759 related texts · Page 10 of 16
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Psalms, delves into this very concept, specifically focusing on the verse, "The awe of the LORD is pure" (Psalm ...
Today, let's look at a passage from Midrash Tehillim, specifically Midrash Tehillim 78, which grapples with one of the most tragic moments in the Book of Leviticus: the death of Na...
We know Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, received the Torah, and guided them through the wilderness. But did you know some traditions suggest he also served as High Priest? I...
It's all about the Tekufot (תְּקוּפוֹת) – the beginnings of the seasons. Now, the text might seem a little dense at first glance, but bear with me. It's like unlocking a secret cod...
There's a bit of a mismatch, isn't there? According to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating early medieval text, that "bit" amounts to 10 days, 21 hours, and 204 parts! So, what h...
This text, a shorter and later version of the more famous Seder Olam Rabbah, attempts to create a chronological framework for biblical history. Think of it as an ancient attempt to...
Let's take a journey through one particular section of that royal lineage, as recounted in the Seder Olam Zutta, a shorter, later chronicle that builds upon the better-known Seder ...
The verse states, "And the sons of Aaron the Cohanim (priests) shall blow on the trumpets." Now, the Sifrei Bamidbar, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Numbers, ...
It might seem arbitrary, but there's actually a beautiful reason woven into the very fabric of our tradition, one that speaks to God's care for us. Rabbi Shimon, in Sifrei Devarim,...
Buried in Leviticus 22's rules about blemished offerings, the Targum Jonathan inserts one of the most beautiful passages in all of Targumic literature—a theology of sacrifice roote...
The judgment of the wicked in Gehinnom (the place of spiritual purification after death) lasts twelve months, as it says “And it shall be from new moon to new moon…” (Yeshayahu 66:...
Another explanation: As she purified the entire house of her father like the blood of a bird (tzipor, used in purifying some impurities). Rabbi Yose bar Chaninah said, 'They sought...
And [R. Avraham Saba] also explains the reason for the counting of the omer in Parashat Emor, and these are [his] words: And in the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) HaGal...
"The Secret of the Intercalation: On the adjustment of festivals and leap years. In the Talmud: Abba, the father of Rabbi Shmuel, said to Shmuel, 'Does the master know this matter ...
Rabbi Zadok, captive in Rome, refused to be tempted to sin by the slave girl sent by the Matrona, as he declared that he was a descendant of the noblest family of high priests and ...
Simeon b. Kamhith, a high priest, walked about with a heathen king and got his clothes defiled and was incapacitated from acting on the day of atonement. His place was taken by his...
Even Shabbat, the day of rest, felt that way once. Isn't that incredible? Our sages grappled with a question: why did God specifically bless Shabbat? Bereshit Rabbah, a collection ...
The sages of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), those brilliant interpreters of Jewish texts, grappled with this very question. In Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rab...
The Torah is full of such moments, and the Rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) are masters at unearthing the layers of meaning. Let's take a peek into Bereshit...
Our ancestors certainly did. And in Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, we find a beautiful explanation of why Moses chose the stars as a...
to a story from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, that really brings this to life. The story picks up right after the Exodus. Imagine t...
Shemot Rabbah, that incredible collection of Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)im (interpretive stories) on the Book of Exodus, offers a fascinating insight into just this ...
The ancient rabbis did. And they found profound meaning in the garments worn by the priests in the Beit Hamikdash, the Holy Temple. It's a story woven with symbolism and the desire...
Seven, for instance, pops up everywhere – the seven days of creation, the seven days of mourning (shiva), the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot (the Festival of Weeks). But ...
Take the story of Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu. Their sudden, tragic deaths after offering "alien fire" before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1-2) is one of the most jarring moments in th...
It's the idea that God, while ultimately one, expresses different attributes. And one of the most profound shifts happens when we, humanity, turn towards Him in sincere prayer. Rab...
It all starts with the verse: "You shall take for you on the first day…" referring to the mitzvah (commandment) of taking the lulav (palm branch) and other species on Sukkot (the F...
The lulav, the palm branch we wave during Sukkot, the Festival of Booths, seems simple enough. But what if that seemingly innocent branch had a dark secret? Vayikra Rabbah, a fasci...
We know the etrog (citron), the lulav (palm branch), the hadassim (myrtle), and the aravot (willow) are central to the holiday. But beyond their literal forms, Jewish tradition oft...
“How has gold tarnished, the fine gold changed? The sacred stones are spilled at the head of every street” (Lamentations 4:1).“How has gold tarnished [yuam]?” Rabbi Shmuel said: Ho...
The Torah tells us (Genesis 8:10) that Noah waited seven more days and then released the dove again. But why? The Midrash of Philo tackles this head-on, asking a simple but profoun...
In the beginning God created (Gen. 1:1). May it please our master16Many yelammedenu (“may our master teach us”) passages are included in Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) ...
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 it came to pass at the end of two full years (Gen. 41:1). May it please our master to teach us the blessing one should offer on experiencing rainfall when mankind is in dire ne...
And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron: “This is the ordinance of the passover” (Exod. 12:43). There are chapters of the Torah in which a general statement is made at the beginning...
(Numb. 16:1:) “Now Korah […] took.” [What] he took [was] his prayer shawl and he went to get counsel from his wife.11Numb. R. 18:4. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Numb....
It’s all about humility, devotion, and a legacy that blossoms through generations. Ben Sira celebrates those judges of old, "each man by his name, every one who didn't self-glorify...
Ben Sira, in his wisdom, points us to figures who possessed just such insight. He begins with someone who, "with a great spirit… saw the end, and comforted the mourners of Zion." W...
Let’s talk about a figure who, according to ancient texts, literally built the foundations of his community's safety and spiritual life. The Book of Ben Sira, a work of wisdom lite...
The Book of Jubilees gives us a peek into the morning after. Imagine Jacob, still buzzing with the memory of his encounter with the Divine, rushing to tell his father, Isaac. He re...
We’re not talking about a casual prayer here. The situation is dire. Holfernes, the general of Nebuchadnezzar's army, is poised to crush Israel. The people know they're in deep tro...
That’s precisely the scene that unfolds in the Letter of Aristeas. It’s not just any letter; it’s a record, a moment frozen in time, detailing a remarkable exchange between a Jewis...
Our story comes to us from the Letter of Aristeas, a fascinating historical text. Think of it as a first-hand account – or at least, a very cleverly written piece of ancient PR – d...
The Letter of Aristeas gives us a peek behind the curtain. It's a fascinating text, purporting to be from an official in the court of Ptolemy Philadelphus, telling the story of how...
It's not just about the bling, you know. It's about the dedication, the artistry, the sheer audacity of the project. Take, for instance, the story told in the Letter of Aristeas. W...
It’s a fascinating document, purporting to be written by a Greek official named Aristeas to his brother Philocrates. In it, he describes the process of commissioning the translatio...
It’s a question that might make you squeamish, but it also speaks to the incredible ingenuity and meticulousness of the ancient priests. The Letter of Aristeas, a fascinating docum...
We get a glimpse, a vivid snapshot, from the Letter of Aristeas. This letter, a fascinating document from the Hellenistic period, purports to be written by a Greek official named A...
