738 passages in Rabbinic Midrash
Individual passages from Midrash Tanchuma, shown in source order. Page 4 of 16.
(Numb. 1:1:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert, in the tent of meeting.” Before the tent of meeting was set up, He spoke with him in the bush, as stated (in Exod....
(Numb. 5:15:) “Then he shall bring the offering for her, one-tenth an ephah of barley meal.” Why does she bring barley meal? Because she behaved in the manner of a beast with him, ...
(Numb. 16:1:) “Now Korah […] took.” [What] he took [was] his prayer shawl and he went to get counsel from his wife. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Numb. 8:6–7), “Take t...
(Numb. 19:2:) “This is the statute of the Torah.” This text is related (to Job 14:4), “Who can produce something clean out of something unclean; is it not One?” [Who], for example,...
(Numb. 22:4:) “So Moab said unto the elders of Midian.” What is the relevance of [mentioning] the elders of Midian here? It is simply that they saw Israel conquering in a way that ...
(Numb. 25:16-17:) “Then the Lord spoke [unto Moses], saying, ‘Harass the Midianites […].’” Why? (Numb. 25:18:) “Because they are harassing you.” Hence the sages have said, “If some...
(Numb. 31:2:) “Exact vengeance [for the Children of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you shall be gathered unto your people].” R. Judah said, “If Moses had wanted to live for se...
(Numb. 33:1:) “These are the stages of the Children of Israel.” [The matter] is comparable to a king whose son was ill. He brought him to a certain place to heal him. When they ret...
(Deut. 2:2-4:) “Then the Lord spoke unto me, saying, ‘You have had enough of going about this mountain; turn north. Now charge the people, saying, “You are passing through the terr...
(Deut. 3:23:) “I besought the Lord.” This text is related (to I (Kings 8:30) // II Chron. 6:21), “And may You harken unto the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication.” See, ...
(Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if you heed [these statutes].” What is written above the matter (in Deut. 7:7)? “It is not because you are the most numerous of all the peo...
Another interpretation: "See I, etc," (Deuteronomy 11:26). This is that which the verse stated (Lamentations 3:38), "Is it not at the word of the Most High, that weal and woe befal...
Judges and officials (Deuteronomy 16:18): The judges need to be men of strength through good deeds. As this is what Moshe did: "And Moshe chose men of valor" (Exodus 18:25), in Tor...
“When a camp goes out against your enemies, you shall beware of everything evil” (Devarim 23:10). There should be no levity among you so that you do not incur any liability. From w...
And it shall be if you truly listen (Deuteronomy 28:1): This is that which was stated in the verse (Song of Songs 1:3), "Your ointments yield a sweet fragrance, your name is like f...
(Deut. 29:11:) “To enter into the covenant with the Lord your God....” Three covenants did the Holy One, blessed be He, make with Israel when they came out of Egypt, one when they ...
The verse that opens this passage is (Deuteronomy 31:14) "Behold, your days to die have approached." The midrash hears in it a sting, and imagines Moshe protesting. He reminds the ...
Midrash Tanchuma turns to The Parting Of The Red Sea. The story, as we find it in Exodus 14, begins with God telling Moses, "Why do you cry out to Me? Tell the Israelites to go for...
In the beginning God created (Gen. 1:1). May it please our master to teach us the benediction one should offer upon the erection of a new home? Thus did our masters of blessed memo...
A question. An Israelite is forbidden to steal from a fellow human being. No punishment for the performance of any prohibited act mentioned in the Torah is harsher than that admini...
And I will bless thee and make thy name great, and be thou a blessing (Gen. 12:2). And I will bless thee implies: I Myself will bless thee. I will make thy name great indicates tha...
And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood over against him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them (Gen. 18:1). Thereupon the blood flowed once again from hi...
And Abraham was old, and well stricken in years (Gen. 24:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband (Prov. 12:4). This ve...
These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begot Isaac (Gen. 25:9). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Children’s children are the crown of old m...
And the Lord saw that Leah was hated (Gen. 29:31). May our master teach us: May a man pronounce a blessing over the fragrance of spices employed in idolatrous worship? Our masters ...
And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying … “He cometh to meet thee with four hundred men” (Gen. 32:7). Thereupon, Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed (ibid., v. 8). Why...
And Joseph was brought down into Egypt (Gen. 39:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Come and see the works of God; he acts circuitously in His doings toward ...
42:1). May it please our master to teach us the number of days during which a mourner is forbidden to work. Thus did our master teach us: A mourner is forbidden to work during the ...
Then Judah came near unto him (Gen. 44:18). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: And the envy of Ephraim shall depart (Isa. 11:13). Concerning whom did Isaiah utt...
And it came to pass after these things, that one said to Joseph: “Benold, thy father is sick” (Gen. 48:1). May it please our master to teach us whether a benediction may be recited...
1:1). The names of the Israelites were most appropriate for them. You find, in fact, that the Holy One, blessed be He, assigned their names to them. He gave Abraham a son, and He s...
When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying (Exod. 7:9). May it please our masters to teach us whether a man who is bitten by a serpent while standing in prayer may stop praying. Our...
Our sages of blessed memory said: The Holy One, blessed be He, followed the military tactics employed by kings when inflicting the plagues upon them. When the people of a province ...
And the Lord went before them (Exod. 13:21). The Tanchuma reads this verse through a principle of exact reciprocity: just as a man treats other men, so is he treated. The measure a...
18:1). Jethro was known by seven names. He was called Jethro (yitro) because he added (yater) a chapter to the law, that is, the chapter dealing with judges. He was called Hobab (h...
21:1). Scripture says (elsewhere) in reference to this verse: These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good (Prov. 24:23). The Holy One, bl...
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they take for me an offering (Exod. 25:2). Whenever the words for Me are stated in a verse, a blessing accompanies it. Does a blessing also ...
And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light (Exod. 27:20). The Israelites declared: Master of the Universe, it is s...
When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel (Exod. 30:12). Scripture states elsewhere: Many there are that say of my soul: “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah. But...
See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel (Exod. 35:30). Scripture says elsewhere: To whom then will ye liken Me, that I should be equal? saith the Lord. Lift up your eyes on high ...
A new vessel filled with old wine. Another explanation of The Tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: There is no testimony other than the Torah...
(Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” From where did He call him? From the tent of meeting. May His name be blessed forever, because He left the upper world and chose to...
Another interpretation (of Lev. 7:11), “This is the law of the sacrifice for peace offerings.” This text is related (to Ps. 85:9), “Let me hear what God, the Lord, will speak; for ...
(Lev. 9:2:) “Then he said unto Aaron, ‘Take a calf [of the herd for a sin offering].’” Why was it not told him [to take] a bull instead of a calf? He said to him, “Because through ...
The Midrash Tanchuma opens with the law from Leviticus, "And when the days of her purification are fulfilled, for either a son or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb in its firs...
(Lev. 14:2:) “This shall be the law of the leper.” Let our master instruct us: For how many things does leprosy come? Thus have our masters taught: The affliction comes [upon one] ...
The Midrash Tanchuma on the portion Achrei Mot opens its meditation through Rabbi Ahava bar Ze'era, who begins with Job's words, "At this also my heart trembles and leaps from its ...
(Lev. 19:2:) “You shall be holy.” See what is written (in Josh. 24:19), “for He is a holy God (in the plural).” What is the meaning of this verse? It provides an opening for the he...
