Parshat Miketz

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Pharaoh's dreams, Joseph's rise to power in Egypt, the famine, and the brothers' first journey to Egypt. Genesis 41:1-44:17.

Bilam and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 9:4

The passage begins by interpreting a verse about those who left Egypt during the Exodus. It states, "There are sixty queens…" But instead of taking this literally, the Rabbis offer...

CreationPatriarchsJosephTorah

Passover's Song

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 2:2

Take the verse from the Song of Songs, Shir HaShirim, "How fair are your feet in sandals [bane’alim]," with its slightly unusual plural form, "sandals" [ne’alim]. What could that p...

CreationJosephMosesTorah

Shem and Divine Judgment

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 5:3

to a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrash, or interpretive commentary, on the Book of Leviticus, that touches upon this very issue. The passage opens with a quote fro...

Hell/GehennaCreaturesPatriarchsJoseph

Adam Names the Animals and Israelites

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 22:8

That’s the image Rabbi Pinḥas, quoting Rabbi Levi, uses to explain a powerful idea in Vayikra Rabbah. He tells the story of a king’s son who’d developed a taste for… well, let’s ju...

DemonsAdam & EveJosephTemple

Laban: Rebecca and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 23:1

The Torah tackles this very question, and the answer is surprisingly nuanced. We find a fascinating passage in Vayikra Rabbah 23, which delves into Leviticus 18:3: “You shall not a...

CreationPatriarchsJosephSolomon

Reish Lakish Among the Mothers

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 23:12

Today, we're diving into a fascinating, and frankly, pretty intense passage from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus. This particular section...

MatriarchsJosephSolomonJob

Ezekiel's Transgression

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 27:3

A song, a smell, a place... and suddenly you're right back there, feeling the weight of it all over again. Jewish tradition is keenly aware of this power of association, and how ea...

HeavenJosephMosesTorah

Sarah and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 32:5

We find a clue in Vayikra Rabbah, specifically in a passage connected to the story of the "son of an Israelite woman" (Leviticus 24:10). The text begins by quoting the Song of Song...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Wonders of Genesis and David

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 36:2

It's more than just about wine, you see. It's a metaphor, a living, breathing symbol of the Jewish people themselves. We find this beautiful idea elaborated on in Vayikra Rabbah 36...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsJoseph