Parshat Vayera

2,677 related texts · Page 126 of 298

Three angels visit Abraham, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the birth of Isaac, and the Binding of Isaac (the Akedah). Genesis 18:1-22:24.

Covenant of Abraham and Ilai

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:11

Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the book of Deuteronomy, opens our eyes to some fascinating insights. It all starts with the verse, "the Lord your God has mul...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses

Isaac: Esau and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 1:19

The story of Esau and Jacob is a classic example, and the Rabbis in Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homiletic interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, unpack it with incredible ...

CreationPatriarchsKing DavidSolomon

Wings of the Angels

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 2:14

The text opens with a quote from Deuteronomy, saying God is "near it." But who is "it"? The verse itself speaks of a nation that has God near to it. Devarim Rabbah, in its characte...

AngelsRepentanceHoly Land

Abraham and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 2:33

to a fascinating exploration from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, and see what we can uncover. "Hear, Israel" (Shema Yisrael) – these...

CreationPatriarchsJosephSolomon

Moses and the Angels of Baruch

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 2:36

The passage centers on the most core of Jewish declarations: “Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad” – "Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One" (Deuteronomy 6:...

AngelsMosesRepentanceHoly Land

Abraham and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 6:1

But what does this seemingly simple commandment truly mean? What deeper lessons about mercy and compassion can we learn from a bird's nest? The Rabbis of the Midrash, specifically ...

CreationAdam & EveNoah & FloodPatriarchs

Abraham and the Patriarchs

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 6:5

Specifically, Deuteronomy 22:6-7, which deals with finding a bird's nest. It says, "If you come across a bird’s nest along the road, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings o...

PatriarchsTorahRepentance

Angels Attend to Miriam and Rabbis

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 6:10

We all have. But what if those words had far more power than we imagined? What if they could actually… physically harm us? Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings and in...

AngelsMosesSolomonProphecy

Abraham and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Devarim Rabbah 11:1

Maybe you stumble over your words during a presentation, or completely blank on someone's name. Imagine the pressure, then, of leading a congregation in prayer and making a mistake...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsMoses