Parshat Emor

570 related texts · Page 30 of 64

Laws for the priests, the festivals and holy days of the Jewish calendar, and the incident of the blasphemer. Leviticus 21:1-24:23.

Aaron at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 38:1

Shemot Rabbah, that incredible collection of Midrashim (interpretive stories) on the Book of Exodus, offers a fascinating insight into just this question. It all starts with a seem...

CreationNoah & FloodMosesKing David

Hezekiah and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:2

We see it used for anointing, for lighting, for cooking... but what's the deeper symbolism? to a fascinating exploration from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpr...

CreationJobTorahMessiah

Maker of Heaven and Earth of Priest

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 10:6

The ancient rabbis did. And they found profound meaning in the garments worn by the priests in the Beit Hamikdash, the Holy Temple. It's a story woven with symbolism and the desire...

CreationCreaturesAdam & EveJoseph

Ring of Solomon and Distribute

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 14:7

Seven, for instance, pops up everywhere – the seven days of creation, the seven days of mourning (shiva), the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot. But what about eight? It's l...

SolomonHolidaysCovenant

Death of Aaron and Elazar

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 20:8

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...

MosesRepentanceSacrificeDeath

Levi: Aaron and Moses

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 26:6

Specifically, Vayikra Rabbah 26. It all starts with a simple phrase: "Speak to the priests." But as is so often the case in Jewish tradition, there's a whole universe packed into t...

MosesKing DavidDeath

Day of Atonement and Elohim

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 29:3

It's the idea that God, while ultimately one, expresses different attributes. And one of the most profound shifts happens when we, humanity, turn towards Him in sincere prayer. Rab...

King DavidDivine NamesHoly LandSinai

King Menashe and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 30:3

It all starts with the verse: "You shall take for you on the first day…" referring to the mitzvah (commandment) of taking the lulav (palm branch) and other species on Sukkot. The p...

CreationHeavenMosesKing David

Angel of the Lord and Levi

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 30:6

The lulav, the palm branch we wave during Sukkot, the Festival of Booths, seems simple enough. But what if that seemingly innocent branch had a dark secret? Vayikra Rabbah, a fasci...

AngelsHolidays