Parshat Vayeshev

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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.

Shir: Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 9:1

But in Jewish tradition, it's often interpreted as an allegory – a story with a deeper, hidden meaning. And that's where Shir HaShirim Rabbah comes in. This is a collection of rabb...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

The Garden of Eden and Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 9:3

The passage starts with Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Ilai, who offers an interpretation of the verse mentioning the Tree of Life. He paints a picture of "sixty queens" – these aren't lite...

HeavenAdam & EveJosephTorah

Bilam and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 9:4

The passage begins by interpreting a verse about those who left Egypt during the Exodus. It states, "There are sixty queens…" But instead of taking this literally, the Rabbis offer...

CreationPatriarchsJosephTorah

Issachar and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 14:1

It’s amazing what layers can be uncovered when we delve into the ancient texts. Take the verse from Song of Songs 7:14: “The mandrakes have emitted fragrance, and at our entrance a...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Teachings of Solomon

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 10:1

to a fascinating interpretation from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Song of Songs, specifically chapter 8, verse 11: "Solomon had a vineyard at Baa...

JosephSolomonDanielTorah

Angels Attend to Moses and Haggai

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 1:1

The Torah starts the book of Leviticus—Vayikra in Hebrew—with just that kind of a call. "He called to Moses, and the Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying…" (Leviticus...

AngelsJosephMosesKing David

Wisdom of Moses and Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 1:15

Vayikra Rabbah, the great Midrash on the Book of Leviticus, dives right into this question with a startling statement. It says that a Torah scholar without sense – meaning, without...

HeavenJosephMosesTorah

Abraham: Adam at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 2:10

It’s a question that has puzzled scholars and storytellers for centuries. The Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrashic text focusing on the Book of Leviticus, tackles this very question. It beg...

CreationAdam & EveNoah & FloodPatriarchs

Akeidat Yitzchak and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 2:11

to Vayikra Rabbah, specifically section 2, to uncover some fascinating layers within the verses describing the offerings. We begin with Leviticus 1:5: “He shall slaughter the young...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses