273 passages in Rabbinic Midrash
Individual passages from Sifrei Bamidbar, shown in source order. Page 3 of 6.
Our little puzzle comes from Sifrei Bamidbar 73, focusing on a seemingly minor detail in the book of Numbers (Bamidbar). It's about the trumpets, the chatzotzrot, and who gathers w...
The haunting wail of the shofar, for instance. It's more than just a noise; it's a call, a cry, a connection to something ancient and profound. But have you ever wondered why it so...
In Bamidbar (Numbers) 10:5-6, we read about the signals for the Israelites to move their camps during their desert wanderings. It says, "And when you blow a teruah, then there shal...
It's fascinating to think about how sound shaped their experience, how specific blasts of the shofar, the ram's horn, or trumpets dictated their actions. Our focus today comes from...
The verse states, "And the sons of Aaron the Cohanim (priests) shall blow on the trumpets." Now, the Sifrei Bamidbar, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Numbers, ...
It's about something much bigger. The Book of Numbers, Bamidbar in Hebrew, gives us a verse that seems But the ancient sages, they loved to dig deeper. They ask: Is this talking ab...
Our jumping-off point is a verse from Numbers (Bamidbar) 10:10: "And on the day of your rejoicing and on your appointed times you shall sound the trumpets." Seems straightforward. ...
It can be surprisingly complicated! The source turns to a seemingly simple question: Who exactly was Moses' father-in-law? Was it Chovav, or Reuel, or maybe someone else entirely? ...
Our starting point is a passage from I (Chronicles 4:5): "And Ashchur, the father of Tekoa, had two wives, Chelah and Na'arah." But who is this "Ashchur"? According to Sifrei Bamid...
A fascinating moment from the book of Bamidbar (Numbers), chapter 10, verse 29, where Moses makes a heartfelt plea to his father-in-law, Yitro (Jethro). The verse reads, "the fathe...
The verse Who is "he," and why won't he go? This "he" is Chovav, the father-in-law of Moses. Moses is trying to convince Chovav to join the Israelites on their journey through the ...
It’s a theme that echoes even in the most ancient texts, like the story of Yithro, Moses’ father-in-law. In the Book of Numbers (Bamidbar) 10:30, we find a fascinating exchange. Mo...
Take Yitro, Moses' father-in-law. He gave Moses invaluable advice on leadership, and his descendants, well, their story is In the Book of Numbers, Bamidbar, chapter 10, verse 32, M...
How long should that journey really take? The book of Bamidbar, Numbers, tells us (10:33), "And they journeyed from the mountain of the L-rd a journey of three days." Seems straigh...
The familiar picture has them trudging through sand, but the Torah tells us there was something else accompanying them: a cloud. Actually, maybe more than one cloud. The verse in B...
It tells us that "the cloud of the L-rd was above them by day when they set forth from the encampment" – and this protection wasn't just for the healthy and able-bodied. The text s...
Something that makes you wonder, "Why is that there?" Well, let's Specifically, Bamidbar 10:35: "And it was, when the ark traveled…" This verse, and the one that follows it, are ma...
Here’s the puzzle: one verse (Numbers 11:35) quotes Moses saying, "Stand, O L-rd (and let Your foes be scattered)!" It's a call to action, a plea for divine intervention. But then,...
It's one the ancient Israelites knew all too well. They faced enemies on all sides, both seen and unseen. So, what did they do? They turned to prayer. One powerful verse, tradition...
all who hate the righteous are, in effect, haters of the Holy One, blessed be He. Think of it like this: when we strike out against goodness, against justice, against those who emb...
It’s a seeming contradiction that the ancient rabbis grappled with. How do we reconcile these verses? The Sifrei Bamidbar, a collection of legal and narrative interpretations on th...
The Torah, in the book of Bamidbar (Numbers), uses a fascinating turn of phrase to describe exactly that kind of spiritual relapse. It says, "And the people were ['vayehi'] as seek...
Our tradition recognizes this tendency, especially when we look at the story in Bamidbar (Numbers) chapter 11, verse 2. The verse tells us, "And the people cried out to Moses." But...
