714 related texts · 5 related myths · Page 5 of 15
The story of Ruth is all about that, about choosing a people, a faith, a destiny. And it begins with those famous words: "Your people shall be my people, and your God my God." (Rut...
Shemot Rabbah, a rich collection of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers a powerful reading of the verse "Then Moses…sang [thi...
The verse in question is (Exodus 34:27), "Write for yourself these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel." But what does "these ...
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, citing Rabbi Natan, makes a rather astonishing claim. He says that the 18 commands mentioned in the portion of the Tabernacle actually correspond to the 18...
A passage from Vayikra Rabbah 13 that explores just that. It all starts with the verse, "The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them" (Leviticus 11:1). Seems straightforwa...
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...
King David certainly did. In Vayikra Rabbah 30, we find a fascinating exploration of just that – David's quest for the "way of life" and "abundant joy," as he puts it in (Psalm 16:...
Blessings is often remembered as straightforward – good health, wealth, maybe a loving family. But what if there's a deeper layer to unpack? What if the blessings themselves aren’t...
These are the accounts of the Tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). Scripture states elsewhere: A faithful man shall abound with blessings; but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unp...
(Lev. 20:9:) “For anyone whatever who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” So too is it stated (Exod. 21:17), “He who curses his father or his mother shal...
R. Levi opened [his discourse] (with Ps. 9:6), “You have rebuked the nations; you have destroyed the wicked one”: “You have rebuked the nations.” This refers to Amalek, of which it...
Megillat Antiochus turns to Mattithyah in Heaven. The scroll itself is a fascinating piece of Jewish literature, probably composed sometime in late antiquity. It retells the story ...
After Abram's bold declaration against idol worship (in the previous chapter), King Nimrod isn't too pleased. According to the Book of Jasher, Nimrod had Abram thrown into prison f...
The familiar story centers on his dramatic rescue as a baby, floating down the Nile in a basket. But what happened next, after he was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter? The Book of Jas...
Even the great prophet Elijah, the fiery champion of God, reached that point. Elijah, fresh from his triumph over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (I Kings 18), is now running ...
In Legends of the Jews, on day one, God brought forth ten things. ten fundamental aspects of existence all popping into being at once. That's a lot to unpack! The heavens and the e...
The familiar telling remembers the wickedness of humankind, but some fascinating stories lurk beneath the surface, involving Watchers, giants, and divine justice. In Legends of the...
The weight of a vow to the Almighty, left unfulfilled. According to Legends of the Jews, as retold by Ginzberg, Jacob found himself in just such a predicament. He'd made a vow at B...
What would you say? Would you offer blessings, warnings, or maybe even a bit of both? That's what happened with Jacob, also known as Israel, as he lay dying in Egypt, surrounded by...
The traditional texts give us some fascinating, and sometimes surprising, details. Jacob, having blessed each of his sons individually, gathers them all together for one final, pow...
In Legends of the Jews, these were Judah's parting thoughts to his sons. He begins by reminding them of his strength, his obedience to his father, and the blessings he received. "I...
Pharaoh has decreed that all Hebrew baby boys must be killed. What's a mother to do? As Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) tells us, she takes matters into her own hands. She builds an...
It’s a fascinating exercise, and sometimes, you stumble upon something truly surprising. Like this: who was the most righteous of Esau's sons? You might be surprised to learn it wa...
They're prophecies, warnings, glimpses into the future, and sometimes, even clues about the fate of nations! Remember the story of Joseph in Egypt? He's not just interpreting dream...
Take the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. accepting Judaism isn't just a declaration; it's a process. A transformational journey. The tradition says a convert must undergo th...
The story of Balaam is a strange one, filled with prophecy, curses, and a talking donkey (yes, really!). But at its heart, it's a story about choice, and how our actions can either...
It wasn't always a simple, smooth affair, as we learn in the fascinating accounts woven into the tradition of Jewish legend. The scene: Moses, nearing the end of his life, is deter...
Asa started off strong. He was a more righteous ruler than his father. One of his first acts, as Ginzberg tells us in Legends of the Jews, was to abolish the worship of Priapus, a ...
The Book of Esther tells a powerful story, but it often feels like we're only getting a glimpse. The Bible mentions Mordecai and his niece Esther, but in just a few words. What abo...
Our story today takes us to 16th-century Safed, a center of Jewish mysticism, and introduces us to Rabbi Abraham Berukhim, a man known for his profound connection to the Divine. Th...
Comes the angel Hadariel, who revives him, gives him back his breath and spirit, and sets him back on his feet. "My friend," Hadariel asks, "what came over thee?" Our visionary, st...
Knowing God's singularity – His absolute oneness – isn't enough. It can't just be a mental exercise. It has to sink deep, becoming a bedrock of our being, unwavering and sure. The ...
It’s the fifth belief discussed in Da'at (Knowledge) Tevunot, a profound work of Jewish philosophy. This isn’t about making mistakes, or even just choosing a wrong path. This is ab...
(Exodus 14:26) "And the L–rd said to Moses: Stretch forth your hand over the sea": It will not stand against you and it will not deviate from your command. "and the waters will tur...
An analogy: A dove, fleeing a hawk, enters a king's palace, whereupon the king opens the eastern window for her, whence she escapes. The hawk, following, the king closes all the wi...
The Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael preserves a stunning image of dialogue between Israel and the Holy Spirit, a call and response that echoes through the ages. When Israel declares the ...
(Ibid. 20) "Then Miriam the prophetess took": Where do we find that Miriam was a prophetess? She said to her father (Amram): In the end, you will beget a son who will be the savior...
The Torah was given with its signs, its built-in warnings against idolatry. The Mekhilta explains why this matters. Israel might have reasoned as follows: we are commanded against ...
In Jewish tradition, we have a name for that Divine Presence: the Shekhinah (the Divine Presence). And there's a place where the veil between worlds is said to be especially thin: ...
One of the most stunning images is the idea of a ready-made, glorious Jerusalem descending from the heavens! Some say that in the future, God will cause the Jerusalem on high to de...
Midrash Mishlei turns to Korah Beyond the Firmament. There's hope! (Proverbs 1:23) offers a chance for redemption: "Turn to my reproof." The Midrash interprets this as referring to...
Midrash Mishlei turns to The Rabbis Warn Against the Dangers of Wine. It starts with a verse from (Proverbs 23:29): "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complainin...
It’s almost as if our souls crave that sense of resolution, that promise of a better future. It turns out, this isn't just a modern storytelling trope. It's deeply embedded in Jewi...
The Book of Psalms certainly does. And the Midrash, the ancient rabbinic commentaries, dives deep into these very questions. Midrash Tehillim 5, a fascinating exploration of wicked...
Midrash Tehillim, a beautiful collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms, offers a powerful contrast to this feeling. It tells us that while worldly gifts can be lost, the...
Maybe the answer lies in a place readers often overlook: Zion. Midrash Tehillim, a fascinating exploration of the Book of Psalms, asks a powerful question: “Who will give from Zion...
Our ancestors certainly did. And they sought to understand that vastness, to find God within it. That impulse, that search, is beautifully captured in Midrash Tehillim, a collectio...
It all starts with a verse from (Psalm 21:2), "You have given him the desire of his heart." But what is the desire of his heart? The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) asks...
