4,193 related texts · Page 7 of 88
(Deut. 1:1:) “These are the words that Moses spoke….” Israel said, “Yesterday you said (in Exod. 4:10), ‘I am not a man of words.’ And now you are speaking so much?” Rabbi Isaac sa...
We know the big story: the plagues, the Exodus, the parting of the Red Sea. But what about the nitty-gritty details of those first few days of freedom? The Book of Jasher, a text m...
The Book of Jasher, an ancient text referenced in the Bible itself (Joshua 10:13, (2 Samuel 1:1)8), offers some fascinating glimpses.. The chapter opens by setting the stage: It's ...
Ginzberg, in Legends of the Jews, presents a fascinating, almost unsettling, answer. when the time for redemption drew near, fulfilling the promise to Abraham, there was a problem....
But according to tradition, getting the coffin out of Egypt in the first place was a whole adventure in itself. See, according to Legends of the Jews, retold by Louis Ginzberg, Egy...
It's older than you might think. to a story about Moses, negotiation, and a bit of divine debate. So, picture this: Moses is gearing up for war against Sihon, king of the Amorites....
The text tells us that “the sound of their grief pierced to the very heavens.” It paints a vivid picture of despair. And where is Moses, their leader, during all this? He’s gone to...
Moses carried God's message to the people of Israel. He delivered the divine offer: accept the Torah, become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The people responded with unani...
(Devarim 5:26) "Would that this heart of theirs (were in them to fear Me and to keep all of My mitzvot (commandments)h all of the days so that it be good for them and for their chi...
It’s not random. There's a beautiful and intricate choreography to our relationship with the Divine. Take, for example, the dedication of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. The Book of N...
The story of Haman, the villain of the Purim story, is full of them. And according to the Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of rabbinic commentary on the Bible, Haman's plot to annihil...
They saw hidden depths and endless possibilities in the very fabric of the Hebrew language, and one fascinating example of this is their discussion of the words vayhi and vehaya. T...
Our stories are woven into our lineage, and sometimes, those threads get tangled. to a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of N...
This week, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah 19 that touches on exactly that feeling, exploring a moment of high diplomacy – or rather, a diplomatic bric...
We find ourselves at a fascinating crossroads in the book of Numbers, Bamidbar, specifically in Bamidbar Rabbah 21. Moses, our leader, is aging. The question of succession looms la...
We all have. But in Jewish tradition, the words we speak – and the intentions behind them – carry immense weight. Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Bo...
The ancient rabbis certainly thought words held immense power, for good and for ill. to a fascinating interpretation of a verse in Exodus, as explored in Shemot Rabbah, a compilati...
It wasn't just about aesthetics or availability. According to Shemot Rabbah, it was a symbolic statement about history, power, and ultimately, redemption. We read in (Exodus 25:3),...
The text in Shemot Rabbah (a compilation of rabbinic commentary on the Book of Exodus) gives us a fascinating image. It notes the repeated phrases: "The Lord spoke with Moses," "Th...
And there's one particular story that throws this idea into sharp relief: the Giving of the Torah. Now, picture this: At the very beginning, when the Creator shaped the cosmos, the...
Seems simple enough. Except Moses knew better. He knew the hearts of his people, the Israelites. The text tells us, "The last was a most difficult task." See, this wasn't just abou...
The story of Og, King of Bashan, from Legends of the Jews, is a wild ride that explores just that! The Israelites, fresh from their victory against Sihon (a battle that, by the way...
Here, we learn about the not-so-neighborly behavior of the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Arabs toward the Israelites. While the Bariites—known for their compassion—didn't have...
The practical section of Harba de-Moshe (the Sword of Moses) reads like a catalog of emergencies and the divine names that solve them. Fever, snakebite, enemy attack, court cases, ...
The Mekhilta applies the same logic to Moab that it applied to Edom. The verse says "the mighty ones of Moab were seized with trembling," and the rabbis ask the same question: why?...
The Mekhilta examines how the Torah's laws governing Hebrew servants apply equally to men and women. The verse states "the Hebrew man or the Hebrew woman" (Deuteronomy 15:12), and ...
The ancient rabbis knew that feeling well. And they found solace, not in denying the reality of loneliness, but in recognizing that even in the most desolate places, God is present...
It’s pretty astounding, actually. to a seemingly obscure passage in Sifrei Bamidbar, specifically Bamidbar (Numbers) 5:23, and uncover some profound insights. The verse states: "Th...
We're diving deep into the ancient texts today, specifically Sifrei Bamidbar, to explore the laws surrounding the Nazir, the one who takes a vow of separation. It's a fascinating j...
The passage opens with the verse from Devarim (Deuteronomy) 3:23: "And I supplicated (va'ethchanan) the L-rd." Va'ethchanan, the text tells us, is a term loaded with entreaty, a he...
Moses, the great lawgiver himself, knew that feeling. We find in Sifrei Bamidbar, a Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic collection on the Book of Numbers, a poignant momen...
Maybe it's because, according to our tradition, words have power. Real, tangible power. And how we use that power matters. The book of Devarim, Deuteronomy, reminds us of this in a...
The Torah, in the book of Devarim (Deuteronomy), gives us a little geographical detail that hints at a much bigger story about journeys, delays, and maybe even missed opportunities...
He knows they need a good talking-to, a serious reminder of their responsibilities. But he can't just launch into a lecture, can he? Timing, as they say, is everything. Sifrei Deva...
It's like when Moses, in the book of Devarim (Deuteronomy), reminds the Israelites about the land G-d promised them, saying, "which the L-rd swore to your fathers… to Abraham, to I...
Our ancestors apparently felt that way once, and their reaction is It all starts in Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal and homiletical teachings connected to the Book of Deutero...
But the ancient texts are filled with wisdom that reveals the hidden complexities of even the most straightforward commandments. Take, for example, the powerful words in Devarim, (...
It’s a question that's haunted humanity for centuries, and it turns out, our ancient texts grappled with it too. Deuteronomy, or Devarim in Hebrew, isn’t just a list of rules. It's...
What did they face? According to Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)im on the book of Deuteronomy, it was…intense. "And we journeyed fr...
That’s the vibe I get from a beautiful passage in Sifrei Devarim (a rabbinic commentary on the book of Deuteronomy). It’s all about understanding the gift of the Land of Israel. Th...
But doubt whispers in your ear, "Wait, the moment isn't ripe. It's not time." But then comes this powerful declaration: "See, the L-rd your G-d has set the land before you." (Sifre...
That brings us to a fascinating little detail in Sifrei Devarim, a collection of early rabbinic legal interpretations on the book of Deuteronomy. It's all about names and origins, ...
Our tradition understands this deeply. It recognizes that certain events, especially those marked by sorrow or loss, leave an indelible mark, not just on individuals, but on the ve...
Our tradition teaches us that prayer, or tefillah, has a rich tapestry of expressions, each a unique pathway to connecting with the Divine. The Sifrei Devarim, a collection of lega...
Our tradition has something to say about that, specifically through the lens of Moses, no less. The passage from Sifrei Devarim 29 opens with a rather poignant admission. Moses say...
That’s the raw, human ache at the heart of this little story tucked away in Sifrei Devarim. It's a moment of profound frustration for Moses, right at the edge of the Promised Land....
Sometimes, the answers are staring you right in the face, buried in the very place you're trying to escape. In the book of Devarim, Deuteronomy, we find a poignant moment of reflec...
Deuteronomy, or Sifrei Devarim in Hebrew, commands us to love God "with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5). Seems straightforward enough...
