1,164 related texts · Page 16 of 25
Who was Korah? We find him in the Book of Numbers, leading a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. He challenged their authority, questioning why they held such power. A dangerous mov...
In Jewish tradition, we find striking examples of this idea, particularly in the story of Korah and his rebellion against Moses and Aaron. Our story comes from Bamidbar Rabbah, a M...
The Israelites, fresh out of Egypt, certainly did. We find ourselves in the book of Numbers, Bamidbar in Hebrew, specifically chapter 21, verse 4: “They traveled from Hor Mountain ...
The Israelites knew that feeling all too well during their long journey through the wilderness. And sometimes, even the place names themselves seemed to echo their struggles. Let's...
Why the darkness? The passage opens by connecting God’s encounters with Bilam, the non-Israelite prophet, specifically noting that God "came to Bilam at night." This links back to ...
The book of Numbers, Bamidbar in Hebrew, recounts the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. In chapter 32, we encounter the tribes of Reuben and Gad. "The children of Reuben ...
It all begins, of course, with Adam. But did you ever imagine him… colossal? Our sages certainly did. In Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Bo...
Take the story of Isaac, son of Abraham, diligently re-digging wells in Beersheba. It's a quick mention in (Genesis 26:18): "Isaac again dug the wells of water that they had dug in...
"If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the land," it says, "and if the tree falls in the south, or in the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it sh...
We all know the story, but Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)im – interpretations and expansions – on the Book of Exodus, offers a fa...
The story starts with a grumble. "The entire congregation of the children of Israel complained" (Exodus 16:2). They were wandering in the desert, fresh out of Egypt, and their port...
And believe it or not, there's an ancient teaching that uses a similar image to describe the Jewish people's relationship with… well, pretty much everything. It all starts with a l...
The ancient rabbis grappled with these very questions, and their answers, preserved in texts like Vayikra Rabbah, are both surprising and deeply inspiring. to one fascinating passa...
“To do as every man desired.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I do not fulfill the wishes of all My creatures, and you seek “to do as every man desired?”’ The way of the world is...
It’s a question that’s captivated thinkers for ages, and the Midrash of Philo, a collection of interpretations and expansions on the Hebrew Bible attributed to the Jewish philosoph...
We're so used to breezing past those genealogical lists in Genesis, but tucked within them are echoes of ancient understandings about the world and its peoples. Today, let's zoom i...
And Abraham took another wife (Gen. 25:1). May our master teach us: How many times should one pray each day? R. Samuel the son of Nahman declared: Since there are three periods in ...
And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: The envy also of Ephraim shall depart … Ephraim shall not envy Judah (Isa. 11:13)....
Sanctify unto me all the firstborn (Exod. 13:2). This verse illustrates one of the thirteen rules by which the Torah is interpreted.12R. Ishmael’s thirteen hermeneutical rules; see...
For He is highly exalted (Exod. 15:1). He exalted me and I exalted Him. He exalted me in Egypt, saying: Israel is My son, My firstborn (Exod. 4:22), and I exalted him in Egypt, say...
18:1). Jethro was known by seven names. He was called Jethro (yitro) because he added (yater) a chapter to the law, that is, the chapter dealing with judges. He was called Hobab (h...
And He called to Moshe: And why does it say, "And He called?" Rather it is is because it stated above (Exodus 40:35), "and Moshe could not come to the Tent of Meeting" - when the D...
"And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle" (Numbers 7:1). This is [the meaning of] that which was stated by the verse (Song of Songs 4:16), "Awake, O n...
(Numbers 35:11:) “You shall provide yourselves with places to serve you as cities of refuge.” And it is written (in (Numbers 35:13-1)4), “six cities of refuge shall there be for yo...
It pulls no punches in its call for humility and divine justice. Ben Sira, a sage writing in Hebrew around 200 BCE, gives us these powerful words: "Make an end of the head of the p...
