Parshat Balak

535 related texts · Page 51 of 60

King Balak hires Balaam to curse Israel, the talking donkey, and Balaam's blessings instead of curses. Numbers 22:2-25:9.

Jacob: Joseph and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 75:12

Our ancestor Jacob certainly did. When he sends messengers ahead to his brother Esau, the report they bring back plunges him into fear. But within that fear, we find a fascinating ...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses

Jacob's Journey and Jordan

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 76:5

Jacob, our patriarch, certainly did. In Genesis 32:11, after years of wandering and working, facing down tricksters and building a family, Jacob cries out, "I am unworthy of all th...

CreationPatriarchsKing DavidTorah

Jacob's Journey and Jeremiah

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 81:1

The ancient rabbis wrestled with this idea, especially when it came to promises made to God. Let's turn to the book of Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretat...

CreationPatriarchsSolomonTemple

Death of Jacob and Ephraim

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 97:4

The Torah tells us, "Joseph saw that his father was placing his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, and it displeased him; he supported his father’s hand, to remove it from the he...

CreationJosephProphecy

Ezekiel: Jacob and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:2

The Torah tells us, "Jacob called to his sons, and he said: Gather, and I will tell you what will befall you at the end of days. Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob, and listen to Isr...

CreationHeavenHell/GehennaPatriarchs

Messiah's Transgression and Rabbis

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:9

But peel back the layers, and you'll find a fascinating tapestry of interpretations woven by our sages. The Rabbis in Bereshit Rabbah 98, for example, don't just see a vineyard. Th...

CreationKing DavidSolomonTorah

Marriage of Joseph and Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:20

We all know the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife, but the ancient rabbis saw layers of complexity there, hints of struggle just beneath the surface. to a fascinating passage fro...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Ehud and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 99:3

Sometimes, a single verse can unlock a whole world of meaning, revealing connections between different figures and events throughout Jewish history. to one such verse from Genesis ...

CreationAngelsEstherTemple

Death of Jacob and Tamar

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 99:8

It all goes back to Jacob's blessings to his sons on his deathbed, a scene fraught with emotion and anticipation. And within that scene, the blessing to Judah stands out, packed wi...

CreationPatriarchsJosephKing David