Parshat Matot

383 related texts · Page 34 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.

World to Come of David

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 30:2

King David certainly did. In Vayikra Rabbah 30, we find a fascinating exploration of just that – David's quest for the "way of life" and "abundant joy," as he puts it in Psalm 16:1...

CreationHeavenMosesKing David

Shmuel: First Days of Existence

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 31:1

But let's dive into a fascinating idea found in Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus. It all begins with the verse, "Command the childr...

CreationKing DavidProphecyHoly Land

Maker of Heaven and Earth of Yitz

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 31:7

The ancient rabbis grappled with this very question. In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus, we find a fascinating discussion. Rabbi Ḥanina p...

CreationHeavenKing DavidTorah

Aaron and Noah of Putiel

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 33:4

Our tradition certainly thinks so. There’s a powerful message tucked away in Vayikra Rabbah, specifically in section 33, about the weight of our words and the damage they can infli...

Noah & FloodMosesTorahHoly Land

Covenant of Jacob and Yehoshua

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 36:4

The ancient rabbis grappled with these very questions, and their answers, preserved in texts like Vayikra Rabbah, are both surprising and deeply inspiring. to one fascinating passa...

CreationCreaturesNoah & FloodPatriarchs

Jacob and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 37:1

Or perhaps put off fulfilling a commitment, thinking, "I'll get to it eventually?" Well, the ancient rabbis certainly had some thoughts on that. to a fascinating discussion from Va...

CreationAdam & EvePatriarchsMatriarchs

Caleb and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 37:4

In Vayikra Rabbah 37, the Midrash explores this idea through a fascinating lens: vows. Specifically, it looks at instances where individuals made, shall we say, unreasonable reques...

CreationCreaturesPatriarchsKing David

Blessing of Rabbi Akiva

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 9:14

Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, grapples with this very question in its ninth section. And what emerges is a powerful, and sometim...

ElijahHoly Land

Judah Awaits the Messiah

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 14:6

The ancient rabbis wrestled with fear too. They found layers of meaning in the words of Psalm 14, specifically the phrase, "There they feared with fear...there was no fear." (Psalm...

MessiahProphecyHoly Land