Parshat Shemini

68 related texts · Page 7 of 8

The inauguration of the Tabernacle, the death of Nadab and Abihu, and the laws of kosher animals. Leviticus 9:1-11:47.

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

David Faces Judgment and Hanina

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 30:4

Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nehemiah suggest a fundamental principle: punishment, at its core, is unproductive. It doesn't bear good fruit. Goodness, on the other hand, does generate mo...

Hell/GehennaPatriarchsMosesKing David

Signs and Wonders

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 9:1

Today, let's dive into one tiny slice of that abundance: the birds. Specifically, how Jewish tradition imagines their creation on the fifth day of… well, Creation! Pirkei DeRabbi E...

TempleMiracles

Story of Temple

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 11:1

It feels like the Bible just breezes through it: animals, done! But, of course, there's so much more to the story when you start digging. Imagine the scene. According to Pirkei DeR...

Temple

Covenant of Circumcision of Isaac

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 29:8

Let’s talk about circumcision, or brit milah, and one very special perspective on it found in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Chapter 29. This text isn't just a dusty historical record. It...

PatriarchsTemple

Aaron and Creation of Fire

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 53:3

According to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating and somewhat enigmatic text of Jewish tradition, fire isn't just fire. It’s something… else. Rabbi Judah paints a vivid picture, ...

CreationHeavenMosesTemple

Knowledge and Innocence of Nazir

Other Texts Sifrei Bamidbar 29:1

It wasn’t always straightforward. Sometimes, they engaged in incredibly intricate, almost mind-bending debates, using logic, analogy, and even divine revelation to arrive at their ...

Adam & EveTorahTempleSabbath

Moses's Transgression and Nissan

Other Texts Sifrei Bamidbar 44:1

It wasn't just a one-day event. According to Sifrei Bamidbar, the book of Numbers, the seven days leading up to the dedication were a whirlwind of activity. Imagine this: Every sin...

CreationHeavenAngelsMoses

Joseph and the First Humans

Other Texts Sifrei Bamidbar 68:1

Our ancestors certainly did. Today we're diving into a fascinating story from Sifrei Bamidbar, a legal commentary on the Book of Numbers, that grapples with just that feeling of ex...

Adam & EveJosephMosesTorah