Parshat Devarim

3,391 related texts · Page 156 of 377

Moses's farewell address begins with a review of the journey from Sinai, the appointment of judges, and the scouts' mission. Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22.

Moses and David

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 22:9

Our exploration begins with the verse, "Much livestock..." a seemingly simple phrase that Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Numbers, uses as a spri...

MosesKing DavidSolomonTorah

Songs of David and Aaron

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 23:2

The verse in Psalm 77:21 says, "You led [naḥita] Your people like a flock in the hands of Moses and Aaron." The rabbis, in their insightful way, saw more than just a simple stateme...

MosesKing DavidTorahHoly Land

Forefathers of Israel and Israelites

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 23:4

And maybe, just maybe, there's a hidden message in those seemingly random journeys. In the Book of Numbers – in Hebrew, Bamidbar – we find a detailed list of all the places the Isr...

PatriarchsMosesTorahProphecy

Maker of Heaven and Earth of Kapara

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 1:10

Jewish tradition, in its wisdom, offers a gentle, yet firm, hand on our shoulder, guiding us back to the here and now. The very first verse of the Torah, Bereshit, "In the beginnin...

CreationHeavenMosesKing David

Betzalel and Creation of Akiva

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 1:14

They believed every single letter, every seemingly insignificant word, held profound secrets. Take the very first verse of Genesis, Bereshit (בראשית): "In the beginning, God create...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveMoses

Shammai and Creation of Beit

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 1:15

This seeming contradiction sparked quite the debate amongst our Sages. Specifically, between the schools of Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel. These two houses, or schools, were known f...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsMoses

First Days of Existence and Simon

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 3:5

It's like the whole thing is one giant, intricate tapestry. Take the creation of light, for example. The very first "Let there be light!" in Genesis. Rabbi Simon, in Bereshit Rabba...

CreationJosephMosesTorah

Rabbis: Mount Sinai at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 4:2

We often read the opening verses of Genesis, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water," and move on. But the Rabbis saw so much more in those words! What images did they...

CreationHeavenMosesJob

When God Created and Adam

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 18:4

The Midrash, those collections of rabbinic commentaries and stories that expand on the Hebrew Bible, often offer surprising perspectives. Here, in Bereshit Rabbah, a midrash on the...

CreationAdam & EveMosesTorah