Parshat Ki Teitzei

1,423 related texts · Page 18 of 30

Seventy-four commandments covering family law, honest business practices, treatment of workers, and remembering Amalek. Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19.

The Dead Of The Desert

Talmud Aggadah Bava Batra 73b

And the Talmud, specifically Bava Batra 73b, offers a startling, almost unbelievable answer through a story featuring the sage Rabbah bar Bar Hannah. Rabbah, a well-known figure in...

DemonsHeavenTorahMoses

The Ten Lost Tribes

Talmud Aggadah Sanhedrin 110b

It’s one of those enduring mysteries that captures the imagination. They were carried away, prisoners in their own land, and exiled beyond the mysterious river Sambatyon. But what ...

HeavenMessiahTorahMoses

How The Dead Will Come To Life

Midrash Aggadah Pesikta Hadta in Beit ha-Midrash 6:47, 6:58

Jewish tradition has some pretty vivid ideas about that, especially when it comes to the resurrection of the dead. It’s not just a "poof" and everyone’s back. It's a process, a cos...

CreationAngelsMessiahTorah

Life In The World To Come

Midrash Aggadah Eliyahu Rabbah 4:19

The Jewish tradition has a lot to say about the Olam Ha-Ba, the World to Come. And some of it might surprise you. One image, found in Eliyahu Rabbah, paints a pretty cozy picture. ...

MessiahTorahPatriarchsSoul

The Chorus Of The Righteous

Talmud Aggadah Hagigah 12b

That's the image we get when we delve into some of the descriptions of the World to Come, the Olam Ha-Ba (the World to Come). In these visions of the future, we're told that God Hi...

HeavenHell/GehennaMessiahTorah

The Messiah's Yeshivah

Midrash Aggadah Yalkut Shimoni, Isaiah 499

We often think of messianic times in grand, sweeping terms – peace on earth, the end of suffering, justice for all. But sometimes, the most beautiful visions are the most intimate....

DemonsMessiahTorahAdam & Eve

A New Torah

Midrash Aggadah Vayikra Rabbah 13:3; Yalkut Shimoni, Isaiah 429

Jewish tradition has a pretty wild idea about that very thing: a brand-new Torah, delivered by the Messiah himself! The notion of a Torah Chadashah, a new Torah, pops up in some fa...

MessiahTorahHoly Land

The Terrifying Responsibility of Being a Judge

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Mishlei 1:3

Midrash Mishlei, an ancient collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Proverbs, tackles that very question. It all starts with (Proverbs 1:3): "To receive the instructi...

AngelsSolomonTorahRepentance

Wisdom Calls Aloud in the Street

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Mishlei 1:12

Oh no, it’s right out in the open, making a joyful noise! (Proverbs 1:20) tells us, "Wisdom calls aloud in the street." But what does that mean? The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive ...

King DavidSolomonTorahWisdom

Esther Beyond the Firmament

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Mishlei 9:1

Midrash Mishlei, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Proverbs, unpacks this verse in some truly fascinating ways. First off, it equates "Wisdom" with the Torah....

HeavenAdam & EveKing DavidSolomon

The Rabbis Warn Against the Dangers of Wine

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Mishlei 23:3

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...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsJoseph

The Righteous Are Like Trees Planted by Streams of Water

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 1:3

It all starts with the words, "Happy is the man" (Psalm 1:1). But what makes a person truly happy? The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) offers several beautiful interpret...

CreationHeavenNoah & FloodPatriarchs

The Downward Spiral From Walking to Sitting to Scoffing

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 1:5

to Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, and see what it has to say about the path we walk. The very first verse of Psalms – "Who did no...

MosesKing DavidSolomonTorah

Rabbi Yochanan and the Lawgiver

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 1:14

Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Psalms, opens by exploring this very idea. It begins with the verse, "For they delight in the Torah of the...

MosesKing DavidTorahWisdom

He's Song

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 2:10

Specifically, it grapples with the verse, "Ask of me and I will give you the nations." Seems pretty straightforward. Except… isn't the whole world already promised to God? As (Psal...

