Parshat Chayei Sarah

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The death and burial of Sarah, Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for Isaac, and Rebekah joins the family. Genesis 23:1-25:18.

Trial of Abraham and Rabbis

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 61:2

He shows us that even in old age, we can still blossom and bear fruit. It all starts with a beautiful verse from Psalms (92:14-15): "Planted in the House of the Lord, they blossom ...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsMatriarchs

Abraham: Ishmael at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 62:4

It’s a question that perplexed some of our sages, too. Take Ishmael, for example. Genesis 25:12 starts out: "These are the descendants of Ishmael son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egy...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Birth of Asher

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 71:10

Sometimes, the answer lies hidden in the stories of our ancestors, like the tale of Asher, one of Jacob's twelve sons. In Genesis 30:12, we read, "Zilpa the maidservant of Leah gav...

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Canaan: Jacob at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:5

We pick up the story with Jacob preparing to leave Laban. Remember the scene? Jacob, after years of hard work and trickery (and being tricked himself!), is finally heading back to ...

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Jacob: Laban and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 75:5

Jacob's upcoming encounter with his estranged brother Esau is a masterclass in diplomacy, and it holds surprising lessons even for emperors. In Genesis 32:5, Jacob instructs his me...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsProphecy

Potiphar in Battle

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 86:3

We all know the story: Joseph, sold into slavery in Egypt. But the Rabbis in Bereshit Rabbah (86) ask us to consider this: "“[Potiphar…an Egyptian man,] purchased him [from the Ish...

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Rabbi Eliezer and Creation of Elazar

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 7:2

These questions, and more, bubble to the surface as we delve into a fascinating passage from Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes. O...

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Rabbi Eliezer and the Patriarchs

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 2:1

"Distribute a portion to seven, and also to eight, as you do not know what evil will be upon the earth" (Ecclesiastes 11:2). Simple enough. But what does it mean? That’s where Kohe...

PatriarchsJosephMosesKing David

Pharaoh: Abraham and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 20:1

Get out as fast as possible! But Exodus 13:17 tells us, "It was when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them via the land of the Philistines, although it was near, as God ...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph