Parshat Vayigash

2,911 related texts · Page 104 of 324

Judah's plea for Benjamin, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, and Jacob's family descends to Egypt. Genesis 44:18-47:27.

Death of Levi and Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 92:2

The ancient rabbis pondered this very question. In Bereshit Rabbah 92, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Genesis, we find a fascinating glimpse into the last words, ...

PatriarchsJosephKing DavidSoul

Isaac's Offering and Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 94:5

It centers around the verse: "He slaughtered feast-offerings to the God of his father Isaac" (Genesis 46:1). Why Isaac? Why not Abraham, the patriarch of them all? Rabbi Yehoshua b...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsJoseph

Ezekiel: Jacob and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:2

The Torah tells us, "Jacob called to his sons, and he said: Gather, and I will tell you what will befall you at the end of days. Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob, and listen to Isr...

CreationHeavenHell/GehennaPatriarchs

Birth of Reuben and Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 98:4

It's a wild ride of interpretations, isn’t it? The passage opens with Jacob's words: "Reuben, you are my firstborn." Now, Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi], the compiler of the Mishnah, offers...

CreationHell/GehennaPatriarchsMatriarchs

Jacob's Transgression and Israelite

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 100:2

The book of Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Genesis, gives us a peek into just that, focusing on the patriarch Jacob and the sage Rabbeinu Yehuda ...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsJoseph

Bible: Jacob at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 11:1

The book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible grapples with these very feelings. There's a verse in chapter 9, verse 11, that really gets to the heart of it: "I again saw under the sun tha...

CreationHell/GehennaPatriarchsJoseph

Levi: Jacob at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 18:1

Our sages grappled with it too, and one place where they explore this idea is in Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes. The verse in ...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Dina: Pharaoh at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Kohelet Rabbah 8:1

Take the verse from Ecclesiastes (10:8): “One who digs a pit will fall into it; and one who breaches a fence, a serpent will bite him.” It's a powerful image. But what does it real...

CreationHell/GehennaAdam & EvePatriarchs

Pharaoh: Abraham and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 1:12

And their story, as told in Shemot Rabbah, is a powerful reminder of resilience, faith, and the strength of community. Pharaoh, you see, wasn't just content with enslaving the Isra...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsJoseph