Parshat Vayeshev

6,488 related texts · Page 304 of 721

Joseph's dreams and his brothers' jealousy, Joseph sold into slavery, Judah and Tamar, and Joseph in Potiphar's house and prison. Genesis 37:1-40:23.

Pillars of Existence and There

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 28:1

The flood narrative in Genesis is one of the most challenging passages in the Torah, wrestling as it does with divine regret and the wiping out of nearly all life. It all starts wi...

CreationHell/GehennaJobRepentance

Noah and Creation of Terah

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 30:4

The ancient rabbis certainly knew it. They saw it baked right into the words of the Torah itself. Take, for instance, the opening of Parashat Noah, the portion of Genesis that tell...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsMessiah

Noah's Transgression and the Wilderness

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 31:4

It's easy to point to general "wickedness," but the details, as always, are far more interesting, and speak to timeless human failings. Bereshit Rabbah, that incredible collection ...

Noah & FloodKing DavidJob

After the Flood

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 31:5

It’s easy to focus on the sheer scale of the destruction, but the rabbis of the Midrash, those ancient interpreters of scripture, dug deeper. They asked: what exactly was so awful ...

Noah & FloodMosesJobTorah

Rabbi Yonatan's Prayer

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 32:10

Because sometimes, the universe has a funny way of showing us that insight isn't exclusive to the scholars and sages. We find a perfect example in Bereshit Rabbah, specifically sec...

CreationNoah & FloodMatriarchsSolomon

First Days of Existence and Canaan

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 36:5

There's a curious incident involving Noah's son, Ḥam, that raises some eyebrows and leads to some pretty profound interpretations. Genesis 9:22 tells us, "Ḥam, father of Canaan, sa...

CreationAdam & EveNoah & FloodJoseph

Shem: The Great Flood

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 36:6

The Torah gives us a glimpse in the story of Noah and his sons after the flood (Genesis 9:20-27). It's a tale of nakedness, shame, and ultimately, divine reward and retribution. to...

CreationNoah & FloodJosephDaniel

Ezekiel and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 37:2

Take, for example, the sons of Ḥam (חָם), Noah's son: "Kush, and Mitzrayim, and Put, and Canaan" (Genesis 10:6). We see the names that echo through history – Mitzrayim, which is Eg...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsJoseph

Flood: The Tower of Babel

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 38:6

But it's not just the story itself that's fascinating, it's how the Rabbis of old interpreted it. Let’s delve into Bereshit Rabbah 38, a treasure trove of insights into this pivota...

CreationHeavenHell/GehennaNoah & Flood