CreationPatriarchsSolomonTorah

Absalom's Journey

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 3:1

That’s the question that echoes in the opening of the third section of Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic teachings that beautifully unpack the Psalms. It begins by looking...

King DavidSolomonTorahTemple

How Angels Taught Israel to Praise with Music

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 5:1

The ancient rabbis certainly thought so. And they found echoes of this idea even in the seemingly simple words of the Psalms. Specifically, in Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rab...

AngelsPatriarchsMosesKing David

How God Punishes the Wicked with Fire and Wind

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 11:6

It’s a question humanity has grappled with for millennia. Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Psalms, tackles this very question head-on in it...

CreationHeavenNoah & FloodMoses

Death of David

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 13:7

King David knew that feeling well. Psalm 13, a cry for help, is raw with that vulnerability: "Lord, my God, look upon me and enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death..." ...

JosephKing DavidSolomonTorah

Why David Believed God's Justice Worked Differently

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 17:3

Like the rules just... don't apply the same way? That's a question King David wrestles with in a powerful passage from Midrash Tehillim, a collection of homiletic interpretations o...

CreationKing DavidTorahTemple

David and Moses Seek God's Face Through Prayer

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 17:14

This feeling isn’t new. King David wrestled with it, too. Midrash Tehillim, a beautiful collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms, gives us a glimpse into his struggle, a...

MosesKing DavidTorahPrayer

Why Praising God Is the Heart of Jewish Tradition

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 18:29

Yet, praise is central to Jewish tradition. Why? to a fascinating passage from Midrash Tehillim, a collection of homiletical interpretations on the Book of Psalms, and see what we ...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsMoses

How Moses Told Day from Night on Mount Sinai

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 19:5

No clocks, no sunrise, no sunset as we know it. So, how did he know when it was day and when it was night? The Midrash Tehillim, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Psal...

CreationHeavenAngelsMoses

How David Approached God to Ask for Forgiveness

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 19:16

And the story of how he approached God for forgiveness, as told in Midrash Tehillim 19, is both surprising and deeply human. The Midrash, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on t...

CreationHeavenMosesKing David

Messiah and David of Jesse

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 21:1

It’s a question that’s been wrestled with for centuries, and Jewish tradition offers some surprising answers. Let’s delve into a fascinating passage from Midrash Tehillim, a collec...

King DavidTorahMessiahProphecy

When Those Who Feared God Spoke to One Another

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 30:5

The prophet Malachi tells us, "Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard." (Malachi 3:16). But what does that mean, really? What kind of ...

TorahWisdomDivine justicePsalms

David — Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 34:1

Midrash Tehillim, a collection of homiletic interpretations of the Psalms, offers a fascinating perspective, suggesting that everything, absolutely everything, has its perfect, div...

CreationCreaturesAdam & EveNoah & Flood

How David's Soul Connected to Moses's Prophecy

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 35:1

The ancient rabbis certainly understood that feeling. They explored it deeply in their interpretations of the Psalms, particularly in Midrash Tehillim, a collection of stories and ...

MosesKing DavidTorahProphecy

Moses and Creation of Yitzchak

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 36:5

to a passage from Midrash Tehillim 36 that speaks directly to this feeling. The verse we're focusing on is a prayer: "Draw your kindness towards your devotees." Simple enough. But ...

CreationNoah & FloodMosesKing David

Trust in God and Do Good Despite the World's Evil

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 37:3

The Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, grapples with this very issue. It opens with the verse, "Trust in the Lord and do good" (Psalm...

King DavidJobTorahMessiah

Words as Potent Forces That Build or Destroy Worlds

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 39:1

The ancient sages did. They saw words as potent forces, capable of building worlds or tearing them down. Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of P...

King DavidSolomonTorahProphecy

Doeg and the Torah of Gehenna

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 49:2

Midrash Tehillim, a collection of homiletic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, hits us with a pretty stark idea: "Together, rich and poor... they all descend to Gehenna." Gehen...

TorahWisdomJudgment

Abraham Confronts Sodom Where No One Feared God

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 53:2

Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Psalms, grapples with that very feeling, using the story of Sodom and Abraham to explore themes of corruption...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsJoseph

Michal in David's Court

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 59:1

This idea – the power of partnership, the strength in numbers – echoes throughout Jewish tradition. And it’s right there at the heart of Midrash Tehillim 59. The verse from Ecclesi...

King DavidSolomonTorahProphecy

Solomon Asks Who Was Praying Before Creation Began

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 59:2

Take, for instance, this fascinating passage from Midrash Tehillim, Psalm 59. It wrestles with a question that's been around since, well, the beginning: What's the deal with marria...

CreationSolomonTorahPrayer

Rabbi Akiva's Son and the Most Unusual Wedding Night

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 59:3

I've got a story for you, tucked away in Midrash Tehillim 59, that’s a real head-scratcher. It involves Rabbi Akiva, his son, and a rather unusual wedding night. The tale begins wi...

CreationKing DavidTorah

The Ancient Grief That Echoes from Noah to David

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 60:1

That feeling isn't new. In fact, according to Midrash Tehillim 60, it goes way back. This particular midrash (a method of interpreting biblical stories beyond their literal meaning...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsJoseph

David Before the Flood

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 62:6

Midrash Tehillim 62, a beautiful exploration from the world of midrash (Jewish biblical interpretation), gives us some fascinating – and maybe even comforting – food for thought. T...

Noah & FloodKing DavidSolomonTorah

David Seeks God in the Wilderness After Absalom's Revolt

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 63:1

You're not alone. It seems to be a deeply human thing, this turning to the Divine in moments of crisis. But is that… okay? Is it somehow "less than" if we only remember to call out...

King DavidTorahTempleProphecy

Asaph Before the Flood

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 78:1

It’s more than just nostalgia, more than just remembering the "good old days." It's about survival. Spiritual survival. And that's exactly what Midrash Tehillim, a collection of ra...

Noah & FloodPatriarchsKing DavidSolomon

Why We Sound the Shofar at the New Moon

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 81:1

Take (Psalm 81:2), for example: "Raise a song, strike the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp." But then it continues, "Sound the shofar at the New Moon, at the full moon for ...

CreationPatriarchsKing DavidSolomon

God Stands in Judgment Among the Gods

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 82:1

Psalm 82 opens with a powerful image: "A Psalm of Asaph. God stands in the congregation of God; He judges among the gods." It's a verse that speaks volumes about justice, responsib...

TorahProphecyJudgment

Jeremiah Warns Against Boasting in Human Wisdom

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 89:1

The prophet Jeremiah, in the name of God, tells us no. "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom...but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am t...

CreationKing DavidTorahTemple

Moses and Solomon Venture Beyond the Firmament

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 91:1

The mystics certainly did. to a fascinating passage from Midrash Tehillim (a collection of homiletic interpretations of the Book of Psalms) that explores just that, focusing on Psa...

HeavenMosesKing DavidSolomon

A Thousand May Fall but You Will Stand Firm

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 91:4

The verse we're looking at is "Let a thousand fall from your side." Now, what does that even mean? Rabbi Yitzhak offers a compelling idea: He connects this verse to the mitzvah (co...

HeavenMosesKing DavidTorah

Messiah at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 92:8

Midrash Tehillim, a collection of homiletic interpretations of the Book of Psalms, uses the image of the palm tree in Psalm 92 to unlock a fascinating perspective on the righteous,...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsMoses

The Messiah's Throne Was Established Before Creation

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 93:2

Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Psalms, explores this idea in a truly fascinating way. Rabbi Abbahu offers a parable: Imagine a king conqu...

CreationHeavenNoah & FloodKing David

Should We Serve God with Joy or with Trembling

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tehillim 100:2

Jewish tradition has been wrestling with that very tension for centuries, especially when it comes to serving God. One verse tells us plainly: "Serve the Lord with joy." Simple eno...

King DavidTorahProphecy