Parshat Naso

231 related texts · Page 22 of 26

The census of the Levites, the sotah ritual, the Nazirite vow, the priestly blessing, and tribal offerings. Numbers 4:21-7:89.

Angels of Mercy and Songs

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 6:1

The Song of Songs, or Shir HaShirim in Hebrew, is filled with that kind of raw, powerful emotion. It’s a love poem, yes, but according to Jewish tradition, it’s also a profound all...

CreationAngelsMosesSolomon

Rabbi Shimon's Journey and Akiva

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 21:8

It's a story about dedication to Torah study, unexpected homecomings, and maybe, just maybe, the importance of knocking before you enter. The story begins with two renowned scholar...

MosesTorahTempleSoul

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

Esau and Creation of Temple

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 30:16

And it all hinges on a seemingly simple phrase. It comes from Vayikra Rabbah 30, a fascinating section of the Midrash. Midrash, by the way, is a method of interpreting scripture wh...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsTemple

Sacred Service and Zechariah

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 6:7

That feeling, that raw emotion, is at the heart of a powerful story preserved in Midrash Tehillim, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms. It's a story about faith, ...

TempleShabbat

David's Song

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 30:2

The ancient rabbis grappled with this too. And they found a beautiful answer in a seemingly simple verse from Job: “Who preceded Me, that I should repay?” (Job 41:3). This verse, e...

King DavidJobTorahTemple

Elijah in Joseph's Time

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 42:5

Specifically, we're looking at Midrash Tehillim 42. It's a plea, a challenge, almost a demand, directed at God. The speaker in this Midrash begins by contrasting themselves with th...

JosephMosesElijahTorah

Moses and the Origins of the World

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta DeRav Kahana 1:1

It’s not random. There's a beautiful and intricate choreography to our relationship with the Divine. Take, for example, the dedication of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. The Book of N...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveMoses

Moses in Battle and Egypt

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta DeRav Kahana 7:5

The Torah tells us about the 10th plague, the death of the firstborn in Egypt, and the Exodus that followed. But the details… they’re fascinating. Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai, a toweri...

CreationAngelsJosephMoses