Parshat Kedoshim

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

The Mystical Joy and Intensity of Deep Torah Study

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 10:3

That, my friends, is a glimpse into the mystical world of Torah study as described in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a beautiful, poetic exploration of the Song of Songs. We’re diving into ...

MosesEstherTorahProphecy

The Gifts of Gold That Adorned Israel Like a Bride

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 11:1

It's not just a love poem, but a lens through which to view the most precious gifts given to the Jewish people. to one fascinating interpretation from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a colle...

Noah & FloodJosephMosesSolomon

The Temple Incense as a Direct Line to the Divine

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 14:3

Ever catch a whiff of something amazing and wonder, "What is that?" Our senses are powerful doorways to memory and meaning. And in ancient Jewish tradition, few things were as powe...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsMoses

Sanhedrin and the Dreamer

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 15:2

Take the line, "Your eyes are like doves." What could that possibly mean? Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a classical midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic commentary on the Song of S...

JosephKing DavidTorahTemple

Betzalel Before the Flood

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:1

That’s the feeling at the heart of a beautiful passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs. It starts with the line, "I am a rose of Sharon, a l...

Noah & FloodJosephMosesKing David

Enosh and the Ark of Flood

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 2:3

Like, you look around and wonder, "How did we get here?" Well, ancient Jewish wisdom has some thoughts on that – and a surprising solution involving a rose. to Shir HaShirim Rabbah...

Noah & FloodMosesKing DavidTorah

Abraham and Creation of Shir

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:1

It's a book filled with passionate love poetry, and this verse, 2:5, is especially intriguing: "Support me with raisin cakes, cushion me with apples, for I am lovesick." Simple eno...

CreationPatriarchsSolomonElijah

The Sick Prince Who Needed Rest Before Studying Torah

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:2

He paints a picture in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on Song of Songs, that really resonated with me. Imagine a prince, see? He's been dreadfully ill. Finally, he recovers. ...

AngelsJosephMosesTorah

Death of Hadrian

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:3

That’s how I feel diving into the pages of Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of Rabbinic interpretations of the Song of Songs. Today, we're looking at a fascinating passage from s...

HeavenNoah & FloodJosephMoses

Hanina — Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 7:1

In Shir HaShirim Rabbah 7, the Rabbis unpack a seemingly simple verse – (Song of Songs 2:7): “I administer an oath to you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the hinds...

CreationHeavenAngelsNoah & Flood

Elijah and the Messianic King Hidden in Song of Songs

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 13:4

It's not just about romance; they saw layers of hidden meaning, particularly about the coming of the Messiah. to one fascinating passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a rabbinic comme...

CreationHeavenKing DavidSolomon

Rabbi Tarfon and the Torah

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 14:5

But what are we supposed to do while we're in those shadows? How do we find our way? Rabbi Yosei HaGelili offers a beautiful answer, reading into the very same verse: "My dove, in ...

TorahHoly LandWisdomSolomon

Solomon's Judgment of Rabbis

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 14:6

But Jewish tradition is full of unexpected connections, hidden depths waiting to be uncovered. Today, we're diving into Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a classical rabbinic commentary on the...

MosesSolomonTorahTemple

Why Rebecca Was Barren Before the Nations Could Claim Credit

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 14:8

And, as with many ancient mysteries, there's not just one answer, but a tapestry of explanations woven together. One fascinating perspective comes to us from Rabbi Yehuda, quoting ...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsMatriarchs

Until the Shadows Flee and the Kingdoms Crumble

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 17:1

The verse in question is (Song of Songs 2:17): "Until the day is great and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a fawn on the cleft mountains.” Now, on the ...

CreationHell/GehennaNoah & FloodPatriarchs

Seeking God on the Bed at Night and Not Finding Him

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:1

The Song of Songs, or Shir HaShirim in Hebrew, is filled with that kind of longing. It’s a love poem, yes, but Jewish tradition reads it as an allegory for the relationship between...

JosephMosesSolomonTorah

Daniel's Transgression

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 4:2

Today, we're diving into the Book of Daniel and a fascinating interpretation found in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs. We’re foc...

CreationHeavenHell/GehennaNoah & Flood

Who Ascends From the Wilderness Like Columns of Smoke

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 6:1

It's more than just sand and scorching sun. It's a place of transformation, of revelation, of becoming. : "Who is this ascending from the wilderness like columns of smoke, perfumed...

MosesSolomonTorahTemple

Elisheva's Song

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 6:7

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...

TorahTempleMessiahDeath

The Unsung Heroes Who Organized the Temple Tribes

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 7:2

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...

SolomonTorahTempleHoly Land

Tabernacle in Joseph's Time

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 9:1

It’s a story of intimacy, growth, and the need for appropriate boundaries. to a fascinating interpretation of a verse from the Song of Songs, Shir HaShirim, that sheds light on thi...

JosephMosesSolomonTorah

Divine Presence and the Heavenly Realms

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 10:1

The mystics of old certainly did. And they found echoes of that very quest in the most unexpected places, even in the sensuous poetry of the Song of Songs. Today we’re diving into ...

HeavenMosesSolomonTorah

Betzalel Beyond the Firmament

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 10:2

Rabbi Yuda ben Rabbi Ilai, a sage of the 2nd century, offers a beautiful analogy. He interprets the verse in Song of Songs (3:9), "Palanquin," as referring to the Ark. Now, what's ...

HeavenNoah & FloodMosesSolomon

Your Neck Is Like the Tower of David Built Magnificently

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 4:1

It's filled with poetic imagery, and today we're going to delve into just one verse, (Song of Songs 4:4): "Your neck is like the tower of David, built magnificently. One thousand b...

