329 passages in Rabbinic Midrash
Individual passages from Vayikra Rabbah, shown in source order. Page 4 of 7.
Like, staring up at a mountain of laundry or a career change and thinking, "Where do I even begin?" Well, you're not alone. Our sages grappled with this feeling too, especially whe...
It’s a thought that echoes through the ancient wisdom of Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah), a Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) collection interpreting the book of Levit...
They found wisdom in a seemingly simple verse from Ecclesiastes: "Through slothfulness the ceiling sags, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks." (Ecclesiastes 10:18). W...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. And they found ways to We find a fascinating example of this in Vayikra Rabbah 19, a midrash – a rabbinic interpretation – on the book of Leviticu...
It all begins with the poignant question: “Who fulfilled the mitzvah," the good deed, "of separating from a woman at the time of her discharge?” The answer? A surprising figure: Ye...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Everything Is Equal for the Righteous and the Wicked. Our entry point is the Book of Leviticus, specifically chapter 16, verse 1: “The Lord spoke to Moses a...
In Jewish tradition, this tension between joy and sorrow, celebration and mourning, is a constant theme. And it's beautifully, if somberly, explored in Vayikra Rabbah, specifically...
Like you're celebrating a joyous occasion, and then...bam! Tragedy strikes. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana opens with a question that really hits home: “Of laughter, I said it is confounded...
” (Job 39:27). Rabbi Yudan of Gaul uses this verse to ask a powerful question about Aaron, the High Priest. Did Aaron command God's presence to rest upon the Ark? Did he have the p...
The book of Job speaks to that feeling. "Even at this my heart trembles veyitar from its place" (Job 37:1). What does veyitar even mean? Rabbi Aha and Rabbi Ze'eira, in Vayikra Rab...
Vayikra Rabbah, specifically chapter 20, dives right into this difficult territory. It starts with a quote from Proverbs (17:26): “To punish also the righteous is not good." It's a...
Rabbi Eliezer lays down a pretty firm rule: A disciple shouldn't issue halakhic rulings in the presence of their teacher, or at least, not until they're a good distance away. How f...
Take the story of Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu. Their sudden, tragic deaths after offering "alien fire" before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1-2) is one of the most jarring moments in th...
Take the story of Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron, who died suddenly after offering a "strange fire" before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1-2). What really happened? What led to such a...
The story centers around Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron, Moses' brother and the High Priest. These two weren’t just any ordinary guys. They were close to the top, practically J...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Had Nadav and Avihu Left Sons They Would Have Led Israel. Rabbi Yaakov bar Avin, quoting Rav Aḥa, makes a crucial point: if Nadab and Abihu had had sons, th...
Rabbi Abba bar Avina, a sage of old, pointed out a curious juxtaposition in the Torah. Why, he asked, is the story of Miriam's death placed right next to the passage describing the...
It's one that the ancient rabbis understood deeply. They wrestled with these feelings in their interpretations of scripture, offering us a timeless roadmap for finding strength eve...
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman starts us off by interpreting a verse about evildoers in light of the Goliath narrative. He points out how Goliath, described in Samuel as approaching "ever...
A fascinating interpretation from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Leviticus. It's a wild ride involving the Amalekites, King David, and even a lit...
Like someone's pointing out all your flaws, comparing you to others, and generally making you feel. unworthy? Well, according to some ancient Jewish texts, even the Israelites face...
Our tradition recognizes this struggle, and even offers some pretty ingenious battle strategies. It all starts with a verse from Leviticus (16:3): “With this Aaron shall come.” But...
What would you bring with you? What could possibly prepare you for such an encounter? Well, Rabbi Yudan, in Vayikra Rabbah 21, offers a fascinating perspective. He interprets the v...
That feeling, that ache of separation, is what this week’s portion of Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah) touches upon. It centers around a seemingly simple phrase in (Leviticus 16:2...
It's a story about dedication to Torah study, unexpected homecomings, and maybe, just maybe, the importance of knocking before you enter. The story begins with two renowned scholar...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. to a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, and see what secrets we can uncov...
The ancient rabbis certainly did! They saw profound symbolism woven into every thread, especially when it came to the garments of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest. the High Priest ...
Take the sacrifices described in the Torah. Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the book of Leviticus, sees them not just as offerings, but as embodiments of our ...
See, (Leviticus 16:23) tells us that Aaron, the High Priest, would enter the Tent of Meeting – the Ohel Mo'ed – and remove the linen vestments he wore when he entered the Sanctum –...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Rod and Serpent of Rabbis. The verse from Leviticus reminds us of our connections to the earth and the animals that sustain us. But what does that have to d...
It might surprise you, but according to the Rabbis in Vayikra Rabbah, even these tiny creatures are essential to the interplay of creation. "The advantage of land" – that's the phr...
Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, explores this idea in a fascinating way. It begins with the v...
Vayikra Rabbah 22, a fascinating collection of stories and teachings, explores just that. It suggests that everything – from frogs to plants to even inanimate objects – can be inst...
There was a lot of… well, let's call it "divine growing pains." The Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, gives us a glimps...
It teaches us that even the smallest injustice can have enormous consequences, echoing through the world and even impacting our relationship with the Divine. Our jumping-off point ...
Sometimes, seemingly simple rules contain entire worlds of disagreement. Take the laws of slaughter, for instance. What seems like a straightforward process opens up a fascinating ...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to The Prince Who Ate Non-Kosher Until the King Set His Table. The king, understandably, wasn't thrilled. He declares, "This one will frequent my table, and on...
The rabbis of old grappled with this question, especially concerning the laws around building altars for sacrifice outside the designated Temple in Jerusalem. This wasn't some free...
It’s a fascinating idea, and one that Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah), specifically section 22, explores in a surprisingly beautiful way. The passage begins by quoting (Psalm 146...
The Torah tackles this very question, and the answer is surprisingly nuanced. We find a fascinating passage in Vayikra Rabbah 23, which explores (Leviticus 18:3): “You shall not ac...
Rabbi Elazar paints a vivid picture. Imagine a lily growing amidst a thicket of thorns. Beautiful. But how difficult would it be to pluck it, to reach in and claim that delicate fl...
They used stories – beautiful, powerful stories – to make sense of it all. One of my favorites comes from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Leviticu...
This feeling isn’t new. In fact, the ancient rabbis grappled with it, too, and found profound meaning in it. Rav Ḥanan of Tzippori offers a beautiful interpretation of doing acts o...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Israel Is a Lily Pricked by Thorns From Every Direction. It all starts with a lily. Rabbi Ḥanina son of Rabbi Abba, in Vayikra Rabbah 23, offers a beautiful...
In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus, we find a beautiful and surprisingly resilient answer, all wrapped up in the image of a lily. Rabbi A...
That feeling is surprisingly ancient. The Rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) knew it well, wrestling with how to maintain Jewish identity in a world of compet...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Moses the Lawgiver of Israelites. Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) collection, quotes Job (37:21), "Now they do no...
In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Leviticus, we find a powerful exploration of this idea. It all starts with a seemingly simple verse: "You shall...
