Parshat Vayera

2,711 related texts · Page 140 of 302

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.

Abraham's Legacy and the Altar

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 29:7

It's all there in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, chapter 29. This ancient text uses the image of a vine to teach us about growth, potential, and the transformative power of commitment. Ra...

PatriarchsTempleSacrificeCovenant

Abraham Beyond the Firmament and Jochanan

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 29:9

Let's delve into a passage from Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, specifically chapter 29, that sheds light on some of the attitudes and practices surrounding conversion and circumcision. Ra...

HeavenPatriarchsPrayerHoly Land

Ishmael in Battle and Cain

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 30:10

The text starts by connecting the name of Ishmael’s son, Kedar, directly to the people known as the "sons of Kedar." It’s a seemingly straightforward connection. The verse cited fr...

Noah & FloodPatriarchs

Ishmael and the Heavenly Realms

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 30:12

This ancient text, a non-canonical Midrash, offers a unique, sometimes cryptic, perspective on the relationship between Israel and the descendants of Ishmael, and the events that w...

HeavenPatriarchsJosephKing David

Isaac's Transgression and Judah

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 32:16

Rabbi Judah paints a vivid picture. He tells us that Isaac, when blessing Jacob, bestowed upon him ten distinct blessings. Now, these weren't just any blessings. They were specific...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsHoly Land

Marriage of Isaac

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 33:1

It all starts with the story of Isaac, and a verse from Genesis 26:12: "And Isaac sowed in that land." Now, what did Isaac sow? Grain? Rabbi Eliezer, in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, sto...

HeavenPatriarchsElijah

Abraham Among the Fathers

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 34:5

Rabbi Ẓe'era, a sage of the Talmudic era, shared a powerful image: When we pass from this world, our souls don't simply float off into the void. Instead, they gather together, "eac...

PatriarchsSoulDeath

Jacob Among the Fathers and Abraham

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 36:3

We find this tale in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating collection of stories and interpretations from the early Middle Ages. It paints a vivid picture: Jacob arrives at a well....

Patriarchs

Abraham and the Ark of Cave

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 36:17

Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, by the way, is a beautiful and somewhat enigmatic work of Jewish literature from around the 8th century CE that retells and expands upon biblical narratives...

Noah & FloodPatriarchsTorahCovenant