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In Vayikra Rabbah 17, a fascinating midrash – that's a story that unpacks the deeper meaning of a biblical text – explores this very idea. Specifically, it looks at whether God inf...
That feeling, that ache of separation, is what this week’s portion of Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah) touches upon. It centers around a seemingly simple phrase in Leviticus 16:2:...
Rabbi Elazar paints a vivid picture. Imagine a lily growing amidst a thicket of thorns. Beautiful. But how difficult would it be to pluck it, to reach in and claim that delicate fl...
That feeling is surprisingly ancient. The Rabbis of the Midrash knew it well, wrestling with how to maintain Jewish identity in a world of competing cultures. In Vayikra Rabbah 23,...
In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Leviticus, we find a powerful exploration of this idea. It all starts with a seemingly simple verse: "You shall...
Sometimes, the answer lies in the most unexpected places, like, say, a close reading of the book of Ezekiel and a bit of ancient commentary. In Vayikra Rabbah 25, we find a fascina...
Take, for instance, the four species we use on Sukkot – the etrog (citron), the lulav (date palm frond), the hadass (myrtle), and the aravah (willow). They aren't just random plant...
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, opens up a fascinating window into this very question. It uses a beautiful image – the "rose of Sh...
Our exploration begins with a verse from the Song of Songs (7:3): "Your navel is like a round goblet... Your belly is a heap of wheat." The Midrash takes this evocative imagery as ...
