Parshat Kedoshim

4,670 related texts · Page 75 of 98

The holiness code: love your neighbor, respect parents, keep Shabbat, honest dealings, and ethical commandments. Leviticus 19:1-20:27.

Moses and the Torah of Omnipresent

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 17:1

Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, for those unfamiliar, is a fascinating early medieval text, a midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), that weaves together biblical narrative, legend, a...

MosesTorahDeath

Saga of Saul

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 17:6

The Book of Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating and often imaginative work of Jewish literature, poses this very question. And it answers it with a story of courage, loyalty, and...

TorahKingsLoveDivine justice

Moses Ascends Through the Seven Heavens to Find Torah

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 18:10

And if we look into the ancient texts, we find some pretty amazing answers. to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating early medieval text that retells and expands upon biblical narr...

CreationHeavenMosesTorah

World to Come of Shabbat

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 19:1

It's a portal, a time set apart. And according to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a beautiful, almost novelistic Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), keeping Shabbat (the Sabbath) b...

Adam & EveNoah & FloodPatriarchsMoses

David and the Ark

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 19:6

Well, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating early medieval text filled with aggadic (story-based) interpretations of the Torah, offers a glimpse into the significance of ten in Jew...

Noah & FloodKing DavidTorahHoly Land

The Day Adam Realized What His Sin Had Cost

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 19:9

Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating text compiling midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic stories and interpretations, dives right into this idea. It opens with a powerful ...

Adam & EveTorahPrayerWisdom

The First Murder and What the Bible Left Unsaid

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 21:9

We know the story. Jealousy, anger, the first murder. But the Bible itself is remarkably silent on the details. That's where the rich tapestry of Jewish tradition steps in, filling...

TorahViolenceNoah & FloodDivine justice

Noah's Mistake That Echoed the Fall of Adam

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 23:12

We often picture him releasing the dove, seeing the rainbow, and then… silence. But life, as it always does, went on. And with life, came choices, mistakes, and some pretty strange...

HeavenAdam & EveNoah & FloodJoseph

When Abraham Counted the Stars and Believed God

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 28:3

That feeling, that sense of wonder and a connection to something vast, is at the heart of this story about Abraham, our patriarch. According to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinatin...

HeavenNoah & FloodPatriarchsDaniel

Edom's Legacy

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 28:9

We all know the big moments in his life – the covenant, the almost-sacrifice of Isaac. But sometimes the quiet moments, the unspoken fears, reveal the deepest longings of the heart...

PatriarchsKing DavidDanielTorah

Isaac Circumcised Both Jacob and Esau on the Eighth Day

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 29:10

Our journey begins with Isaac. According to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 29, Isaac himself circumcised his twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Now, here's where the plot thickens. The text sugges...

Noah & FloodPatriarchsJosephMoses

Why Israel Skipped Circumcision in the Wilderness

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 29:15

We all know it's a fundamental ritual in Judaism, a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham. But what about the times when it wasn't done quite. The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a ...

Noah & FloodPatriarchsMosesTorah

Why Elijah Attends Every Jewish Circumcision

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 29:16

There’s usually a story behind it, a reason that goes way back. Take circumcision, for instance. Beyond the physical act, did you know there's a tradition of covering the foreskin ...

CreationNoah & FloodElijahTorah

The Binding of Isaac Was Abraham's Greatest Trial

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 31:1

Talk about trials! And the tenth, according to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, that's the one that really takes the cake. "And it came to pass after these things, that God did prove Abraha...

PatriarchsTorahTemple

Rebecca's Prayer

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 32:11

The story begins with a heartbreaking reality: Rebecca was barren for twenty long years. Imagine the hope, the prayers, the quiet desperation. Finally, Isaac, her husband, takes he...

PatriarchsMatriarchsTorahSoul

Rebecca's Bold Plan to Steal Esau's Blessing

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 32:15

Here he is, a man learned in Torah, yet understandably terrified of receiving his father's curse instead of a blessing. Can you blame him? His mother, Rebecca, steps in, offering a...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsTorah

Rabbi Eliezer Studies Torah

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 34:8

Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, in chapter 34, paints a stark, yet ultimately hopeful, picture of this very moment. The text tells us that a person has three friends in their lifetime: the...

