academy wherein he might teach the Torah as he had previously done for the tribes. You know t...
Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea (Gen. 49:13). Zebulun was mentioned before Issachar even though Issachar was the elder. Why? Zebulun was engaged in commercial activity,...
2:16). Was it proper for this righteous man to go to the home of an idolater? After all, since the Holy one, blessed be He, detests idolatry, why did he permit Moses to go to a pla...
When Pharaoh shall speak unto you (Exod. 7:9). Scripture states (elsewhere in reference to this verse): Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are...
Sanctify unto me all the firstborn (Exod. 13:2). This verse illustrates one of the thirteen rules by which the Torah is interpreted. A general statement requires a particular state...
Unto the Lord (Exod. 15:1). They sang unto the Lord and not to a mere mortal. When will they sing unto man? When His right hand and His mighty arm have wrought salvation. That is t...
And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord thy God” (Exod. 20:1). R. Isaac said: All the prophets received the inspirations for their future prophesies at Mount Sinai. H...
If thou lend money to any of My people (Exod. 22:24). The prophet Jeremiah said: Refuse silver shall men call them (Jer. 6:30). You find that when Israel was exiled from Jerusalem,...
