1,099 passages in Rabbinic Midrash
Individual passages from Sifrei Devarim, shown in source order. Page 17 of 23.
The ancient text Sifrei Devarim, a commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy, explores just that. It all centers around a specific verse, a prohibition against kidnapping found in (Deu...
It's fascinating how much depth there is when you start to dig. a passage that touches on kidnapping, theft, and even leprosy, found in Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interp...
Sifrei Devarim turns to Cohanim's Miracle. Get ready; it's a deep dive into the nitty-gritty. The passage starts with "of the plague-spot," and right away, the rabbis zero in on a ...
We all do sometimes! a fascinating little corner of Jewish law from Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal midrashim (rabbinic interpretive commentary) (interpretations) on the Book...
Sifrei Devarim turns to Miriam — Moses and the Dreamer. Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, offers a fascinating insight. It tells us ...
When you really dig in, you find these incredible layers of compassion and ethical guidance. Take the laws about lending and taking pledges, for example. They're not just about con...
The Torah, in its infinite wisdom, grapples with this very feeling, especially when it comes to the vulnerable in our society. In the book of Devarim (Deuteronomy), we find a seemi...
Sifrei Devarim 278, drawing on (Psalm 85:14), tells us, "His righteousness shall go before Him and shall set his steps on the path." In other words, our acts of tzedakah, of righte...
Sifrei Devarim turns to Pay Your Workers Promptly, Not Just the Poor Ones. The verse in question, (Deuteronomy 24:15), speaks of paying a worker promptly: "for he is poor and to it...
What about someone who isn't "one of us?" That's exactly what the ancient rabbis grappled with when interpreting the verse in Sifrei Devarim 278, a section of legal commentary on t...
The Torah, in its infinite wisdom, understands that feeling intimately. to a seemingly simple verse in Devarim (Deuteronomy) and see what hidden depths it reveals about fairness, l...
Our tradition is incredibly sensitive to that, especially when it comes to those who are vulnerable. to a powerful teaching from Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretatio...
One particular verse in Deuteronomy, Devarim (24:16), caught their attention: "Fathers shall not be put to death by cause of sons." Seems straightforward. But like so much in Torah...
Sifrei Devarim draws the boundary around testimony, kinship, punishment, and failed justice. First up: Who can't testify? The passage says "and sons," but it's not just about your ...
Jewish tradition is overflowing with that very impulse, etched into law and legend. Consider the seemingly simple instruction in Deuteronomy: "and you shall not take as a pledge th...
Hidden in these details are profound ideas about community, ownership, and our obligations to each other. to a passage from Sifrei Devarim 282, a portion of the ancient commentary ...
It's a concept called shikchah, often translated as "forgotten sheaves," and it's all about leaving a little something for those in need. (Deuteronomy 24:19) tells us, "When you re...
The Torah commands us, in (Deuteronomy 24:19), that when reaping our harvest, if we leave a sheaf in the field, we cannot go back to retrieve it. It must be left for the poor, the ...
Jewish law has a fascinating way of dealing with this very situation, particularly when it comes to the forgotten bounty of the harvest. It’s all rooted in the concept of shikchah ...
It might seem insignificant, but in Jewish law, even the smallest forgotten thing holds immense value. We're delving into a fascinating area of Jewish agricultural law today, speci...
You don't even notice. A poor person finds it, uses it to buy food, and sustains themselves. Did you just perform an act of charity? That's precisely the scenario that Rabbi Elazar...
There's more to it than you might imagine, especially when we peek into the ancient Jewish agricultural laws. to a fascinating little verse from Devarim, Deuteronomy, specifically ...
" It's a question that echoes throughout Jewish law, the source turns to a tiny verse in Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, that open...
Forgotten harvests, generosity, and oddly specific measurements. Specifically, section 284. It deals with the concept of shikchah (שִׁכְחָה), which translates to "forgotten sheaves...
What happens to those grapes? Who do they belong to? It seems like a simple question, but like so many things in Jewish tradition, it opens up a fascinating window into our values....
Jewish tradition does, and sometimes, it's in those forgotten places that we find profound meaning. a tiny corner of Jewish law, agricultural law to be exact, and see what it can t...
Take the phrase, "to the stranger, to the orphan, and to the widow." It appears in Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy. But it also sho...
You might be surprised. Sifrei Devarim, a commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy, actually explores this very human (and sometimes messy) topic. The passage But does that only mean ...
It's fascinating, and sometimes surprising, when we explore the details. The tradition turns to Sifrei Devarim, a collection of early rabbinic legal interpretations on the Book of ...
The verse in question (Deuteronomy 25:3) states, "Forty shall he smite him." Seems Forty lashes. Case closed. But Jewish tradition rarely leaves things at face value, does it? The ...
Sifrei Devarim starts with the phrase "a great blow" and asks whether Torah law also cares about a small one. The passage starts with the phrase "a great blow." Now, this might see...
Jewish tradition, in its profound wisdom, offers a powerful counter-narrative. It's a story about punishment, forgiveness, and the enduring bond of brotherhood. to a passage from S...
What Being 'Cut Off' From Israel Really Means is the question behind this passage from Sifrei Devarim. Rabbi Shimon enters the scene to offer a fascinating interpretation. He's loo...
This particular section, 286, explores the idea of reward and punishment, and what it truly means to be righteous. Rabbi Shimon Berebbi kicks things off with a compelling argument....
Sounds straightforward. Don’t prevent an ox from eating while it's working hard threshing grain. End of story. Hold on. The sages of the Sifrei Devarim, an ancient commentary on th...
A reader can get lost in the big pronouncements, the grand commandments, but sometimes, the most beautiful details are the ones that speak to everyday life, to fairness, and to sim...
Ever hear a law and think, "Wow, that's… specific?" Well, buckle up, because It’s a concept called yibum, or levirate marriage, and it’s found in the book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) ...
One of those intriguing corners of Jewish law, specifically a passage from Sifrei Devarim 288. It’s all about brothers, inheritance, and a rather complex scenario involving yibum. ...
What happens when one of them passes away, leaving behind a wife but no children? Traditionally, Jewish law provides a specific path, one designed to both care for the widow and co...
Sifrei Devarim turns the phrase "the wife of the dead one" into a boundary around yibbum and chalitzah. So, what's the puzzle? It all revolves around the phrase, "the wife of the d...
The goal? To continue the deceased brother's lineage. But what happens if things get complicated? What if the brother isn't exactly… careful in his intentions? The Sifrei Devarim, ...
Sifrei Devarim turns to The Purpose and Obligation of Levirate Marriage. (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) lays out the scenario. The deceased brother's sibling, the yavam, has a responsibilit...
The ones that govern life, death, and... well, levirate marriage? It's a mouthful, I know. But stick with me, because even in ancient texts, there are surprisingly human stories hi...
Sometimes, diving into the nitty-gritty of old texts reveals surprisingly human stories and concerns. The source turns to a passage from Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal inter...
I do, all the time. And sometimes, the rabbis of old, in their infinite wisdom, give us the key to unlock those secrets. Take, for instance, a seemingly simple phrase from the Book...
The kind of stuff that makes you scratch your head and think, "Wow, someone really thought of everything!" Well, These ancient practices, designed to care for a widow whose husband...
Sifrei Devarim reads the law of yibbum, levirate marriage, through the exact words spoken by the surviving brother. Our focus is on the law of yibbum, often translated as levirate ...
Sifrei Devarim turns to The Ceremony of Refusing Levirate Marriage. The passage deals with a very specific situation: a man who refuses to go through with a yibbum, or levirate mar...