TorahMessiahSoulDeath

David's Ambitious Campaign to Conquer the Land of Edom

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 37:1

It all starts with King David, and his ambition to conquer the land of Edom. According to this ancient text, David really wanted to come into the land of Edom, but he couldn't. Why...

AngelsNoah & FloodPatriarchsKing David

Jacob's Family Journeys Back to Isaac in Hebron

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 38:5

The story in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer paints a pretty vivid picture. Imagine the scene: Jacob, with his sons, grandsons, wives, the whole shebang, journeys to Kirjath Arba, wanting t...

PatriarchsTorahHoly Land

Rabbi Dosethai at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 38:23

It all started when the Israelites were exiled from Samaria to Babylon. The king, wanting to keep things running smoothly (and, let's be honest, to keep the tax money flowing), sen...

CreationTorahHoly LandExile

Ezra Studies Torah

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 38:25

Ezra, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jehozadak – powerful figures in their time – are leading a grand assembly. They’ve gathered 800 priests, 800 children, and – im...

TorahTempleMessiahSoul

When Moses Stood Before the Burning Bush at Horeb

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 40:5

We find him, as Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer (Chapter 40) tells us, leading his flock. Not just anywhere, mind you, but all the way to Horeb. That's right, Mount Sinai, also known as Hor...

MosesTorahTempleHoly Land

Why God Showed Moses Fire in a Thorn Bush

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 40:9

It's more than just a divine special effect. It's a symbol, layered with meaning, hinting at the complex relationship between Israel and the world. : fire and thorns. Not exactly a...

PatriarchsMosesTorahHoly Land

When God Offered the Torah to Every Nation on Earth

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 41:2

Chapter 41 gives us a glimpse into a rather… unique sales pitch, shall we say. Rabbi Tarphon recounts a scene where the Holy One, blessed be He, doesn't just give the Torah, but ac...

PatriarchsJosephMosesTorah

The Staff Moses Raised to Split the Red Sea

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 41:10

Let’s talk about Moses. We all know Moses. The guy who led the Israelites out of Egypt, parted the Red Sea, received the Torah on Mount Sinai. A towering figure of faith and leader...

MosesTorahHoly Land

Why God Told Moses to Fetch Aaron Before the Torah

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 41:11

The story, as we find it in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 41, is quite fascinating. God, ready to proclaim the Torah, tells Moses to go down to the Israelite camp. "Go down, charge the pe...

JosephMosesTorahEgypt

Moses Drew Near to God Through Darkness

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 41:15

But why from darkness? Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating text of Jewish lore, gives us a glimpse into this mystery. The text points out that when it comes to Moses, the Torah s...

CreationMosesTorahHoly Land

Everyone at Sinai Was Transformed by God's Voice

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 42:1

Rabbi Phineas paints a breathtaking picture. He suggests that everyone who heard that voice—the entire generation at Sinai—were elevated, transformed, made worthy of being like the...

AngelsJosephMosesTorah

Pharaoh and the Angels

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 42:13

The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating and often poetic work of Midrash (Jewish Biblical exegesis), gives us a glimpse into the hearts and minds of the Israelites at that pivota...

AngelsMosesTorahPrayer

David and Goliath of Abishai

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 43:2

Rabbi Abbahu, a sage from the Amoraic period, tells us to look at the story of King David to understand this power. Now, you probably know the story of David. Shepherd boy, slayer ...

Noah & FloodKing DavidTorahTemple

The Sapphire Tablets Were Not Made by Human Hands

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 46:3

Rabbi Tachanah, quoted in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer (chapter 46), gives us a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain. He says the tablets weren't some earthly creation, dug up from the...

MosesTorahEgyptExodus

Angels Tried to Keep the Torah for Themselves

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 46:5

It’s a story filled with divine drama, a bit of celestial squabbling, and Moses, our ever-persistent leader, standing his ground. , shall we? The scene: Moses is up in the heavenly...

