563 related texts · 17 related myths · Page 11 of 12
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, a towering figure in Jewish mysticism, points to three individuals who experienced this incredible immediacy. He says there are three people who were answer...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. to a fascinating passage from Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Genesis, and see what they had to say about...
How Egypt's Magicians Failed to Interpret Pharaoh's Dream is the question behind this passage from Bereshit Rabbah. The passage begins, "He sent and summoned…" referring to Pharaoh...
The ancient rabbis certainly did, and they found wisdom in the story of Judah and Joseph in the book of Genesis to guide us. Our story begins with a tense encounter. Judah, pleadin...
" But what time are we talking about? The Rabbis tell us it's the moment Joshua is appointed as Moses' successor. As (Deuteronomy 3:21) states: "I commanded Joshua [at that time]."...
Our story revolves around a verse from Deuteronomy (3:24): "Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is in the heavens or on ...
The familiar telling remembers the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, the mighty hand of God... But what about the internal processes, the spiritual shifts that paved the way for...
Her story, found in Kohelet Rabbah, the commentary on Ecclesiastes, is a stark reminder that joy and sorrow can be two sides of the same coin. The verse But what does that really m...
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, a prominent figure in the Zohar (the foundational text of Jewish mysticism), puts it this way: a good name is more beloved than the Ark of the Covenant itse...
It seems Kohelet Rabbah, the collection of rabbinic commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes, thought so too. It uses that very image – "Dead flies spoil and froth a perfumer's oil" ...
The familiar version gives us about Moses, about the plagues, about the parting of the Red Sea. But what about the women who defied a king's cruel decree and saved countless Israel...
In (Exodus 3:20), God says, "I will extend My hand, and smite Egypt with all My wonders that I will perform in its midst; after that he will let you go." Shemot Rabbah unpacks this...
The familiar story is this: God commands Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites. But Moses hesitates. He protests, famously declaring, "I am not a man of w...
The answer, they suggest, might lie in the seemingly simple phrase, "I will harden his heart." What does it mean to harden someone's heart? According to Shemot Rabbah, a collection...
The familiar story centers on the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the triumphant journey to freedom. But was it really the entire nation that crossed over? Pharaoh, in his...
The Book of Exodus tells us the what – ten devastating plagues – but it's the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), those ancient rabbinic interpretations, that explore the h...
(Besides driving us crazy, of course!) Well, Jewish tradition has a fascinating answer, one that goes all the way back to the plagues in Egypt. The Book of Exodus recounts God's co...
It sounds almost…silly. But when you dig into the Midrash, these plagues become far more than just annoying inconveniences. They become targeted, almost surgical strikes against th...
In the Book of Exodus, we read, "The Lord said to Moses: Say to Aaron: Extend your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals, and over the pools, and cause frogs to asc...
Shemot Rabbah turns to Birth of Pharaoh of Moses. Let’s zero in on one of those moments, found in Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exo...
Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, gives us a fascinating take on the plague of frogs. We all remember the story: Egypt is overrun with ...
Shemot Rabbah turns to Why Aaron Not Moses Struck the Dust for Lice. Rabbi Tanchum offers a powerful explanation. The Holy One, blessed be He, says to Moses, ‘It is not proper that...
Take the story of the plagues in Egypt. It's not just about showing off God's power; it's a complex tapestry woven with themes of justice, redemption, and even a little bit of…well...
The Book of Exodus gives us a glimpse into just that, with the plague of the swarms descending upon Egypt. We pick up the story in (Exodus 8:20): "The Lord did so; and heavy swarms...
Jewish tradition often sees a deeper, more poetic justice at play. Take the plague of pestilence, for example. We read in Exodus (9:2-9:3): "For if you refuse to let them go, and c...
A reader can see them as just divine punishment, but the rabbis found layers of meaning, justice, and even hidden miracles within each one. the story turns to the plague of boils a...
The Torah tells us, "Behold, I will rain down tomorrow at this time very severe hail, that there has not been like it in Egypt since the day it was founded until now" (Exodus 9:18)...
The Book of Exodus tells us, "Moses extended his staff toward the heavens and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the ground, and the Lord rained hail upon the lan...
Him is often remembered as this monolithic, unyielding villain. But what if there were moments of genuine, albeit fleeting, remorse? The Book of Exodus tells us that after the deva...
Shemot Rabbah turns to Pharaoh — Moses and the Holy Sanctuary. Pharaoh's advisors, sensing the impending doom, had pleaded with him to release the Israelites after yet another deva...
Shemot Rabbah turns to Moses in Battle of Pharaoh. Take the plague of locusts, for instance. In (Exodus 10:12), God tells Moses to stretch out his hand so that locusts would swarm ...
In (Exodus 10:21), God tells Moses to stretch out his hand, and the text says, "there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, and the darkness will be tangible." Tangible! What do...
It's so much more than just a simple "Let my people go!" narrative. Take, for instance, the exchange in (Exodus 10:24-29). It's a masterclass in negotiation, divine will, and maybe...
Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers us a powerful lens through which to view this pivotal moment in Jewish history. It explores th...
The story of the Exodus, as told in Shemot Rabbah, the compilation of rabbinic sermons on the Book of Exodus, gives us a fascinating glimpse into this idea, focusing on the final p...
Shemot Rabbah turns to Abraham — Moses at the Dawn of Creation. What does this seemingly simple phrase really mean? It’s more than just marking time. It's a key to understanding Go...
Shemot Rabbah turns to Egypt — Giving of the Torah. Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, gives us a glimpse into the night of the ...
What Happened at Midnight When the Firstborn Died is the question behind this passage from Shemot Rabbah. Here's the picture Shemot Rabbah paints: Moses, acting as God's messenger,...
The familiar reading treats the verse in (Exodus 12:30), "As there was no house in which there was no one dead," and maybe we don't fully grasp its implications. But the ancient ra...
The Book of Exodus tells us that the Israelites were instructed to mark their doorposts with blood so that God would "pass over" their homes during the tenth plague, sparing their ...
Shemot Rabbah, a classic midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) collection, explores the details of the Exodus narrative, painting a vivid picture of that pivotal moment. One...
The familiar version gives us about the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea.. but there's a smaller, more personal story woven into the grand narrative of the Exodus. It's a story ...
Shemot Rabbah, a collection of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers a fascinating insight into this very question, focusing on...
That feeling, that's what The text immediately tells us this refers to the Egyptians, and how God brought justice upon them in Egypt and at the Red Sea. But the how of that justice...
Remember the manna, that miraculous bread from heaven? God instructed the Israelites to gather only what they needed for each day, except on Friday, when they were to collect a dou...
Can you picture them all crying out at the same moment? Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, tells us that God hears them all concurrently...
Shemot Rabbah, the collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, points this out explicitly. "Come and see," it urges, "how excellent this portion is!" What's so ex...
The book of Exodus, specifically 22:27, lays down a firm rule: "You shall not curse judges, [and a prince among your people you shall not revile]." Seems straightforward. But Rabbi...
