Parshat Matot

383 related texts · Page 32 of 43

Laws of vows, the war against Midian, and the settlement of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh east of the Jordan. Numbers 30:2-32:42.

Death of Jacob and Simeon

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 99:7

Today, we’re diving into one particularly intense moment: Jacob's words about Simeon and Levi. It all starts with the verse: "Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of villainy are ...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses

Dan's Transgression of Samson

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 99:11

We find ourselves in Bereshit Rabbah, a treasure trove of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Genesis, wrestling with Jacob's final blessings to his sons. And when he gets to D...

CreationAdam & EvePatriarchsElijah

Esau and Creation of Dama

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:15

Jewish tradition has a lot to say on the subject, and some of the stories might surprise you. Our jumping-off point is the verse in Deuteronomy 2:3, "You have circled this mountain...

CreationPatriarchsMosesTorah

Jacob and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 2:35

(Deuteronomy 6:4). It's a question that takes us back to a pivotal moment, a deathbed scene filled with both anxiety and profound unity. Devarim Rabbah 2 paints a vivid picture. Ja...

CreationPatriarchsPrayerHoly Land

Jeremiah: Moses and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 3:3

It all starts with the verse, “You shall know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God” (Deuteronomy 7:9). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba uses a parable to unpack this idea. Imagi...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsJoseph

Kingdom of Solomon and Jerusalem

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 1:1

Like everyone else is contributing, and you're just... there? Our sages grappled with this feeling, and their stories, preserved in texts like Kohelet Rabbah, offer surprising comf...

AngelsNoah & FloodKing DavidSolomon

First Days of Existence

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 4:1

to one fascinating interpretation from Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes. The verse at the heart of it all is Ecclesiastes 8:4: "...

CreationPatriarchsKing DavidSolomon

Moses and the Dreamer of Aminadav

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 7:5

We're not just talking about names and dates; these genealogies are packed with meaning, offering insights into character, destiny, and even how to choose a spouse! Take, for insta...

JosephMosesPrayerHoly Land

Moses and the Dreamer of Okay

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 24:2

Rabbi Yehuda tells us that the Israelites reasoned, "The Holy One, blessed be He, only took us out of Egypt for five things!" What were those five things? First, to give us the plu...

JosephMosesPrayerHoly Land