1,374 related texts · 18 related myths · Page 26 of 29
We begin with a simple verse from (Genesis 25:19): "This is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham begot Isaac." Seemingly straightforward. But the Rabbis of the Midrash (rabb...
They saw more than just stories; they saw patterns, echoes, and hidden depths. to one of those fascinating explorations, found in Bereshit Rabbah, the great collection of rabbinic ...
The story begins with Akilas, a convert to Judaism – a ger tzedek, as we say in Hebrew. He approaches Rabbi Eliezer with a question, a concern, really. Akilas points to the verse i...
In (Genesis 31:43), after Jacob decides to leave Laban and return to his homeland, Laban confronts him, saying, "The girls are my daughters, and the boys are my sons, and the flock...
The Torah itself offers some pretty practical advice about diversifying your.. well, everything? It's tucked away in Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of th...
Our story comes from Bereshit Rabbah, a classic midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) text that dives deep into the Book of Genesis. Specifically, It starts with a verse God...
The ancient rabbis certainly did, and their struggles echo even today. to a fascinating story tucked away in Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book o...
Take Esau, for example. (Genesis 36:5) tells us, "Oholivama bore Yeush, and Yalam, and Koraḥ; these are the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan." Seems straigh...
Take Timna, for example. Her story, though brief, speaks volumes about the magnetic pull of righteousness. We find her mentioned almost in passing in (Genesis 36:12): "Timna was a ...
The story begins with Judah and his sons. You might remember the verse from (Genesis 38:8): "Judah said to Onan: Consort with your brother’s wife, and consummate levirate marriage ...
(Genesis 39:2) tells us, “The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man, and he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.” But Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic...
A reader can imagine a golden aura, a constant stream of good fortune. But what if it’s something more subtle, more… human? " Sounds straightforward. But the Rabbis, in Bereshit Ra...
Our guide? None other than Bereshit Rabbah 93, a treasure trove of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Genesis. Specifically, Now, that word "approached"… it's loaded. What kin...
The verse in Isaiah (11:13) says, "The jealousy of Ephraim will cease." Now, Bereshit Rabbah, that incredible collection of rabbinic interpretations of Genesis, sees a connection h...
The story starts with a quote from (Genesis 49:5): "Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of villainy are their heritage." But what does it really mean? Bereshit Rabbah, an ancient...
The verse Now, The first reading, it sounds like a blessing of abundance, of a land flowing with good things. But our sages, oh, they saw so much more. In Bereshit Rabbah, a classi...
First, "Naphtali is a doe let loose [sheluḥa]." The Rabbis connect this to the land of Naphtali being full of irrigated fields [beit hashelaḥin]. They point to (Deuteronomy 3:17), ...
The Torah portion Vayechi gives us a glimpse into just that, through the blessings Jacob bestows upon his sons. to the unique dynamic between Zebulun and Issachar. Jacob, nearing t...
Take mourning rituals, for example. The familiar seven-day period of intense mourning, the shivah. Where did that come from? The Rabbis of old grappled with this very question. "Th...
The verse in question is (Genesis 49:28): "This is what their father Jacob spoke to them." But the Rabbis in Bereshit Rabbah notice something subtle. It doesn't say, "This is what ...
The story of Esau and Jacob is a classic example, and the Rabbis in Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homiletic interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, unpack it with incredible ...
It starts with a verse from Deuteronomy (4:25): "When you will beget children, and children’s children, and you will have been long in the land, and you will act corruptly and craf...
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5). It's a commandment to feel something, to direct the entire fo...
Take this passage from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy. It all starts with a verse: "It will be, because you heed these ordinances, an...
It's a poignant moment, and the book of Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, illuminates the depth of that experience. "You are crossing t...
The familiar story centers on the first set, shattered in anger at the sight of the Golden Calf. But why two in the first place? Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homilies on the Boo...
The verse in Deuteronomy (20:10) sets the stage: "When you approach a city to wage war against it, you shall call to it for peace." Seems counterintuitive. But in Devarim Rabbah, t...
The verse in Proverbs (1:9) says, "For they are a graceful adornment for your head [roshekha]." But our Sages, digging deeper in Devarim Rabbah, find a hidden layer. They suggest t...
Water, wine, honey… it's a veritable feast of metaphors! But what's the meaning behind it all? Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the book of Deuteronomy, explor...
Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, tackles this very question. It starts with a verse from Proverbs (2:1): "My son, if you take my sayin...
Devarim Rabbah turns to How Israel's Clothes Never Wore Out for Forty Years. That's exactly what Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings and interpretations on the book ...
Devarim Rabbah 8 opens with a quote from Proverbs: "Wisdom is lofty to a fool; at the gate, he will not open his mouth" (Proverbs 24:7). But what does it really mean? Rabbi Tanhuma...
Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the book of Deuteronomy, opens our eyes to just how deeply Torah can impact us. It starts with a verse from Proverbs (4:22): “...
In (Deuteronomy 30:12-14), we find the verse, "It is not in the heavens… It is not beyond the sea… Rather, the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you...
It kicks off by asking about the opening line: “The words of Kohelet, son of David.” The passage points out that three prophets – Kohelet, Amos, and Jeremiah – have their prophecie...
Kohelet Rabbah, the commentary on Ecclesiastes, gets it. It starts with the line "all matters are wearying." But it doesn't stop there with the doom and gloom. It actually dives in...
The book of Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes, really digs into that feeling. And the rabbis of Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of Kohelet, pick up on that theme in...
Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's called in Hebrew, is full of his reflections, and one line in particular always gets me: "For with much wisdom is much vexation; and one who increa...
That feeling isn't new. In fact, the book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet in Hebrew, wrestles with it head-on. "I said in my heart: Come now, I will experiment in joy, and see goodness...
Kohelet, the book of Ecclesiastes traditionally attributed to Solomon, wrestles with just that. And Kohelet Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, digs even deeper. The s...
It grapples with the very human experience of seeking knowledge, stumbling, and trying to make sense of it all. The verse It's a loaded verse, isn't it? Full of questions about leg...
Kohelet Rabbah turns to Nothing Better Than to Eat, Drink, and Find Meaning. The first reading, it sounds like a But as we know, Jewish tradition loves to delve beneath the surface...
The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet in Hebrew, grapples with this very idea, and the rabbinic commentary on it, Kohelet Rabbah, digs even deeper. It all starts with that famous li...
The rabbinic commentary on it, Kohelet Rabbah, digs even deeper. " (Ecclesiastes 3:9). It's a question King Solomon, traditionally believed to be the author of Ecclesiastes, poses....
It turns out, that feeling has deep roots in Jewish thought. We find it beautifully expressed in (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12): “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward fo...
The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet, certainly does. And the rabbis, in their insightful commentary Kohelet Rabbah, really dig into this sense of transience. Take this verse from ...
The Kohelet Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on Ecclesiastes, wrestles with this very question. It's not just about being smart; it’s about how knowledg...
The Book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet, wrestles with these very questions. It asks, "For who knows what is good for man in his life, all the days of his life of vanity, that he spen...
