Parshat Lech Lecha

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God calls Abraham to leave his homeland for Canaan. Covers Abraham and Sarah in Egypt, the separation from Lot, the war of the kings, and the covenant between the pieces. Genesis 12:1-17:27.

Moses: Aaron in Joseph's Time

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 21:7

That feeling, that ache of separation, is what this week’s portion of Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah) touches upon. It centers around a seemingly simple phrase in Leviticus 16:2:...

JosephMosesKing DavidDaniel

Rod and Serpent of Rabbis

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 22:1

We find ourselves pondering this very question in Vayikra Rabbah 22, a section of the ancient Midrash. It begins with a seemingly simple verse from Leviticus (17:3): "Any man from ...

MosesSolomonTorahProphecy

Elijah in Paradise

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 22:9

The rabbis of old grappled with this question, especially concerning the laws around building altars for sacrifice outside the designated Temple in Jerusalem. This wasn't some free...

Adam & EveElijahTempleProphecy

Levi's Transgression

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 22:10

It’s a fascinating idea, and one that Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah), specifically section 22, explores in a surprisingly beautiful way. The passage begins by quoting Psalm 146:...

CreationHeavenCreaturesAdam & Eve

Enosh and the Ark

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 23:3

And they used stories – beautiful, powerful stories – to make sense of it all. One of my favorites comes from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Levi...

Noah & FloodMosesKing DavidTorah

Isaiah: Divine Presence

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 24:1

We all do it. But have you ever wondered what it truly means to avert your gaze, to consciously choose kedushah, holiness? Rabbi Menashya, grandson of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, offe...

HeavenKing DavidProphecyHoly Land

Torments Below and David

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 24:2

Rabbi Berekhya, quoting Rabbi Levi, puts it so powerfully. He says that King David proclaimed, "You, Lord, are forever exalted" (Psalms 92:9). What does it mean to say God is alway...

Hell/GehennaNoah & FloodMosesKing David

Zion's Transgression

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 24:4

That’s the kind of feeling we're going to explore today, but with a very specific location in mind: Zion. We find a fascinating passage in Vayikra Rabbah, a midrashic collection fo...

MosesKing DavidTorahTemple

The Ten Commandments and Kedoshim

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 24:5

Rabbi Ḥiyya taught that this specific portion, Kedoshim, was delivered in a grand assembly – "Speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel..." (Leviticus 19:2). Why? ...

Adam & EveMosesTorahSabbath