Parshat Vayigash

2,872 related texts · Page 105 of 320

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

Aaron in Battle and Joseph

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 5:1

The Torah touches on this very human act in some surprising ways. We find a fascinating exploration of brotherly love, and the significance of a kiss, in Shemot Rabbah, a collectio...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Moses's Legacy and Pharaoh

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 5:7

The answer, they suggest, might lie in the seemingly simple phrase, "I will harden his heart." But what does it mean to harden someone's heart? According to Shemot Rabbah, a collec...

PatriarchsJosephMosesMiracles

Wonders of Genesis and Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 18:6

The Divine, it seems, knows the feeling. According to Shemot Rabbah, the great collection of Midrashic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, God felt a similar pang of regret abou...

CreationHeavenAdam & EvePatriarchs

Jacob and Creation and Miracles

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

Moses Among the Fathers and Egyptians

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

Light of the First Day and Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 18:11

We read in Exodus 12:37: "The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Sukkot, approximately six hundred thousand men on foot, beside children." It's a verse that launches us i...

CreationHeavenAdam & EvePatriarchs

Teachings of Moses and Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 19:5

We all know the story of the Exodus, of course, but let's delve into a fascinating piece of Midrash, specifically from Shemot Rabbah 19, which sheds light on the often-overlooked d...

HeavenAdam & EveNoah & FloodPatriarchs

The Ten Commandments and Judah

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 30:19

According to Rabbi Elazar, it's justice. That’s why, as Shemot Rabbah tells us, God gave us laws after the Ten Commandments. If justice is perverted, everything crumbles. God, in h...

CreationAdam & EvePatriarchsJoseph

Abraham and the Patriarchs of Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 38:9

We often think of it as just a structure, but according to Jewish tradition, every single element, every color, every placement, held profound meaning. Take the Hoshen, the breastp...

PatriarchsJosephMosesEgypt