759 related texts · Page 8 of 16
The verse we're looking at is (Exodus 12:21): “Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said to them: Draw, and take for yourselves lambs for your families, and slaughter the pas...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. to a fascinating interpretation from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Exodus. It all begins with a seemingly simple...
The story starts with a seemingly simple commandment: "This is the statute of the paschal offering." Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta paints a vivid picture: God, blessed be He, instructs ...
That’s the story woven into the ancient commentary on the Song of Songs, Shir HaShirim Rabbah, and it centers on a woman named Elisheva. The verse "Who is this ascending…," from (S...
We often think of the priests, the Kohanim, but the story is so much richer than that. to a fascinating passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on the Song of Songs, wher...
The prophet Isaiah offers a powerful message of hope in such moments: "Let the wicked forsake his way and the man of iniquity his thoughts" (Isaiah 55:7). But what does that actual...
Take, for example, the instructions for bringing a minchah, a meal offering, found in Leviticus. It might seem like a simple act, but the Rabbis find layers of meaning and insight ...
Moses stood in the wilderness, preparing a special oil. According to Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai, this wasn't just any oil; it was a vessel for miracles from the very beginning. Th...
They ask some fascinating questions about the roles of Moses and Aaron, especially during those pivotal moments of transition. : we know Aaron becomes the High Priest. But what abo...
Today, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah 12 that explores the dangers of overindulgence. It all starts with a verse from Leviticus (10:9): “Wine or intoxi...
Rabbi Levi, in Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah) 15, cuts right to the heart of it. He teaches that blessed actions – acts of kindness, of justice, of integrity – bring blessing ri...
Vayikra Rabbah, specifically chapter 20, dives right into this difficult territory. It starts with a quote from Proverbs (17:26): “To punish also the righteous is not good." It's a...
The story centers around Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron, Moses' brother and the High Priest. These two weren’t just any ordinary guys. They were close to the top, practically J...
And it's one that the ancient rabbis understood deeply. They wrestled with these feelings in their interpretations of scripture, offering us a timeless roadmap for finding strength...
Like someone's pointing out all your flaws, comparing you to others, and generally making you feel... unworthy? Well, according to some ancient Jewish texts, even the Israelites fa...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. to a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, and see what secrets we can uncov...
to a fascinating little story from Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah), a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus. Rabbi Berekhya, quoting Rabbi Levi, tells a...
We often think of greatness in terms of power or fame, but the ancient rabbis had a more nuanced view, especially when it came to the leaders of the Jewish people. In Vayikra Rabba...
We often overlook the seemingly insignificant, but Jewish tradition teaches us that profound blessings can reside even there. Take, for instance, the omer offering. What exactly is...
We find a surprisingly intimate answer tucked away in Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus. Rabbi Yoshiya starts us off with a verse from (Psa...
It's more than just tradition; it's a cosmic reset button! to a fascinating interpretation from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus, that she...
It's more than just tradition; it's a lesson in priorities and a reminder of what truly sustains us. The verse in Leviticus (23:40) instructs us: "You shall take for you on the fir...
And the story, as recounted in Vayikra Rabbah 34, is It all started on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, a time for reflection and new beginnings. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, a promi...
There was an incident involving Miriam bat Baitus, whom Yehoshua ben Gamla betrothed [to him], and the king appointed him to be the High Priest.173He was appointed to this position...
And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, went out (Gen. 34:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: All honor to the king’s daughter within the palace (Ps. 45:14). R. Yosé...
(Lev. 8:3:) “And assemble the whole congregation.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Pay him honor in front of all Israel, in order that they may see him today when he e...
(Lev. 22:26-27:) “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born.” This text is related (to Ps. 36:7), “Your righteousness is like the mighty mounta...
(Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness (rt.: tsdq) is like the mighty mountains; [Your judgments are like the great deep].” R. Judah bar Simon said, “The charity (rt.: tsdq) which You did...
R. Tanhuma opened [his discourse] (with Job 41:3), “Who has advanced Me anything that I shall repay him; everything under the heavens is Mine.”40Lev. R. 27:2; PRK 9:2. This refers ...
(Lev. 22:27) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat.” R. Jacob bar Zavday in the name of R. Abbahu opened [his discourse] (with Ezek. 29:16), “And it shall no more be a source of satisf...
(Lev. 22:27:) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat.” This text is related] (to Eccl. 3:15), “That which is has already happened.” R. Judah and R. Nehemiah [differ].48PRK 9:4; Lev. R. ...
(Lev. 22:27:) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat […].” This text is related (to Micah 6:3), “My people, what have I done to you and how have I wearied you; testify against Me.”51PRK...
(Lev. 22:27:) “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” This text is related (to Is. 41:24), “Behold (hen), you are nothing (me'ayin), and your work is naught (me’afa’); an abomination shall ...
The bull was due to the merit of Abraham of whom it is stated (in Gen. 18:7), “Then Abraham ran unto the herd [...] (for a calf to feed his heavenly visitors).”59Lev. R. 17:9; PRK ...
(Lev. 22:28:) “In the case of an animal from the herd or the flock, [you shall not slaughter] it and its offspring on the same day.”66Although the nouns here are masculine singular...
(Lev. 22:29:) “And when you sacrifice an offering of thanksgiving to the Lord.” R. Pinhas, R. Levi, and R. Johanan said in the name of R. Menahem of Galilee, “In the future to come...
(Lev. 22:27), “And from the eighth day on [it shall be acceptable for an offering by fire to the Lord].” So that your [evil] drive not lead you astray by saying that there is eatin...
(Lev. 22:27:) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat.” This text is related (to Ps. 27:6), “And now shall my head be lifted up over my enemies round about me and I will offer sacrifice ...
(Lev. 23:40:) “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day [beautiful tree fruit, branches of palm trees, boughs of dense trees and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoi...
(Lev. 23:40:) “And you shall take for yourselves.” [Take (rt.: lqh) implies] by a full purchase (rt.: lqh), for you are not to persist in stealing it.84ySuk. 3:1 (53c); Suk. 43a; L...
(Lev. 23:40:) “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day.” Is it the first [day]?97Lev. R. 30:7; PRK 27:7. Is it not the fifteenth day? So how is it the first? It is simpl...
(Lev. 24:10:) “Now there went out the son of an Israelite woman.” From where did he go out?103Lev. R. 32:3. R. Levi says, “He went out from his world, just as it is stated (in I Sa...
(Lev. 24:10:) “Now there went out the son of an Israelite woman, [whose father was Egyptian].” From where did he go out? R. Hiyya bar Abba said, “He went out from the Parashah on g...
(Numb. 20:25-26:) “Take Aaron [and his son Elazar] […,] And strip Aaron.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “See, you may console him that he is bequeathing his crown to ...
And it all starts with a letter. I'm talking about the Letter of Aristeas. It's not actually part of the Bible itself, but it's a fascinating ancient text that claims to tell us ho...
It begins with a letter. Not just any letter, but the Letter of Aristeas. Now, the actual author of this letter is debated by scholars. But for now, let's just call him Aristeas. H...
Sparta? Yes, that Sparta, of ancient Greece! The story unfolds in the Book of Maccabees I, a historical text not included in the Hebrew Bible but considered canonical by some Chris...
Sometimes, history throws us these little gems that remind us we’re all more connected than we realize. And that's exactly what we find in the Book of Maccabees. The Book of Maccab...
