538 related texts · Page 32 of 60
It seems so natural, so ingrained in Jewish practice, that we might not even stop to ask why. But the Rabbis of old, they were always asking. They wanted to know the source, the re...
In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus, we find a powerful exploration of peace. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai declares that "Great is peace, as all...
It all starts with a verse from Psalm 21:2, "You have given him the desire of his heart." But what is the desire of his heart? The Midrash asks, what about "the permission of his l...
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of interpretations of the Book of Psalms, gives us a glimpse. It focuses on the verse, "Precious in the eyes of God is the death of His saints" (Psal...
It's almost like one verse says one thing, and another… well, it says the opposite! It can be confusing. But Jewish tradition is brilliant at wrestling with these apparent contradi...
There are so many fascinating texts that offer different perspectives and details on familiar narratives. Today, we're diving into a chapter from one of these books: the Book of Ja...
We're not just talking about grammar and vocabulary here. According to ancient Jewish tradition, these aren't just letters – they’re the very building blocks of creation. I know, i...
I want to tell you a story I heard from Mitpachat Sefarim, a collection of stories and accounts. This particular one involves Rabbi Pinchas Yoshev Ohel, a Torah scholar from Krakow...
Da'at Tevunot, a profound work of Jewish thought, grapples with this very issue. It suggests that what appears to be divine inaction or even harshness is actually a form of...restr...