Forget the sterile descriptions in history books. Let's try to feel it, to breathe it in, to almost see it shimmering before us. Ben Sira, in chapter 50 of his wisdom book, gives u...
The Book of Jubilees, a text not included in the Hebrew Bible but considered sacred by some, gives us a fascinating glimpse into this. It tells us about Adam burning incense, "swee...
Specifically, not eating it. The Book of Jubilees, a text bubbling with rich detail expanding on the Torah’s narratives, dives headfirst into this very topic. This isn’t just a sug...
That unsettling feeling is something Abraham, our ancestor, knew all too well. Let's look at a particularly vivid scene from the Book of Jubilees, a text that expands on the storie...
We're talking about Abraham, and his son, Isaac. Specifically, when Isaac was weaned. Now, weaning might not seem like cause for a huge shindig today, but in ancient times, it was ...
In it, we find a powerful blessing, overflowing with hope for the future. This blessing is delivered by a parent to their child, and it's rich with imagery of fertility, peace, and...
Our story begins with Tobi. He’s in exile in Nineveh, in Assyria. And right away, he’s calling out to God: “Remember me, my God, for good.” He’s not just asking for a favor; he’s r...
Our story comes to us from the Letter of Aristeas, a fascinating historical text. Think of it as a first-hand account – or at least, a very cleverly written piece of ancient PR – d...
In the Letter of Aristeas, we get a glimpse into just such a place – likely referring to the Temple in Jerusalem. The text describes the elaborate security measures in place. It wa...
It’s a question that’s sparked debate and curiosity for centuries. But what if I told you the answer isn’t just about dietary rules, but about something much deeper – about ethics,...
Isn't it amazing how a single letter can sometimes open a window into a whole world? A world of ancient cultures, political intrigue, and deep-seated beliefs? That's precisely what...
"Jerusalem lay void as a wilderness, there was none of her children that went in or out." It's a stark, desolate image. The mikdash, the sanctuary, is "trodden down." The joy of Ja...
That’s the feeling that must have been weighing heavily on Judas Maccabeus and his small band of fighters as they camped south of Emmaus. The Book of Maccabees I, a historical text...
That’s exactly the situation Judas Maccabeus and his band of rebels found themselves in, as recounted in the Book of Maccabees. Imagine the scene: Judas and his men are facing a fo...
The ancient Israelites knew that feeling all too well. to a story from The Book of Maccabees I, a historical account not found in the Hebrew Bible but considered scripture by some....
Gold, jewels, artifacts of unimaginable beauty... Where did they all go? Sometimes, the answer lies hidden in the stories we think we know. Take, for example, the tale we find in t...
That’s the kind of pressure Simon Maccabeus and his family were facing. Our story picks up in the Book of Maccabees I, Chapter 16. Simon, the leader of the Maccabees after the deat...
The chapter opens with Jacob finishing his seven years of service to Laban, all for the hand of Rachel. The wedding day arrives, a feast is prepared, and everyone gathers to celebr...
The Book of Jasher, an ancient Hebrew text referenced in the Bible itself (Joshua 10:13 and (2 Samuel 1:1)8), fills in some of those gaps. It's like a behind-the-scenes look at the...
We know about Mount Sinai, the thunder, the lightning, the booming voice... but what about the days that followed?Book of Jasher and see what unfolded. The story picks up right aft...
At nearly nine meters long, the Temple Scroll (Megillat HaMikdash, מגילת המקדש) is the longest of all the Dead Sea Scrolls. Found in Cave 11, it may date from the late 2nd century ...
Every other Dead Sea Scroll was written on parchment or papyrus. The Copper Scroll (Megillat HaNechoshet, מגילת הנחושת) was inscribed on sheets of pure copper, rolled up and hidden...
After Daniel exposed the fraud of the idol Bel and destroyed his altar, the Babylonian princes demanded a rematch. According to the Chronicles of Jerahmeel, a 12th-century Hebrew c...
