Parshat Vayigash

2,911 related texts · Page 106 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.

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

Egypt: Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 44:1

Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers a fascinating perspective on this, likening the people of Israel to a vine. Rabbi Tanhuma bar ...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses

Reuben and Creation of Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 12:1

We're looking at verse 4:12-13: “A locked garden is my sister, my bride; a locked fountainhead, a sealed spring. Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates, with delicious fruit,...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsMatriarchs

Saga of Joseph and Songs

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:3

I know, it sounds random. But stick with me. In Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Song of Songs, that very grain becomes a powerful symbol for t...

PatriarchsJosephMosesKing David

Joseph: Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Vayikra Rabbah 30:10

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...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Pharaoh: Esau and Creation

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 2:4

In fact, it's a theme that echoes through Jewish tradition, especially when we talk about the relationship between God, Moshiach (the Messiah), and the enemies of Israel. The Midra...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsJoseph

Pharaoh Faces Judgment

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 9:17

Midrash Tehillim 9, a fascinating exploration of Psalm 9, unpacks this very idea using vivid imagery. It paints a picture of nations ensnared in their own traps, drowned in the ver...

Hell/GehennaPatriarchsJosephMoses

Trials of Joseph and Lamentations

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 67:1

Jewish tradition has a powerful answer: God's mercy is inexhaustible. It’s a concept beautifully explored in Midrash Tehillim 67, a commentary on the Psalms. The passage opens with...

PatriarchsJosephMosesKing David