Hell/GehennaAngelsAdam & EvePatriarchs

Fires of Gehenna

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 4:4

It's not just a love poem, you know. Jewish tradition sees it as an allegory, a story of the love between God and Israel. And within its verses, we find echoes of the Temple, its d...

CreationHell/GehennaCreaturesAdam & Eve

The Scarlet Thread That Turned White on Yom Kippur

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 4:8

That feeling is something our ancestors grappled with intensely after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. And in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the ancient commentary on Song of Son...

CreationHeavenNoah & FloodPatriarchs

Abraham as the Mountain of Myrrh in Song of Songs

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 7:1

The ancient Rabbis did. They poured over the verses, searching for clues. And in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs, we find some fascinating answer...

CreationHeavenAdam & EvePatriarchs

David and His Mighty Men of Rabbis

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 11:1

And like any great poem, it's been interpreted in countless ways. Today, we're diving into one particularly fascinating interpretation from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a rabbinic comment...

King DavidSolomonElijahTorah

Reuben and Creation of Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 12:1

We're looking at verse 4:12-13: “A locked garden is my sister, my bride; a locked fountainhead, a sealed spring. Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates, with delicious fruit,...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsMatriarchs

Your Branches Are an Orchard of Pomegranates and Gifts

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 12:2

Today, we’re diving into a fascinating passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic commentary on the Song of Songs, to explore this very idea....

HeavenAngelsNoah & FloodMoses

How Torah Rulings Flow Like Fresh Water From Lebanon

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 15:1

And the process, according to our tradition, is absolutely fascinating. : how do we arrive at these conclusions, these rulings that guide our lives? It’s a question that’s been pon...

SolomonTorahWisdomHeresy

Did Noah Offer Burnt Offerings or Peace Offerings

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 16:1

We find ourselves pondering just that in a fascinating discussion rooted in the verse from (Song of Songs 4:16): "Awake, north wind, and come, south wind; blow upon my garden, that...

CreationNoah & FloodJosephMoses

Divine Presence at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:1

The Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, saw layers upon layers of meaning in these words. The phrase “I came to my garden” is especially rich. Rabbi Menaḥem, son-in-law of Rabbi Elaz...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveNoah & Flood

Nebuchadnezzar in Joseph's Time

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:1

The ancient rabbis grappled with this feeling, turning to the beautiful, enigmatic verses of the Song of Songs (Shir HaShirim) for answers. to one such interpretation from Shir HaS...

JosephSolomonDanielTorah

Cyrus in the Days of Moses

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 6:1

The mystics of old certainly understood that feeling. They saw it reflected in the relationship between God and Israel, a connection often portrayed as a passionate, complicated lo...

MosesSolomonTorahTemple

Angels Attend to Tatenai

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 7:1

We’re going to delve into a fascinating interpretation found in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Song of Songs. Here, a single verse – "The sentri...

AngelsMosesSolomonTorah

The Fool and the Wise Person Before a Mountain of Dirt

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 11:2

Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Song of Songs, uses this very image to explore how we approach challenges, particularly the challenge of learning To...

MosesKing DavidSolomonTorah

Black as a Raven and the Unshakeable Letters of Torah

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 11:3

The Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of interpretations on the Song of Songs, brings us this fascinating idea. The verse "Black as a raven" sparks a discussion, and Rabbis Alexan...

JosephSolomonTorahPrayer

Hidden Beauty in the Curls Black as a Raven

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 11:5

Jewish tradition teaches us that true beauty often lies hidden, waiting to be discovered. this idea through a fascinating interpretation of a verse from the Song of Songs. We turn ...

TorahHoly LandSinai

Sanhedrin Before the King

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 12:1

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish did, and what he saw was...fire. I know, it sounds intense. But listen to how he described it. The Torah that God gave us, he said, its parchment was white ...

SolomonTorahRepentanceWisdom

Golden Hands and Ivory That Symbolize the Ten Commandments

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 14:1

Take this one: "His hands are rods of gold set with beryl; his belly is a slab of ivory covered with sapphires." (Song of Songs 5:14). Beautiful imagery, but what does it mean? Wel...

Noah & FloodMosesKing DavidSolomon

Rabbi Shimon in Solomon's Court

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 14:3

Today, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs, that explores just that. Specifically, we'r...

SolomonTorahMiracles

Reish Lakish Delivers a Eulogy That Shook the Sages

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 2:5

The ancient rabbis grappled with that same emotion, and their words, preserved in texts like Shir HaShirim Rabbah, offer a glimpse into how they processed grief and honored the dep...

CreationPatriarchsJobTorah

Eve and the Patriarchs

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 2:6

The ancient rabbis grappled with this, too. And in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs, we find a fascinating story that touches on ...

PatriarchsMosesSolomonTorah

Queens and Concubines as Layers of Torah Study

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 9:2

The Torah itself is vast, but then you have the Mishnah, the Talmud... it can feel like an endless ocean. Well, Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a fascinating commentary on the Song of Songs,...

TorahMusic & SongSolomonAdam & Eve

Sixty Righteous Souls Under the Tree of Life in Eden

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 9:3

The passage starts with Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Ilai, who offers an interpretation of the verse mentioning the Tree of Life. He paints a picture of "sixty queens" – these aren't lite...

HeavenAdam & EveJosephTorah

Sixty Queens and Eighty Concubines - An Exodus Allegory

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 9:4

The passage begins by interpreting a verse about those who left Egypt during the Exodus. It states, "There are sixty queens…" But instead of taking this literally, the Rabbis offer...

CreationPatriarchsJosephTorah

The Nut Garden That Reveals the Patriarchs and Torah

Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim Rabbah 11:1

Specifically, the humble nut, as explored in the ancient collection of rabbinic teachings called Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a commentary on the Song of Songs. The verse in question is (...

PatriarchsMosesSolomonTorah