Parshat Shemot

2,957 related texts · Page 247 of 329

The Israelites' enslavement in Egypt, the birth of Moses, Moses at the burning bush, and God's call to liberate His people. Exodus 1:1-6:1.

Judgment of the Wicked and Rabbis

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 10:9

It's astonishing, really. Take, for example, the laws of the nazir, the one who takes a vow of separation, a path of heightened holiness. The Book of Numbers lays out some very spe...

Hell/GehennaMosesTorahEgypt

When God Created and Blessings

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 11:7

Jewish tradition grapples with this apparent contradiction all the time. Take the famous Priestly Blessing from Numbers 6:26: "May the Lord show favor to you, and grant you peace."...

CreationHell/GehennaAngelsNoah & Flood

Tabernacle: The Golden Calf

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:1

We find ourselves in Bamidbar Rabbah 12, a section of the Midrash Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic teachings on the books of the Torah. The text opens with a seemingly simple stat...

MosesKing DavidTorahTemple

First Days of Existence and Presence

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 12:6

The passage in Bamidbar Rabbah 12 kicks off with a seemingly simple word: "Vayhi" – usually translated as "it was." But in the world of Jewish interpretation, nothing is ever just ...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveJoseph

Nachshon and the Heavenly Realms

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 13:10

Sometimes, those little things hold the key to unlocking profound insights. to one such instance from Bamidbar Rabbah (Numbers Rabbah), specifically chapter 13, and see what we can...

HeavenMosesKing DavidSolomon

Issachar in Battle

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 13:16

And it all starts with Issachar. The text dives right in: "One silver dish" (Numbers 7:19), marking the offering of the prince of Issachar. But it's not just about the silverware. ...

CreationAdam & EveNoah & FloodMoses

Elazar: Rabbi Yehoshua at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 14:4

It's all about how we access, understand, and apply the teachings of Torah. The passage opens with a verse from Ecclesiastes (12:11): “The words of the wise are like goads, and lik...

CreationHell/GehennaPatriarchsMoses

Solomon in Heaven and Meeting

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 14:19

The Torah gives us hints, scattered like precious gems, and the Rabbis, masters of interpretation, piece them together for us. Take Numbers 7:89: "And when Moses came into the Tent...

HeavenNoah & FloodJosephMoses

Giving of the Torah

Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Rabbah 15:25

Moses knew the feeling. Leading the Israelites through the desert? No small feat! And it seems even he needed a little help. We find ourselves in Bamidbar Rabbah 15, a section of t...

MosesTorahMessiahSoul