1,676 related texts · 3 related myths · Page 35 of 35
The book of Job asks, "Who set wisdom batuḥot?" (Job 38:36). The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), specifically Vayikra Rabbah, explores this, asking, what even is batuḥo...
" But immediately, the text veers into a discussion about the number of God's "troops." A seemingly simple question explodes into a profound meditation on divine presence and loss....
Vayikra Rabbah turns Shelomit's name into a clue for reading one of Leviticus's most charged episodes. The passage in (Leviticus 24:10-11) sets the stage: "The son of an Israelite ...
In Vayikra Rabbah 37, the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) explores this idea through a fascinating lens: vows. Specifically, it looks at instances where individuals made...
“A princess among the nations,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because Israel violated the terms that they accepted at Sinai, therefore, “she has become a vassal [lamas].” Sinai is lamas, the...
Even the angels turned against Israel. According to Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Hanan, quoted in Eikhah Rabbah (a 5th-century CE midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) commentary o...
“Even now, our eyes fail toward futile help. In our waiting, we awaited a nation that cannot save” (Lamentations 4:17).“Even now, our eyes fail.” What would the Ten Tribes do? They...
“Remember, Lord, what befell us; look, and see our disgrace” (Lamentations 5:1).“Remember, Lord, what befell us.” Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “The greyhound, or the goat” (Proverbs 30:31)...
“Also, Vashti the queen made a women’s banquet in the royal palace of King Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:9). Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Simon began: “My people, its oppressors are babes an...
Another interpretation: “From people [mimtim] by Your hand” – who are these courageous men who took theirs from under the hand of God? And who was that? That was the generation of ...
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...
“The text of the document was that an edict be issued in every province, to be publicly displayed to all the peoples: Be ready for that day” (Esther 3:14). “The text of the documen...
“For if you are silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish; who knows if it was for a time ...
“The king said to her: What troubles you, Queen Esther, and what is your request… Esther said: If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet… The king sa...
It sounds radical, I know. Some accounts say God bestowed immense honor upon Moses, gifting him dominion over the entire earth, the seas, the rivers – all the elements themselves. ...
They dared to ask: Who really governs all those hidden worlds the Kabbalists only hinted at? : If Zeir Anpin, the "Small Face" – a Kabbalistic term for one of the configurations of...
Our tradition teaches us a vital principle: we don't prostrate ourselves before the Sefer Torah, the Torah scroll itself. It's not about worshipping parchment and ink. Instead, as ...
The Wars of God turns to Can Elijah Really Appear to Someone After Death. In some, that person might be peddling falsehoods, and the stakes are incredibly high. Maimonides, in his ...
It goes deep, friends. Really deep. Not just a quick chat, but a full-on investigation, using seven different interrogations! Seven? Why seven? Well, It's not enough to just hear w...
We call Him by names like YHWH and Adonai, and our sages, may their memory be a blessing, refer to Him as HaKadosh Baruch Hu, "The Holy One, Blessed be He." But what does it all me...
Jewish mysticism offers us a glimpse, a whisper of understanding, and some of the most fascinating insights come from the Zohar, the foundational text of Kabbalah. And within the Z...
(Genesis 2:15). But not the man created in God’s image? It’s a question that has puzzled thinkers for centuries. What’s the deal? Some folks, taking a rather literal view, suggest ...
(Genesis 7:4) tells us that the rain fell for this specific duration, but why this particular number? Philo, in his Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), explores this very q...
Philo, a Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria in the first century CE, delved into these questions. He wrote extensively on the Torah, often offering allegorical interpretati...
The Torah tells us Noah sent it out not once, but twice. The first time, it came back with an olive branch – a sign of hope! But the second time… nothing. It just... didn’t return....
Philo, the great Jewish philosopher of Alexandria, grappled with these questions centuries ago. And his interpretations, preserved in what we call The Midrash of Philo, offer a fas...
Some interpret this verse as God’s permission for humanity to eat meat. After the flood, the world was starting anew, and perhaps a new dietary allowance was being granted. But is ...
Take Noah’s blessing of his sons after the flood. It's a doozy. Specifically, Noah says, "God shall enlarge Japhet, and bid him to dwell in the house of Shem; and Canaan shall be t...
Take this passage from The Midrash of Philo. Now, Philo of Alexandria, he was a fascinating figure – a Jewish philosopher living in Egypt during the Roman era. He tried to bridge t...
Come, let us deal wisely with them (Exod. 1:9). In saying this he blasphemed against the On High. The Holy One said to them: No matter what you plan to do against Israel, it will i...
And he went out on the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving together (Exod. 2:13). Who were these men? They were Dathan and Abiram, who later said: Let us m...
And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand (Exod. 13:16). Upon thy hand refers to the biceps. Between thine eyes refers to the top of the forehead. Where is that located? The school ...
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 thou shalt command the children of Israel (Exod. 27:20). If the lamp which is not for the purpose of eating requires pure olive oil, should not the meal-offerings, which are fo...
And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light (Exod. 27:20). The Israelites declared: Master of the Universe, it is s...
And thou shalt command (Exod. 27:20). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair (Song 1:15). R. Akiba said: The e...
When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel (Exod. 30:12). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Thy navel is like a round goblet, thy belly is like a heap o...
(Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” Let our master instruct us: When the one who leads the prayers makes a mistake by not saying the benediction on the cursing of the ...
(Numb. 2:2:) “Each with his standard.” This text is related (to Deut. 32:10), “He found him (i.e., Jacob) in a desert land.” [It was] a great find, [when] the Holy One, blessed be ...
(Numb. 33:1:) “These are the stages of the Children of Israel.” [The matter] is comparable to a king whose son was ill.4Numb. R. 23:3. He brought him to a certain place to heal him...
(Numb. 34:2:) “When you come [into the land of Canaan].” This text is related (to Jer. 2:31), “You, O generation, understand the word of the Lord! Have I been a desert (hmdbr, vowe...
It is written (in Prov. 3:9), “Honor the Lord with your wealth.” Thus if you are handsome, do not be uncontrolled in sexual matters, lest people say, “So and so is handsome but not...
Another explanation (of Deut. 14:22), “You shall tithe, tithe.” This is related to the verse (in Is. 24:5), “And the earth was distorted under its inhabitants, because they transgr...
O my dove, in the cranny of the rocks (Song of Songs 2:14): This is that which is stated in the verse (Psalms 18:3), "The Lord is my rock and my fortress." Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat s...
