Parshat Vayigash

2,911 related texts · Page 233 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.

Moses and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 9:10

It's easy to see them as just divine punishment, but Jewish tradition often digs deeper, searching for layers of meaning. one fascinating idea from Shemot Rabbah, a classic collect...

CreationHell/GehennaPatriarchsJoseph

Aaron's Vision

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 12:4

The Book of Exodus tells us, "Moses extended his staff toward the heavens and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the ground, and the Lord rained hail upon the lan...

CreationHell/GehennaPatriarchsMatriarchs

Songs: Moses at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 15:1

The Israelites certainly did in Egypt. But even in the darkest of times, hope can blossom. And it often arrives in unexpected ways. Our story begins, as so many do, with a word fro...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsJoseph

Abraham and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 15:9

It was about a whole new way of counting time itself. Think of it this way. Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Exodus, offers a beautiful analogy to e...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMessiah

Angels of Mercy and Abraham

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 15:12

The Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers a breathtakingly intimate perspective on that pivotal moment. Specifically, Shemot...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsMatriarchs

Abraham: Splitting of the Sea

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 15:18

We often think of it as being solely for the sake of the Israelites, to free them from slavery. But what if there was another, deeper reason? Shemot Rabbah, the collection of Midra...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses

Abraham's Legacy and Solomon

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

Moses and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 20:3

We often think of Moses, armed with divine authority, as the driving force behind the Israelites' liberation. But what about Pharaoh? Did he simply cave to the plagues, or was ther...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses