639 related texts · Page 5 of 14
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 tapestry of Jewish legend. Imagine the scene: Moses, nearing the end of his life, i...
to the story of King Asa, son of Abijah, of Judah, whose reign is a powerful reminder of the importance of faith and humility. Asa started off strong. He was a more righteous ruler...
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...
But then 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 visi...
The text emphasizes that 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, ...
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 S...
(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: ...
Jewish tradition offers some breathtaking glimpses beyond the veil, and one of the most stunning involves God Himself, building a Temple…in Heaven. Imagine Moses, nearing the end o...
And one of the most stunning images is the idea of a ready-made, glorious Jerusalem descending from the heavens! Imagine this: some say that in the future, God will cause the Jerus...
The passage from (Proverbs 1:22-33) kicks things off: "'How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?'... 'and fools hate knowledge.'" The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive com...
Turns out, it does! And like any good friend, it’s got some warnings mixed in with the… well, potential for celebration. This all comes to light in a fascinating passage from Midra...
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. Today, we're looking at Midrash Tehillim 5, a fascinati...
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 we often overlook: Zion. Midrash Tehillim, a fascinating exploration of the Book of Psalms, asks a powerful question: “Who will give from Zion the ...
The ancient Jewish texts resonate deeply with this feeling, offering glimpses into moments where even David, the legendary king, felt overwhelmed. to a fascinating passage from Mid...
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...
There’s this beautiful passage in Midrash Tehillim (Commentary on Psalms), specifically on Psalm 27, that offers a powerful image of refuge. It says, "For He will hide me in His ta...
But what does it really mean to ask for correction, but not destruction? "O Lord, in Your anger rebuke me not," David cries out. This isn't just a personal lament; it's a sentiment...
In fact, that feeling is deeply woven into the story of the Jewish people. It's a feeling the Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Psalms, tackles...
The ancient sages wrestled with these questions too. And in Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Psalms, we find a fascinating perspective, partic...
The Midrash Tehillim, a collection of homiletic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, gives us some pretty wild and wonderful glimpses into that future. It all starts with a frust...
Midrash Tehillim, an ancient collection of homiletical interpretations of the Book of Psalms, uses a striking image to describe just such a predicament, and it's one that resonates...
Take Psalm 103, for example. It’s a song of praise, a declaration of divine forgiveness and goodness. But Midrash Tehillim, an ancient collection of interpretations on the Book of ...
It’s a universal feeling, but it’s one that’s poignantly echoed in the ancient words of Midrash Tehillim 109. Midrash Tehillim, a collection of homiletic interpretations on the Boo...
Midrash Tehillim, in its exploration of Psalm 128 – "Praiseworthy is the one who fears the Lord" – throws us a curveball. Rabbi Chayya bar Abba, quoting Ulla, makes a startling cla...
The book of Psalms, Tehillim in Hebrew, is often seen as a direct line to the divine, a collection of heartfelt expressions. But what happens when even those expressions are stifle...
This midrash, a kind of interpretive commentary, opens by linking David's words in Psalm 145 – "I will exalt you, my God the King" – to the prophet Isaiah's similar declaration in ...
The Pesikta DeRav Kahana, a collection of Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic teachings, offers a glimpse into this radical transformation. It all starts with a verse from...
It’s a theme that echoes throughout Jewish history, a bittersweet dance between redemption and exile. that a bit. The Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of Midrash (rabbinic interpretiv...
Sifrei Bamidbar, an ancient commentary on the Book of Numbers, unpacks this seemingly simple phrase in a multitude of beautiful and insightful ways. The most straightforward unders...
We often hear blessings, maybe even offer them ourselves, but what's actually going on? In Jewish tradition, blessings are a big deal, and the Torah gives us some pretty specific i...
But the text goes on to explain that all who hate the righteous are, in effect, haters of the Holy One, blessed be He. Think of it like this: when we strike out against goodness, a...
Jewish tradition certainly has, and it teaches us profound lessons about cause and effect, especially when it comes to how we treat others.It all starts with a verse from Bamidbar ...
Our source today is Sifrei Bamidbar, and it unveils a remarkable array of gifts bestowed upon the Cohanim – the priests. We're talking about twelve specific offerings originating "...
The passage opens with the verse from Devarim (Deuteronomy) 3:23: "And I supplicated (va'ethchanan) the L-rd." Va'ethchanan, the text tells us, is a term loaded with entreaty, a he...
It’s a question that pops up when we delve into the Sifrei Devarim, an early rabbinic commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy. It tackles this very issue, using the prophets Amos and...
Let me tell you, they were masters of textual jujitsu, turning verses inside out to reveal hidden meanings. And sometimes, they got into arguments that sound, well, a little… stran...
Jewish tradition is full of moments like that. to one, a promise of abundance so rich it almost feels too good to be true. We're looking at a passage from Sifrei Devarim, a collect...
Sifrei Devarim, a legal midrash on the book of Deuteronomy, tackles this head-on. It emphasizes the importance of unwavering commitment to mitzvot (commandments). And it's not just...
It's in those moments, when things feel darkest, that Jewish tradition offers a powerful, almost defiant, message of hope. Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal midrash (rabbinic i...
