Parshat Vayeshev

7,914 related texts · Page 849 of 880

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.

The Moon as a Metaphor for Israel's Rise and Fall

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 15:26

There's a fascinating passage in Shemot Rabbah that uses the moon as a metaphor to explain just that. It's a brilliant, poetic, and surprisingly practical way to look at history. T...

PatriarchsJosephMosesKing David

Abraham: Moses at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 15:27

We're looking at section 15, which delves into the very first commandment given to the Israelites as they stood on the cusp of freedom: "This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2)....

CreationAngelsPatriarchsJoseph

Samuel: Moses at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 16:4

But Jewish tradition teaches us that justice, true justice, is at the very heart of the Divine. And that the way we act in the world has cosmic repercussions. In Shemot Rabbah, a c...

CreationJosephMosesKing David

The Humble Hyssop That Holds a Cosmic Secret

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 17:1

Take, for instance, the humble hyssop. Hyssop – that little plant we read about in the story of the Exodus. It doesn't seem like much, but according to Shemot Rabbah, it's a key to...

CreationHeavenJosephMoses

Egypt: Giving of the Torah

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 17:4

We often focus on the miracles, the parting of the Red Sea, the giving of the Torah. But nestled within that incredible narrative are moments of sheer, unadulterated divine power.....

AngelsCreaturesJosephMoses

How God Orchestrated the Exact Timing of the Exodus

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 18:1

We often read these epic stories in the Torah and just accept that things happened at the right moment. But what if there's a hidden layer of incredible detail beneath the surface,...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses

What Happened at Midnight When the Firstborn Died

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 18:2

It's not just about spooky stories! to a fascinating explanation from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Exodus, that sheds light on this very q...

JosephMosesKing DavidSoul

God Acted Alone on the Night of the Exodus

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 18:8

Today's story comes from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. It's a powerful reflection on God's role in the Exodus, and really, in all o...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsJoseph

The Messy Choices People Made on the Night of Exodus

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 18:10

It's not just about freedom; it's about divine justice, redemption, and the messy, complicated choices people make when faced with monumental events. The ancient rabbis certainly d...

PatriarchsJosephMosesKing David