316 related texts · 8 related myths · Page 4 of 7
There was an incident involving Miriam bat Baitus, whom Yehoshua ben Gamla betrothed [to him], and the king appointed him to be the High Priest.173He was appointed to this position...
It is written (in Josh. 7:19), “Then Joshua said unto Achan, ‘My son, please give glory [to the Lord God of Israel and make a confession to Him; please tell me what you have done, ...
It's a story of atonement, of divine presence, and of a relationship between God and the Jewish people that’s been unfolding for millennia. Think back to the Day of Atonement. Imag...
Our tale comes from Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews, a treasure trove of stories expanding on what we find in the Bible. It tells us about the offerings brought by the princes of th...
the sanctuary's placement – first in Shiloh, within Joseph's territory, and later in Jerusalem, within Benjamin's – meant that Benjamin's tribe and its sacrifices followed the patt...
Moses, desperate, remembers a secret he learned during his time on Mount Sinai, when he ascended to receive the Torah. It's a pretty wild story, actually. Each angel he encountered...
The familiar version gives us King Solomon. The wisest of men, builder of the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem. But this story isn't just about Solomon's glory; it’s about how his f...
Jehoiada was quite the figure – the son of Benaiah, who served as commander-in-chief of the army under Solomon. King Joash, guided by Jehoiada, diligently set about restoring the T...
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, offers a fascinating perspective. It points to the tribe of Levi, specifically those who resisted ...
The story, as told in Midrash Tehillim, revolves around the moment Shlomo wanted to bring the Aron Kodesh, the Ark of the Covenant, into the Kodesh Hakodashim, the Holy of Holies. ...
Between the altar of sacrifice and the Tent of Meeting stood a basin, not of gold, not of silver, but of bronze. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan names its purpose simply: the kiyor was for ...
We can see this theme beautifully illustrated in Bamidbar Rabbah (Numbers Rabbah) 4, which draws a powerful lesson from the seemingly straightforward verse, “The charge of Elazar, ...
Bamidbar Rabbah turns to When Solomon's Temple Doors Refused to Open for the Ark. The scene: Solomon, the wisest of men, has built the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem. He's ready t...
It wasn't just a tent; it was a portable sanctuary, a reflection of the Divine Presence, and the artisans poured their hearts and souls into every thread. Shemot Rabbah, a collecti...
The ancient Rabbis did. They poured over the verses, searching for clues. And in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs, we find some fascinating answer...
The ancient rabbis certainly did! They saw profound symbolism woven into every thread, especially when it came to the garments of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest. the High Priest ...
This one’s half fire, half ice. Quite the contrast. According to 3 Enoch 32:1, when God opens this extraordinary book, something incredible happens. Avenging angels are unleashed. ...
Some believe that certain figures, especially the patriarch Abraham, never truly died. The idea of Abraham continuing to wander the world, making his presence known, is surprisingl...
Sometimes, the most incredible stories come from those moments. Like this one from Hebron, about how the patriarch Abraham himself stepped in to aid his descendants. Hebron – Ḥevro...
The story of the second set of tablets, the Luchot, is a powerful reminder of divine patience and the enduring bond between God and the Jewish people. It all starts with the afterm...
Some traditions suggest there isn't just one Lilith, but two! It's Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, a day of atonement and intense prayer for the Jewish people. But, accord...
It's not a cable, not a chain, but a string. Where does this image come from? It's a beautiful folk allegory, one that resonates deeply, especially during the Yamim Noraim, the Day...
Rabbi Chanina, the nephew of Rabbi Yehoshua, laid out the liturgical structure for communal blessing based on a verse from (Deuteronomy 32:3): "When I call upon the name of the Lor...
(Exodus 16:26) "Six days shall you gather it, etc.": We are hereby apprised that the manna does not descend on Sabbath. Whence do we derive (the same for) a festival? From (the sup...
Rebbi says: For everything from "You shall not take the name" and down, penitence does atone. From "You shall not take the name" and up, including "You shall not take the name," pe...
When Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, the Torah records that "Moses entered into the mist, where God was" (Exodus 20:21). The Mekhilta reveals that this approach to...
The air crackles with anticipation, with divine energy. And then, it begins. In Mateh Moshe, during the revelation of the Torah, God didn't just speak. He didn't just write on tabl...
It's a pretty busy time in the heavenly court! The idea is that on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), everyone is judged. Then, on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), our fates ar...
These aren't just any ordinary days. They're a bridge, a spiritual causeway connecting Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Think of them as a...
We've fasted, we've prayed, we've poured out our hearts. And then… one final, powerful blast of the shofar. But why? This final shofar blast carries a whole story with it, a story ...
Leviticus 25 introduces the sabbatical year and the Jubilee. The Targum Jonathan addresses the most obvious objection: if the land rests every seventh year, what will people eat? G...
The shofar on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) was not just a call to repentance. According to the Targum's version of (Numbers 29), the trumpets served a cosmic combat function...
Teach us, oh teacher – if one has an argument with their friend, how shall they attain atonement on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement)? This is what our Rabbis taught: transgression...
Kimhit was a woman whose modesty was so complete that, according to the Talmud (Yoma 47a), even the beams of her house never saw her hair uncovered. The sages said this was the rea...
The Talmud (Shabbat 127b) tells of a man who worked for an employer in the north of Israel for three years. When his contract ended, he went to collect his wages on the eve of Yom ...
In early biblical usage, Satan functioned primarily as "an adversary" in various contexts, military enemies, courtroom accusers, or obstacles. The Book of Job represents a pivotal ...
A short, chilling ma'aseh from the rabbinic tradition, preserved as exemplum no. 73 in Moses Gaster's 1924 collection The Exempla of the Rabbis, makes its point in a handful of sen...
Among the Ten Martyrs whose deaths Jewish tradition recalls on Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av were Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, the Patriarch of the Jewish people under Roman occupation, ...
Forget the sterile descriptions in history books. Ben Sira, in chapter 50 of his wisdom book, gives us a series of breathtaking images to help us do just that. He paints pictures w...
Book of Jubilees turns to Noah Plants a Vineyard - A Scandalous Scene in Jubilees. It's considered apocryphal by some, meaning it's not included in the canonical Hebrew Bible, but ...
Book of Jubilees turns to Shem's Sacred Inheritance Includes the Garden of Eden. The Book of Jubilees, in chapter 8, describes the division of the world among Noah's sons after the...
Book of Jubilees turns to Abram — Covenant of Abraham. The scene: Abram, having just received divine instructions, is at the altar. He’s not just going through the motions. This is...
Book of Jubilees turns to Isaac — Kingdom of Abraham. The Book of Jubilees tells us that this grand weaning party happened in the third month. We don't know exactly which calendar ...
This ancient Jewish text, considered canonical by some but not others, pulls no punches when it comes to predicting the future – or, perhaps more accurately, warning us about the c...
The Book of Jubilees, a text not included in the standard Hebrew Bible but valued in some Jewish traditions, certainly has something to say about it. Jubilees chapter 30, in partic...
The Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish text that expands on the Torah, gives us a glimpse. It paints a picture of a day so special, so infused with the divine, that it forever alt...
The Book of Maccabees I turns to When the Seleucids Tried to Erase Jewish Practice. You're living in your ancestral home, trying to observe your traditions, practice your faith. Th...
The quarrel between Korah and Moses began with a poor woman and her single ewe-lamb. She fed the lamb from her own bread and let it drink from her own cup. When she sheared its woo...
