Parshat Shoftim

2,634 related texts · Page 253 of 293

Laws of judges and officers, the king, the Levitical priests, true and false prophets, cities of refuge, and warfare. Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9.

Nebuchadnezzar and Creation of Babylon

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 15:9

They saw those patterns reflected even in the seemingly mundane laws about skin diseases in the book of Leviticus. In Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpret...

CreationAdam & EveDanielEsther

Miriam and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 16:1

We often think of disease as random, a matter of bad luck. But what if certain behaviors, certain flaws in our character, actually pave the way for illness and hardship? That’s wha...

CreationAdam & EvePatriarchsMatriarchs

Ben Azai and Noah

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 16:4

But the ancient Rabbis wrestled with this idea, and their insights are surprisingly relevant even today. Let's delve into a passage from Vayikra Rabbah 16 and see what we can uncov...

Noah & FloodMosesKing DavidElijah

Esau: Adam at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 18:2

And today, we're diving into one such example, a passage from Vayikra Rabbah 18, which tackles a seemingly simple verse from Leviticus: "Any man, when he has a discharge from his f...

CreationHeavenHell/GehennaAdam & Eve

Pillars of Existence and Rabbinic

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 18:3

And, as we often find, the ancient texts of our tradition offer powerful, if sometimes unsettling, insights. Today, we're diving into Vayikra Rabbah 18 – a midrash, a Rabbinic inte...

CreationAngelsNoah & FloodMoses

Bava: Solomon at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 19:2

Like, staring up at a mountain of laundry or a career change and thinking, "Where do I even begin?" Well, you're not alone. Our sages grappled with this feeling too, especially whe...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Mount Sinai's Vision and Kohen

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 19:4

And they found wisdom in a seemingly simple verse from Ecclesiastes: "Through slothfulness the ceiling sags, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks." (Ecclesiastes 10:18...

MosesKing DavidSolomonProphecy

Inspired Speech and Kavul

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 20:3

Like you're celebrating a joyous occasion, and then...bam! Tragedy strikes. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana opens with a question that really hits home: “Of laughter, I said it is confounded...

SolomonProphecyPrayerDeath

Hidden Secrets of Creation and Holies

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 21:6

What would you bring with you? What could possibly prepare you for such an encounter? Well, Rabbi Yudan, in Vayikra Rabbah 21, offers a fascinating perspective. He interprets the v...

CreationNoah & FloodMosesSolomon