Parshat Shoftim

2,634 related texts · Page 254 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.

Moses: Aaron in Joseph's Time

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 21:7

That feeling, that ache of separation, is what this week’s portion of Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah) touches upon. It centers around a seemingly simple phrase in Leviticus 16:2:...

JosephMosesKing DavidDaniel

Rod and Serpent of Roman

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 22:4

Vayikra Rabbah 22, a fascinating collection of stories and teachings, explores just that. It suggests that everything – from frogs to plants to even inanimate objects – can be inst...

MosesTorahProphecyMiracles

Saul and the Lawgiver

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 22:6

It teaches us that even the smallest injustice can have enormous consequences, echoing through the world and even impacting our relationship with the Divine. Our jumping-off point ...

MosesSolomonTorahTemple

Adam Names the Animals and Israelites

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 22:8

That’s the image Rabbi Pinḥas, quoting Rabbi Levi, uses to explain a powerful idea in Vayikra Rabbah. He tells the story of a king’s son who’d developed a taste for… well, let’s ju...

DemonsAdam & EveJosephTemple

Levi's Transgression

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 22:10

It’s a fascinating idea, and one that Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah), specifically section 22, explores in a surprisingly beautiful way. The passage begins by quoting Psalm 146:...

CreationHeavenCreaturesAdam & Eve

Isaiah: Divine Presence

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 24:1

We all do it. But have you ever wondered what it truly means to avert your gaze, to consciously choose kedushah, holiness? Rabbi Menashya, grandson of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, offe...

HeavenKing DavidProphecyHoly Land

Elisha in Paradise

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 24:6

The ancient rabbis grappled with this very question. In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus, they explore a fascinating connection between ho...

Adam & EveElijahProphecyHoly Land

Four Beasts and Avin

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 24:8

It’s a question that Rabbi Avin tackles in Vayikra Rabbah, and his answer is both insightful and, frankly, a little bit comforting. Rabbi Avin uses a parable. Imagine a king with a...

DanielProphecyHoly Land

Acts of Creation and Jeremiah

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 26:1

Our sages explore this very idea in Vayikra Rabbah 26, drawing out fascinating contrasts between human promises and divine pronouncements. The passage opens with a verse from Levit...

CreationMosesKing DavidTorah