AngelsMosesTorahWisdom

The Zealous Act of Phineas That Stopped a Plague

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 47:9

The tale centers around Phineas, a figure known for his zeal and righteousness. Rabbi Elazar of Modein tells us that Phineas took a dramatic step. He placed a ban – a serious prohi...

HeavenTorahDivine NamesHoly Land

Abraham in Exile

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 48:3

to a fascinating passage from Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a beautiful and somewhat enigmatic work of Jewish lore. We're going to unravel a little mystery surrounding the Israelite sojo...

PatriarchsJosephTorahHoly Land

Why Moses Fled Egypt and Escaped to Midian

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 48:10

The Torah tells us that Moses, having fled Egypt after, well, that incident, was trying to settle into life in Midian. But trouble seemed to follow him. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a f...

TorahMosesEgyptViolence

Abraham Isaac and Jacob of Egypt

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 48:14

We read the story every Passover, we sing the songs, but sometimes the sheer horror of it can get lost in the ritual. Rabbi Akiva, a towering figure in Jewish tradition, pulls no p...

Noah & FloodPatriarchsJosephMoses

The Hand of God Behind Each of the Ten Plagues

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 48:16

Not just any hand, mind you, but the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He. Rabbi Ishmael, in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer (Chapter 48), unveils a fascinating idea: each finger on God's ri...

Noah & FloodPatriarchsMosesTorah

Wisdom of Rabbi Eliezer

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 48:17

They stretch, bend, or take on a new form entirely. It's more than just aesthetics; according to Jewish tradition, these final forms, the sofit, hold a profound secret, a key to un...

PatriarchsJosephMosesJob

Kingdom of Artaxerxes

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 49:9

Rabbi Jonathan kicks things off by talking about Artaxerxes, the last king of Media who ruled in Babylon. He reigned for 32 years. How do we know? Well, Rabbi Jonathan points us to...

King DavidEstherTorahTemple

Mordecai and the First Humans

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 50:1

But Rabbi Shema'iah, in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer (chapter 50), asks a pretty sharp question: Was Mordecai really the only Jew in the entire city of Shushan? I mean, ((Esther 9:1)5) c...

Adam & EveEstherTorahPrayer

What the Prophets Saw About the End of Days

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 51:1

The Jewish tradition has never shied away from asking the big questions, and when it comes to the end of days, well, let's just say things get pretty interesting. One fascinating g...

CreationHeavenTorahHoly Land

Ezekiel in Jewish Tradition

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 51:13

Sounds like something out of a fairy tale. Well, according to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer (chapter 51, to be exact), such a place exists, or at least, the potential for it does. The tex...

TorahHealingAdam & EveMiracles

Written and Oral Law of Cushite

Midrash Aggadah Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 53:6

Who are they?" Well, the Cushites were an ancient people from the region of Cush, generally understood to be in modern-day Sudan and Ethiopia. They were often depicted as having da...

TorahHoly LandShabbat

God Sees the End from the Very Beginning of Time

Midrash Aggadah Tanna DeBei Eliyahu Rabbah 1:2

The text states, "Blessed is the Lord, blessed is He, who recognizes at the start what will be in the end... And He foresees for good and He does not foresee for evil." It's a powe...

CreationKing DavidSolomonEsther

Devorah's Vision

Midrash Aggadah Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 42:7

The Yalkut Shimoni, a vast collection of rabbinic commentary and interpretations, grapples with this very question as it explores the story of Devorah, the prophetess and judge. Th...

CreationHeavenAngelsElijah

Rosh Hashanah's Transgression

Midrash Aggadah Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 359:2

The Yalkut Shimoni, a fascinating compilation of Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic literature, explores this very idea. Specifically, it delves into the delicate balance...

Hell/GehennaTorahTempleProphecy

Moshe and Creation of Hashem

Midrash Aggadah Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 499:1

That feeling isn’t new. In fact, there's a beautiful passage in the Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 499 that speaks directly to this. It uses the image of extinguished candles to describe t...

CreationHeavenHell/GehennaAngels

Marriage of Elimelech

Midrash Aggadah Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 599:1

It happens. But what if that silence has bigger consequences than you realize? The Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of rabbinic commentary on the Hebrew Bible, has a fascinating, and ...

TorahDivine justiceAdam & EveWomen of the Bible