265 related texts · Page 6 of 6
Jewish tradition has some fascinating answers, particularly when we delve into the story of the B'nei Kehat, the sons of Kehat. Our story comes from Bamidbar Rabbah, a Midrash on t...
Especially when we delve into the curious case of the sotah – the suspected adulteress – in Numbers chapter 5. It’s a wild ride, full of ritual, suspicion, and a whole lot of barle...
The verse sets the scene: "The man shall bring his wife to the priest, and he shall bring her offering on her behalf, one-tenth of an ephah of barley flour; he shall not pour oil u...
It comes from Numbers, Chapter 5, verse 26. We're in the middle of the sotah ritual – that's the process involving a woman suspected of infidelity. The verse reads: "The priest sha...
We're looking at Bamidbar Rabbah 13, a midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic exploration of (Numbers 7:30), which kicks off a lengthy description of the offerings brought by...
The story of Pinḥas (Phineas) in the book of Numbers is a wild ride, a tale of zealotry, divine intervention, and a whole lot of questions about what's right and wrong. The scene i...
The story of Cain and Abel, as explored in Bereshit Rabbah, the ancient rabbinic commentary on Genesis, offers some pretty profound insights. We all know the basic story: Cain and ...
The passage begins with a rather grand statement from Exodus: "See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother will be your prophet” (Exodus 7:1). But what does it re...
One fascinating passage in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, sheds light on this through a rather striking image. The passage opens wit...
That feeling, that sting of inner circle treachery, echoes through the ancient words of Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the collection of Rabbinic teachings on the Song of Songs. Today, we'r...
It's more than just sand and scorching sun. It's a place of transformation, of revelation, of becoming. : "Who is this ascending from the wilderness like columns of smoke, perfumed...
Forget the sanitized Sunday school version. The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), that incredible collection of rabbinic interpretations, offers a glimpse into a world of...
The ancient rabbis did, and they found clues in the most unexpected places, even in the love poetry of the Song of Songs! We're diving into Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a rabbinic comment...
Vayikra Rabbah, the great Midrash on the Book of Leviticus, dives right into this question with a startling statement. It says that a Torah scholar without sense – meaning, without...
The book of Leviticus, specifically chapter 2, opens with the laws of the minchah, the meal offering. "When a person presents a meal offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of ...
That feeling, that ache of separation, is what this week’s portion of Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah) touches upon. It centers around a seemingly simple phrase in (Leviticus 16:2...
It teaches us that even the smallest injustice can have enormous consequences, echoing through the world and even impacting our relationship with the Divine. Our jumping-off point ...
Maybe that feeling is a tiny glimpse into the ultimate truth: that everything is sacred. Philo, the 1st-century Jewish philosopher from Alexandria, certainly thought so. He envisio...
But what if you perform those actions for someone else? Does that automatically make you an idolater? The Talmud, in Sanhedrin (the supreme rabbinic court), tackles this very quest...
He offered some truly unique insights. Philo, in his allegorical style, sees deep meaning behind seemingly simple words and numbers. In this particular passage, he examines the sig...
That they take for me an offering (Exod. 25:2). May it please our masters to teach us: What did they do with the surplus offering?1The surplus offering was from the funds contribut...
And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8). On which day did He relate to Moses the portion relating to the Temple? It was on the Day of Atonement. ...
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense (Exod. 30:1). What do the letters in the word ketoret (“incense”) stand for? The kuf stands for kedushah (“sanctification”), tet for ta...
And Bezalel made the ark (Exod. 37:1). You find that everything constructed for the Tabernacle was made in its proper order. First he made the boards and joined them together. Afte...
(Lev. 8:3:) “And assemble the whole congregation.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Pay him honor in front of all Israel, in order that they may see him today when he e...
