2,302 related texts · 12 related myths · Page 44 of 48
In Jewish tradition, there are moments where even MOSES, our greatest prophet, seems to do just that. to one of those fascinating instances from Bamidbar Rabbah 19. The verse But t...
The scene opens with Balak, the king of Moab, terrified by the Israelites. He’s hired Bilam, a non-Jewish prophet known for the power of his blessings and curses, to, well, curse I...
It's one of those biblical tales that's just packed with odd details, and the Rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) had a field day unpacking it all. We find a f...
Our story begins in Shittim, a place whose name, as we'll see, carries a weight of meaning. "Israel was dwelling in Shittim, and the people began to engage in harlotry with the dau...
Sometimes, it really was – especially when it came to dividing the land of Israel among the tribes. But this wasn't just some random drawing. Oh no, this involved divine interventi...
That even the greatest among us can have their moments of… well, let’s call it humility. It’s a section that explores how even Moses, the ultimate lawgiver, experienced moments whe...
The Torah, in the book of Numbers (30:2), grapples with this very idea: "Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, saying: This is the matter that the Lord ...
Maybe, just maybe, there's a hidden message in those seemingly random journeys. In the Book of Numbers – in Hebrew, Bamidbar – we find a detailed list of all the places the Israeli...
When the Torah says, “Command the children of Israel, and say to them: For you are coming to the land of Canaan; this will be the land that will fall to you as an inheritance” (Num...
That’s kind of the vibe we get right at the very beginning of Bereshit Rabbah, the classic rabbinic commentary on the Book of Genesis. Rav Huna, quoting Bar Kapara, invokes a verse...
Why "the man" instead of just "man"? It seems to be alluding to someone specific… but who? Well, according to a fascinating interpretation in Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of ancie...
The story of Cain and Abel, as explored in Bereshit Rabbah, the ancient rabbinic commentary on Genesis, offers some pretty profound insights. The familiar version gives us the basi...
Like you've pulled the wool over someone's eyes, maybe even... God's? Well, Bereshit Rabbah, that incredible collection of rabbinic interpretations of Genesis, has something to say...
In Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis, we find this idea explored through a rather unsettling lens: famine. Specifically, the ...
(Genesis 9:18). It seems straightforward. But wait a minute... Was Yefet actually the eldest? That's what some of our Sages wondered. Why does Shem get top billing? Why not list th...
God is often remembered as all-knowing, all-seeing, but the Rabbis in Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of early Jewish interpretations of Genesis, dare to imagine a divine experience ...
In the book of Bereshit, Genesis, we find two such words used to describe key figures: tamim and haya. What do they really mean? , because the Rabbis of old sure had some fascinati...
It wasn't just a knee-jerk reaction of gratitude. According to Bereshit Rabbah, the ancient midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) (interpretive) text on Genesis, there was s...
It's like a chameleon, shifting its color to match the background. Take the Hebrew word hu, meaning "he is" or "he was." It But in Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpr...
Bereshit Rabbah, a classic compilation of Rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Genesis, offers a stunningly beautiful image to explain Abraham’s rise to greatness. It all starts...
Our ancestors certainly did. And in the story of Abraham, we find the ultimate tale of answering that call. God speaks to Abraham, then still Abram, and says, "Lekh lekha" – "Go yo...
Rabbi Azarya, quoting Rabbi Aḥa, starts with a verse from Psalms (45:8): "You love righteousness and abhor wickedness. Because of this, God, your God, has anointed you over your co...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to The Three Altars Abraham Built in the Promised Land. Why three? Well, each altar served a specific purpose, a distinct expression of gratitude and foresigh...
Like, you're on your path, feeling good, and then BAM! Suddenly, everything changes. Maybe it's a job loss, a health scare, or just a general feeling of being lost. How do we react...
Our sages certainly did. to a fascinating exploration from Bereshit Rabbah, specifically section 42, where they dissect the phrase "vayhi bimei" (וַיְהִי בִּמֵי), "it was in the da...
The Torah is full of such moments, and the Rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) are masters at unearthing the layers of meaning. The source turns to Bereshit Ra...
The Book of (Genesis 14:15) tells us, "He divided up against them at night, he and his servants, and he smote them and pursued them until Ḥova, which is north of Damascus." But it’...
The verse in question is (Genesis 14:19): "He blessed him, and he said: Blessed is Abram to God, the Most High, Maker of heavens and earth." But another way to read it is "Acquirer...
It's like a song with a recurring chorus, reminding us of something vital. the story turns to one of those refrains, the reassurance "Fear not, Abram," and see what echoes it holds...
It's packed with hidden meanings, and even a single letter can change everything! Take the word "after," for example. In Hebrew, it can be written as aḥar or aḥarei. Seems like a s...
Abraham, our patriarch, knew that feeling. In (Genesis 15:2), he cries out, "My Lord God, what will You give me, seeing that I go childless, and the one who has charge of my house ...
It all starts with God promising Abraham countless descendants: "Look now to the heavens, and count the stars, if you can count them… So will your offspring be." But it's the phras...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to God's Covenant with Abraham Under the Stars. The verse in question is (Genesis 15:8): “He said: My Lord God, how can I know that I will inherit it?” It’s a...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to What God Revealed to Abraham in the Covenant. Rabbi Yudan brings us a fascinating debate between Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai and Rabbi Akiva. One sage believ...
It says, "Abram was ninety-nine years old, and the Lord appeared to Abram; He said to him: I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be faultless.” Ninety-nine years old. It’s never t...
What does it truly signify? And why there? In Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations of Genesis, we find a fascinating discussion between Rabbi Yishmael ...
It's never accidental. Jewish tradition teaches us that repetitions often hold profound significance, echoing through generations. Take Abraham, for example, our patriarch. We find...
(Genesis 17:23) tells us that Abraham, obedient to God's command, circumcised his son Ishmael and all the males in his household. “Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all those born ...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to Lakish — Abraham at the Dawn of Creation. The rabbis ask: how far is too far? The text poses a scenario: Can you go to an idolatrous fair – that is, a fair...
" Now, Abraham takes center stage. He interprets this verse in light of his own life, specifically his circumcision. He says that after he circumcised himself, many proselytes, con...
Bereshit Rabbah turns to Abraham Welcomes Three Angels with Bread. What's so special about bread? Rabbi Yitzḥak points out a fascinating pattern: Scripture consistently links bread...
The Torah portion Vayera, and specifically (Genesis 18:19), offers a glimpse into this very idea: "For I love him, so that he will command his children and his household after him,...
(Genesis 18:22) tells us, "The men turned from there and went to Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before the Lord.” Seems straightforward. But hold on... The opening phrase, "...
Seriously, Do they zip around at the speed of light? Or do they… well, dawdle a bit? Our story begins, as so many do, in the Book of Genesis, chapter 19, verse 1: “The two angels c...
The story, as you might recall, is…well, let’s just say it’s complicated. After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his daughters are living in a cave. The daughters, be...
That feeling isn't new. Our ancestors knew it well. Take Abraham, for instance. The Torah tells us, "Abraham traveled from there to the region of the south; he lived between Kadesh...
The story of Lot, Abraham's nephew, is a powerful example of this very idea. We find a fascinating, if somewhat harsh, interpretation of Lot's choices in Bereshit Rabbah 52, a coll...
Like something’s not quite adding up. Well, our sages grappled with that very idea, digging deep into a verse in Genesis and a proverb from the Book of Proverbs to uncover some sur...
