2,028 related texts · Page 16 of 43
Our story revolves around a verse from Deuteronomy (3:24): "Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is in the heavens or on ...
The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, poses this very question: "All the rivers go to the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place that the rivers go, the...
Kohelet Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, delves into the verse "All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full; t...
Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, suggests that "all matters are wearying" – especially matters of heresy. But what does that re...
Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Ecclesiastes, wrestles with this very question, offering us some pretty intense stories. One tale recounts a...
Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, dives right into that tension. And Kohelet Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, unpacks it for us with layers of meaning. Let's look at one short...
It starts with a small city, a vulnerable one. “There was a small city,” the text says, and the rabbis interpret this city as none other than Egypt. “And few men in it” – these, re...
It all centers around Moses, and a rather interesting agreement he makes with Jethro (also known as Yitro), his future father-in-law. Remember, Moses has just fled Egypt after, sha...
to a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, that really gets to the heart of this question. Rabbi Simon, quoting Ra...
Shemot Rabbah, the collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, points this out explicitly. "Come and see," it urges, "how excellent this portion is!" What's so ex...
The answer, according to our Sages, might surprise you. In Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Exodus, we find a fascinating discussion about the Ark, ...
And it all starts with this idea of building a home – not just for ourselves, but for the Divine. We find this idea beautifully illustrated in Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbi...
In Shir HaShirim Rabbah 7, the Rabbis unpack a seemingly simple verse – (Song of Songs 2:7): “I administer an oath to you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the hinds...
To understand, we need to remember what came before that call. Go back to the end of Exodus, to the detailed instructions for building the Mishkan. The text repeats, almost like a ...
One of those moral quandaries that the ancient rabbis loved to wrestle with. They found wisdom in the most unexpected places – even in the behavior of weasels! Vayikra Rabbah, a co...
The Torah tells us of an agreement, a covenant, between God and the Israelites. But the details, as explored in Vayikra Rabbah, are far more intricate and, frankly, a little . Rabb...
And, wouldn't you know it, the Rabbis of old had some pretty interesting ideas! In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus, we find a fascinating...
The ancient rabbis grappled with this question, and their answers, preserved in texts like Vayikra Rabbah, are pretty . Vayikra Rabbah, a midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)...
“Servants rule over us; there is no deliverer from their hand” (Lamentations 5:8).“Servants rule over us,” this is Egypt.11They descend from Ham, who was cursed by Noah that his de...
“He made a banquet for all his princes and his servants.” Antoninus made a feast for Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, who said to him: Perhaps you have not fulfilled your obligation to the lam...
“All the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed and prostrated themselves to Haman, for so had the king commanded concerning him; and Mordekhai would not bow and would n...
What did Mordekhai say to someone who would say to him: “Why are you violating the king’s command?” (Esther 3:3) Rabbi Levi said: Mordekhai would say: ‘Moses our master cautioned u...
Jewish tradition speaks of such moments as revelations of the Shekhinah (שכינה), the Divine Presence. But what exactly does that mean? And what does it look like? Sometimes, it see...
It turns out, even Abraham, our forefather, might have had a moment of… well, not exactly doubt, but perhaps profound wonder. The Torah tells us, in (Genesis 17:17), after God prom...
We're told, in no uncertain terms, that the Land of Israel is the heart of it all. But it doesn't stop there. Jerusalem, we learn, is the heart of the Land of Israel. And within Je...
And the Lord remembered Sarah (Gen. 21:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: That confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messeng...
And the Lord remembered Sarah (Gen. 21:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Then the nations that are left round about shall know that I, the Lord, have builded ...
And Abraham was old, and well stricken in years (Gen. 24:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband (Prov. 12:4). This ve...
And Moses was content to dwell (Exod. 2:21). The word content (vayo’el) is used with reference to an oath, as in the case of Saul: And he adjured (vayo’el) the people (I Sam. 14:24...
It's easy to skim over those verses in Genesis, but the Book of Jubilees gives us a peek into his immediate reaction. The text tells us, “And Abraham fell on his face, and rejoiced...
We're in the aftermath of a huge moment: God’s promise to Abraham. But it's not just any promise; it's a covenant. A sacred agreement. God tells Abraham, "My covenant shall I estab...
In this ancient text, which some consider to be part of the broader Jewish apocrypha, we find a pivotal moment concerning Abraham, his wife Sarah, and a promise that reshapes the d...
Our tale begins in the Book of Jubilees, a text that expands on the stories we find in Genesis. It's a fascinating, sometimes controversial, work that offers a unique perspective o...
The Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish text that expands on the stories of Genesis and Exodus, gives us a peek into that moment. It’s like a family reunion, generations connecting...
A dangerous thing. That’s exactly where we find Esau in the Book of Jubilees, chapter 37. His sons, seeing an opportunity, are pushing him, demanding he lead them into battle again...
While Genesis gives us the basic family tree, other ancient texts fill in fascinating details, sometimes even offering slightly different accounts. Today, we’re diving into one of ...
Our heroes, Tobiyyah and the angel Raphael (disguised as a human, of course), are on a journey. They arrive at Agbatauis (Ecbatana), and Raphael drops a bombshell. "My brother," he...
Remember Tobiyyah (sometimes called Tobias), our hero? He's on this epic journey to retrieve some money for his blind father, Tobit. And he's got the angel Raphael disguised as a h...
That’s the feeling that hangs in the air as we turn to the Book of Tobit, specifically chapter 7. Remember Tobiyyah, our hero, sent on a quest to retrieve some much-needed silver? ...
Seems like a happy occasion. But this isn't your typical "happily ever after" beginning. Sarah, poor thing, has been through the wringer. She's been married seven times before, and...
He was a good man, generous and righteous, but life had dealt him a seriously cruel blow: blindness. But don't worry, this isn't a tragedy; it's a story of hope, faith, and a serio...
Sometimes, looking to other texts can give us a fuller picture. Take, for example, this passage from the Book of Jasher. It begins with a rumble of war. Chedorlaomer, king of Elam,...
Today, we're diving into one of those: a chapter from the Book of Jasher. Now, the Book of Jasher isn't part of the Tanakh. Its authenticity and origins are disputed by scholars. B...
We often focus on the big, dramatic moments – the covenant, the near-sacrifice of Isaac. But what about the everyday stuff? The family dynamics? The sibling rivalry? The Book of Ja...
Chapter 28 opens with a famine, a stark reminder of the challenges faced by our ancestors. Just as his father Abraham had done before him, Isaac considers going down to Egypt for r...
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 fascinating details.. Jacob, now on the run toward Haran...
We pick up with Jacob, now 99 years old, receiving a divine instruction. "Arise, go to Bethel," God tells him, "and remain there, and make there an altar to the Lord who appeareth ...
To recap, the brothers have already journeyed to Egypt to buy food during a brutal famine, encountering the powerful and mysterious Egyptian viceroy– who is secretly their long-los...