It seems the Israelites did just that after their exodus from Egypt. In the book of Bamidbar (Numbers), chapter 11, verse 5, we hear them complaining, "We remember the fish that we...
The Israelites, fresh out of Egypt and sustained by miraculous manna in the desert, certainly did. And their grumbling, as recorded in Sifrei Bamidbar, offers a fascinating glimpse...
The Torah tells us, "The people would stroll out and gather it" (Numbers 11:8). But did they grumble about the effort? Sifrei Bamidbar cleverly uses another verse, "And the people ...
Sifrei Bamidbar turns to The Israelites Wept Over Forbidden Relationships. The verse in Bamidbar (Numbers 11:10) states, "And Moses heard the people weeping by its families." Now, ...
That feeling, that intense pressure, isn't new. Moses, the great leader of the Israelites, felt it too. And the Torah, in its unflinching honesty, doesn't shy away from showing us ...
Moses was carrying the weight of an entire people on his shoulders, and somewhere along the way even the meekest man on earth hit his limit. No wonder he was feeling the pressure! ...
Moses certainly did. In the Book of Numbers – Bamidbar in Hebrew – we find him at a breaking point. The Israelites are complaining, constantly. He’s exhausted. He cries out to God,...
The Israelites, fresh out of Egypt and wandering in the desert, definitely knew that feeling. We find ourselves in Bamidbar (Numbers), specifically chapter 11, verse 18. The people...
Sifrei Bamidbar turns to Moses Doubts God Can Feed Six Hundred Thousand. Specifically, "Six hundred thousand foot soldiers, and You say, 'I will give them meat, and they will eat a...
Even Moses, our great leader, faced such dilemmas, and the stories of how he navigated them are They reveal not just his wisdom, but also a glimpse into the Divine hand at play in ...
The scene: the Israelites are in the desert, and something unusual is happening. Two men, Eldad and Medad, are prophesying within the camp (Bamidbar/(Numbers 11:2)7). A "youth" run...
The Israelites, fresh out of Egypt, certainly did. And their story, as told in the book of Bamidbar (Numbers), offers a pretty stark warning about unchecked desire. The familiar st...
The Torah, in the book of Bamidbar (Numbers), gives us a pretty stark example of that. The people, they weren't happy with just mann. They craved meat. They whined and complained u...
The Torah portion of Bamidbar (Numbers) opens a fascinating window into exactly that, with a story about Miriam and Aaron speaking against their brother, Moses. The verse in (Numbe...
This week, The verse reads, "And they said: Is it only with Moses that the L-rd has spoken?" Ouch. That stings, doesn't it? It's like they're saying, "Hey, what about us? Have we n...
Sifrei Bamidbar turns to What Does It Mean That Moses Was Extremely Humble. What does that really mean? The Sifrei Bamidbar, an ancient midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary)...
" R. Shimon b. Menassia points out that Moses himself was frightened by the word "suddenly" earlier in Exodus (3:6). Here, it's God speaking suddenly. It creates a sense of urgency...
It might seem obvious, but the Torah actually gives us some pretty profound insights into this very thing. We find in Sifrei Bamidbar, a midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary...
Like you’re sitting there, head spinning, wondering, “What did I even DO?” Well, the Torah, in its infinite wisdom, actually gives us some pretty clear guidance on this very issue....
A fascinating story from the book of Bamidbar (Numbers), specifically chapter 12, verse 10, and explore the moment Miriam, Moses' sister, is struck with tzara'at, often translated ...
Jewish tradition certainly has, and it teaches us profound lessons about cause and effect, especially when it comes to how we treat others.It all starts with a verse from Bamidbar ...
One of those today, all about offerings, libations, and when they truly became obligatory for the Israelites. Our journey starts in Bamidbar (Numbers 15:2): "Speak to the children ...
It might seem like a dry topic, but hidden within those details are fascinating glimpses into their world, their understanding of God, and how they expressed devotion. the book of ...
It's fascinating to dig into the details and see what we can uncover. one small corner of that world, focusing on the rules around nesachim, or libations – the pouring out of wine ...
Our starting point is (Numbers 15:14), which states: "And if a stranger sojourn among you..." This verse sparks a fundamental question: who exactly is this "stranger"? Is it only s...
