12,014 related texts · Page 135 of 251
In fact, our ancestors grappled with it too. to a fascinating passage from Bereshit Rabbah, a classical rabbinic commentary on the Book of Genesis, and see how Jacob faced a simila...
Take the story of Jacob preparing to meet his brother Esau after years of estrangement. He sends Esau a lavish gift, described in detail in Genesis 32. But is it just a gift list, ...
It all starts with Jacob, that famous figure from the Book of Genesis. Remember when Jacob wrestles with a mysterious figure all night long? After this epic struggle, Jacob asks hi...
Sometimes, it's in those very details that the most fascinating stories are hidden. Take the moment in (Genesis 33:5) when Jacob, after years of estrangement, finally meets his bro...
to a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of Jacob's reunion with his brother Esau, years after their fraught parting. The story, as told in Bereshit Rabbah 78, isn't just about b...
Take the encounter between Jacob and Esau after their long separation. (Genesis 33:15) tells us, "Esau said to him: Please, I will place with you some of the people who are with me...
to Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of Rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis. In section 79, we find a fascinating exploration of the verse from (Job 8:6): “If you a...
The Torah teaches us about showing appreciation for the benefits we receive, and this sentiment is beautifully explored in Bereshit Rabbah, the classic rabbinic commentary on the B...
Dina, Jacob’s daughter, goes out to visit the women of the land, and is defiled by Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite. Shechem then asks his father to obtain Dina as his wife. Ja...
Our ancestors did. (Genesis 35:13) tells us, "God ascended from upon him, in the place where He had spoken with him." It’s a simple sentence, but it opens a window into a profound ...
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 ...
When Joseph told his brothers about his dreams, he expected some reaction—but what he got was pure, unadulterated envy. That's exactly what we find in (Genesis 37:12): "His brother...
The Torah tells us, "All his sons and all his daughters arose to console him, but he refused to be consoled; he said: For I will descend mourning to the grave, to my son. His fathe...
You're reading one story, and suddenly – BAM! – we're in a completely different time or place. It can feel a little jarring. Well, the ancient Rabbis noticed this too, and they dov...
to a passage from Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis, and unpack some of the ideas around yibum, or levirate marriage. The story begin...
Our story comes from Bereshit Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah), a classical Rabbinic text that intricately interprets the Book of Genesis. We're in chapter 40, where Joseph, languishing in ...
And it seems that even in the hallowed pages of the Bible, we see echoes of this self-serving behavior. to the story of Joseph, the coat of many colors, and Pharaoh's dream. Rememb...
Our tradition grapples with this too, offering perspectives that might surprise you. to a fascinating passage from Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the ...
to a fascinating interpretation found in Bereshit Rabbah (93), a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Genesis. The passage opens with the simple phrase, "Judah approached...
The scene is intense. Joseph, after years of separation and playing a cat-and-mouse game with his brothers, is about to reveal his true identity. But let’s back up a little. Rememb...
We find a fascinating example of this in the story of Joseph and his brothers, a tale filled with drama, reconciliation, and the enduring strength of family. The verse in (Genesis ...
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...
We're in chapter 97, diving into Jacob's blessing of Joseph. The scene: Jacob, nearing the end of his life, blesses Joseph, saying, "The God before whom my fathers, Abraham and Isa...
The Torah portion Vayechi, at the very end of Genesis, gives us a glimpse into that very idea. Jacob, on his deathbed, blesses his sons. And when he blesses Joseph, it says, "He bl...
But peel back the layers, and you'll find a fascinating tapestry of interpretations woven by our sages. The Rabbis in Bereshit Rabbah 98, for example, don't just see a vineyard. Th...
The Torah describes Joseph as a "fruitful tree, a fruitful tree alongside a spring; branches run over the wall" (Genesis 49:22). But what does that really mean? The rabbis in Beres...
It's easy to read the Torah as a collection of individual stories, but the rabbis of old saw something more: echoes, parallels, and meaningful connections woven throughout the gene...
But did they really get away with it? The Book of Devarim—Deuteronomy—opens with the phrase, "These are the words that Moses spoke…" And the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commenta...
It’s baked right into Jewish tradition. to a fascinating idea from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homiletic interpretations of the Book of Deuteronomy. The very first verse of Deu...
In Hebrew, it’s Eleh hadevarim – Eleh meaning "these," and devarim meaning "words." But as with so much in Jewish tradition, there's a whole universe of meaning packed into those f...
It all stems from the opening of Devarim, the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses stands before the Israelites, ready to deliver his final, powerful speeches. And the very first verse we en...
to a fascinating passage from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, that touches on this very dilemma and much more. The verse that k...
It all starts with Moses, and his famous plea, "I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying..." (Deuteronomy 3:23). The Rabbis of old, in their wisdom, saw this verse as a springb...
And it’s a feeling that even Moses, our great leader, experienced. Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, explores this very idea through th...
Jewish tradition has some powerful stories that speak to that very idea. Take this tale, recounted in Devarim Rabbah. It’s a quick one, but it packs a punch. Rabbi Tanhuma shares a...
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...
Today, we're diving into a fascinating discussion from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, focusing on the Shema, Judaism's central...
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...
"Hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today..." It's a powerful opening line from Deuteronomy (9:1), isn't it? A promise, a challenge, a moment of immense transition. But what...
And it seems Devarim Rabbah, in its own unique way, grapples with this very idea. The passage starts with a verse from Deuteronomy: “Hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today...
Our ancestors knew that feeling well. : Moses, standing before the Israelites, about to impart some final, crucial wisdom. He cries out, "Shema Yisrael – Hear, O Israel!" But...why...
There’s a fascinating passage in Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, that sheds light on this very concept. It all starts with a verse we...
Jewish tradition grapples with this very idea, and it finds a rather poetic expression in Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy. The passage...
That feeling of unexpected liberation and joy is at the heart of our story today, drawn from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy. Th...
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai points out that there were actually three commandments the Israelites received upon entering the land: to wipe out the memory of Amalek, to appoint a ki...
Turns out, there was a surprising amount of "calling for peace" involved. (Deuteronomy 20:10) tells us, "When you approach a city to wage war against it, you shall call to it for p...
I’m talking about amen. (Deuteronomy 28:1) promises, "It will be if you will heed the voice of the Lord your God to observe, to perform all His commandments that I am commanding yo...
Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homiletic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, offers a powerful and surprising answer, focusing on God's relationship with the Israelites during t...
