1,879 related texts · 4 related myths · Page 5 of 40
The Temple is rebuilt, but something's missing. The sacred texts, the very heart of their identity, are scattered and incomplete. Enter Ezra, a priest and scribe deeply learned in ...
It started from a rooftop. Late one evening, David, king of Israel, conqueror of nations, the man after God's own heart, looked down from his palace and saw a woman bathing. Her na...
It's a portal, a moment when the entire cosmos shifts. According to ancient wisdom, Shabbat (the Sabbath) isn't just about our rest, it's about the universe taking a collective bre...
This blessing, this goodness, isn't just about the taste in our mouths. It's about the health that flows through our bodies, whether we eat a little or a lot. As the Psalmist sings...
Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, offers a fascinating, and frankly mind-bending, explanation. It involves shattering, divine light, and a cosmic repair project We're continuing our expl...
Jewish mysticism teaches that this feeling echoes a cosmic reality – a separation, an exile, that affects everything. The Tikkunei (spiritual repair) Zohar, a central text of Kabba...
The Tikkunei (spiritual repair) Zohar, a mystical companion to the Zohar, certainly thinks so. It's all about unlocking those secrets, revealing the deeper connections between seem...
Not just our exile, the exile of the Shekhinah (the Divine Presence). The Shekhinah, often translated as the Divine Presence, is understood as the feminine aspect of God, the imman...
The Tikkunei (spiritual repair) Zohar, as many know, is a collection of commentaries that "repairs" or "rectifies" the deeper meanings of the Torah. It's not exactly light reading....
It's not always easy to grasp, but the rewards are immense. Our passage starts with this image of fire: "At first, in the heart of the fire of prophecy, and then in the final exile...
Jewish mysticism teaches that everything we do, every choice we make, impacts not just ourselves but the very fabric of the universe. And when it comes to our relationship with the...
The Tikkunei (spiritual repair) Zohar, a core text of Kabbalah, suggests that those feelings might be more profound than we realize. It connects our personal actions to the cosmic ...
The Tikkunei (spiritual repair) Zohar, a central work of Kabbalah, wrestles with this very question. It starts with the beginning, with Bereishit, the first word of the Torah, whic...
"He blessed them on that day, saying: may God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh" (Genesis 48:20). Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev uses Jacob's blessing to explain a peculiar tea...
Jacob lived in Egypt, but his heart was already looking past Egypt. Zohar, Vayechi 1:1 reads "Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years" (Genesis 47:28) as more than the qui...
God never let Israel go into exile alone. The Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, a halakhic midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) from approximately the 3rd century CE, tracks the She...
Rabbi Shimon HaTemani declared that God split the Red Sea in the merit of a single commandment: circumcision. The covenant of Abraham, inscribed in the flesh of every Jewish male, ...
The Holy One Blessed be He heals all who enter the world, viz. (Exodus 15:26) "for I am the L–rd who heals you", (Jeremiah 17:14) "Heal me, O L–rd, and I will be healed. Save me, a...
R. Nathan made a bold comparison between two of the most important covenants in Jewish history. And declared that the covenant with an obscure desert clan was greater than the cove...
(Ibid. 20:8) "Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it": "Remember" and "Keep" (the Sabbath day to sanctify it [Devarim 5:12]) were both stated in one pronouncement. (Exodus 31:14) ...
It is written "Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it," and, opposite it, "You shall not testify (falsely)," whereby Scripture apprises us that one who desecrates the Sabbath ther...
His nephew, Lot, has just departed, choosing a different path, and perhaps a more materially prosperous one. Abram might be feeling a little…lost. Then, something incredible happen...
A world where sorrow turns to song, and ruins give way to radiant hope. What does that world look like? For many Jewish traditions, the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem is cen...
Midrash Mishlei turns to The Rabbis Warn Against the Dangers of Wine. It starts with a verse from (Proverbs 23:29): "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complainin...
" This verse, seemingly simple, becomes a springboard for a deep dive into themes of good and evil, destiny, and the very nature of creation. The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive com...
It’s a feeling as old as time, and it's something the ancient sages grappled with too. Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, dives headf...
Midrash Tehillim, an ancient collection of homiletical interpretations of the Book of Psalms, uses a striking image to describe just such a predicament, and it's one that resonates...
It's not like God shows mercy to Israel for a year or two and then calls it quits! The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) suggests something much deeper is at play here. Th...
The sages of the Midrash Tehillim, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms, knew that feeling well. In their exploration of Psalm 119, they confront this very human e...
The sages teach that sometimes, that very position – being between two good choices – is a blessing in disguise. Think about Samuel the Prophet. According to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer...
Our sages pondered these questions for centuries, and their answers, preserved in texts like Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, might surprise you. It's not just about grand pronouncements or...
The people of Jebus, knowing the Israelites were coming, weren't about to just roll out the welcome mat. But how could they possibly hold off the Israelites, especially knowing abo...
The story we find in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Chapter 36, about King David and the conquest of Jerusalem, reveals just that. It's a fascinating glimpse into how deeply the covenant ...
Our guide today is a passage from Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a captivating work of Jewish legend and lore. Specifically, The passage begins with King David, a warrior, a poet, a king....
The scene: Jacob is on his deathbed. He summons his beloved son, Joseph. This isn't just a goodbye; it's a moment of profound importance. Jacob says, "O my son! Swear to me by the ...
Our tradition grapples with this question constantly. Take the story of Isaac and Esau, for example. It’s a family drama, a theological debate, and a reminder of the power – and li...
The story starts with Rabbi Elazar, son of 'Arakh. He makes a rather pointed claim: God only told Abraham about his descendants’ future exile after Abraham was able to have childre...
It’s a theme that echoes throughout Jewish history, a bittersweet dance between redemption and exile. that a bit. The Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of Midrashic (rabbinic interpret...
Our tradition grapples with this question intensely, especially when dealing with accidental death and the concept of atonement. to a passage from the Yalkut Shimoni on Torah, spec...
The Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) teachings, gives us a glimpse into the heart of Moshe at this pivotal moment, drawing on Torah 816...
Jewish tradition certainly grapples with this idea, especially when considering the long and often painful history of exile. In the Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of rabbinic commen...
It's something the Jewish people have grappled with throughout our history, especially during times of exile. Being uprooted, torn from your home, your land, everything familiar. H...
The verse Seems straightforward. But as with so much in Jewish tradition, the simplicity The first reading hides layers of meaning. The rabbis of old loved to unpack these layers, ...
The verse Now, what exactly does that mean, "the oath of the curse?" It sounds rather…intense, doesn't it? The text goes on to unpack this phrase. It references (Leviticus 5:1), wh...
, guided by the ancient text of Sifrei Bamidbar. Why was such a covenant even necessary? Because, as the text explains, Korach challenged Aaron's priesthood. Imagine a king giving ...
Sifrei Bamidbar turns to Covenant of Moses of Israelites. Why wasn't Moses allowed to enter? The verse reads, "because of you." Because of the Israelites' actions at the waters of ...
We've all been there. But what does Jewish law say about the power – and responsibility – of our words? This week, It wrestles with the intricacies of vows, oaths, and the weight t...
When a Father Can Nullify His Daughter's Sacred Vows is the question behind this passage from Sifrei Bamidbar. The Sifrei doesn't stop there. It asks: What if the father doesn't di...
