Parshat Toldot

1,962 related texts · Page 93 of 218

The birth of Jacob and Esau, Esau sells his birthright, Isaac and the Philistines, and Jacob receives Isaac's blessing through deception. Genesis 25:19-28:9.

Jacob's Transgression and Laban

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:10

Our ancestors wrestled with that very question. Let's delve into a fascinating passage from Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Genesis, specif...

CreationPatriarchsKing DavidTorah

Trial of Jacob and Laban

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:11

We're looking at Bereshit Rabbah 74, which shines a light on the trials and tribulations of Jacob while working for his less-than-honest father-in-law, Laban. The passage focuses o...

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Jacob: Laban at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:13

In Genesis 31:43, after Jacob decides to leave Laban and return to his homeland, Laban confronts him, saying, "The girls are my daughters, and the boys are my sons, and the flocks ...

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Kingdom of Jacob and Aramaic

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:14

Specifically, we're looking at Bereshit Rabbah 74, which unpacks the story of Jacob and Laban's contentious parting. The drama unfolds in Genesis 31:47, where we read: “Laban calle...

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David: Jacob at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:15

In Genesis 31:51, we hear Laban say to Jacob, "Here is this pile and here is the monument that I have established between me and you.” Now, this might sound like a simple boundary ...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsJoseph

Jacob and the Angels of Rabbis

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 74:17

The Torah tells us, "Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God encountered him" (Genesis 32:2). Simple enough. But the Rabbis, never content with the surface level, dive deep in...

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Joseph: Jacob and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 75:4

The text opens with a discussion about "messengers" (malakhim). Were they ordinary people, or something more? Some Rabbis suggest they were actual angels! It blurs the lines betwee...

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Jacob and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 75:10

We pick up the story in Genesis 32:4, where it says: "Jacob sent messengers." But before we get to that, Genesis 32:3 tells us something crucial: "Jacob said, when he saw them: [Th...

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Kings: Jacob at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 77:1

"Jacob remained alone, and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn" (Genesis 32:25). A simple sentence, but pregnant with meaning. What does it mean to be alone? And who, o...

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