2,634 related texts · Page 13 of 293
The ancient texts are full of surprising takes. Let's delve into one, found in Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy. It tackles the comp...
The verse we're looking at is about how "your fathers had not dreaded them" (lo se'arum). Now, on the surface, that might seem straightforward. But the rabbis, with their penchant ...
In Jewish tradition, this isn't just a feeling; it's sometimes a calling. Sifrei Devarim, in its unique way, shines a light on the incredible self-sacrifice of Israel’s great leade...
Ben Sira doesn't mince words, does he? He calls him "wide in stupidity and lacking in wisdom." Ouch! Reḥov'am, you see, was the son of King Solomon, a hard act to follow to begin w...
This is the world Megillat Antiochus throws us into. The story begins with a chilling proposition, whispered amongst the advisors of King Antiochus. "Come now," they urged, "let us...
Another interpretation: "As those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to soothsayers and augurs." Jeremiah the prophet said (Jeremiah 10:11), "Thus shall you say to the...
Today, let's delve into a fascinating, and frankly unsettling, corner of Jewish thought: the belief in those sinners of Israel who knowingly rebel against God. It’s the fifth belie...
Take the tale of Balak and Balaam. It's more than just a simple request to curse a nation. It’s a clash of egos, a battle of wills, and a whole lot of ancient magic. Ginzberg, in h...
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 105a) actually tells us that Balaam, the infamous prophet-for-hire, was one of three individuals whom God tested and who utterly failed. He's in dark company,...
