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It’s a theme that runs deep in Jewish tradition, and it surfaces in the story of Joseph, the favored son of Jacob, who rose to prominence in Egypt. We find ourselves at the end of ...
to a story from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, that really brings this to life. The story picks up right after the Exodus. Imagine t...
The Torah is full of these stories, and they often leave us scratching our heads. One such story is that of Moses, perhaps the greatest prophet in Jewish history, who led the Israe...
In the book of Deuteronomy (Devarim), we find Moses at a pivotal moment. God tells him, "Ascend to the top of the peak, and lift your eyes to the west, and to the north, and to the...
But have you ever considered how God treats us? Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homilies on the Book of Deuteronomy, offers a powerful contrast. It says, "That has God near it." If...
And it all revolves around a seemingly simple question: how do we read the really tough parts of the Torah? Specifically, we're talking about the "rebukes," those stern warnings an...
The ancient rabbis pondered this very idea, using a seemingly simple verse about eating meat to unlock profound insights about freedom, desire, and divine provision. It all starts ...
It turns out, the tradition has quite a bit to say on the subject, and it might surprise you. We find ourselves diving into Devarim Rabbah, specifically section 5, which grapples w...
The Book of Deuteronomy, or Devarim in Hebrew, opens with Moses preparing to bless the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. But the Rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic inter...
It’s a question that’s echoed through the ages, and Jewish tradition offers some fascinating insights. Rabbi Simon, in Kohelet Rabbah, a commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes, mak...
The Book of Exodus opens with a simple statement: "Joseph died, along with all his brothers and that entire generation" (Exodus 1:6). But this seemingly straightforward sentence ho...
Our story begins in ancient Egypt, where the Israelites are flourishing, a little too flourishing for the liking of the Pharaoh. He sees their growing numbers as a threat, and so, ...
It wasn't pretty. And it certainly wasn't subtle. Our story picks up right after Moses and Aaron deliver their fateful message: "Let my people go!" (Exodus 5:1). Pharaoh, predictab...
(Exodus 6:9) tells us, "Moses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they did not heed Moses because of lack of spirit, and because of hard labor." Can you blame them? They’d been...
The ancient rabbis certainly thought words held immense power, for good and for ill. to a fascinating interpretation of a verse in Exodus, as explored in Shemot Rabbah, a compilati...
It's easy to see them as simply divine punishments, but Jewish tradition often delves deeper, searching for layers of meaning and nuance. Let's look at the plague of darkness, as e...
The ancient rabbis felt that way about the Israelites in Egypt. : generation after generation born into slavery. It's a crushing weight. But what if, suddenly, that debt was cancel...
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...
Take the Exodus, for example. That final, earth-shattering plague—the death of the firstborn—struck at midnight. But why? Why not high noon? What’s so special about that inky black...
That bittersweet feeling is ancient, deeply human, and, believe it or not, it echoes in the story of Moses and the Exodus. : Moses. MOSES! The guy who stood up to Pharaoh, who part...
Jewish tradition teaches us that this feeling might be more than just a lucky coincidence. It might be the very presence of the Divine. Shemot Rabbah, a classic compilation of rabb...
The ancient Israelites, fresh out of Egypt, knew that feeling all too well. We find a fascinating glimpse into this in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on th...
We know the story: the Israelites trapped, the Egyptians bearing down, then – miraculously – the waters split, a path appears, and they escape to freedom. But what about the unseen...
Rabbi Yehuda tells us that the Israelites reasoned, "The Holy One, blessed be He, only took us out of Egypt for five things!" What were those five things? First, to give us the plu...
The Israelites certainly did. In the book of Exodus, right after the incredible miracle of being freed from Egypt, they find themselves wandering in the desert, thirsty and complai...
Take the story of the war against Amalek in (Exodus 17:9). Moses tells Joshua, "Choose men for us and go out and wage war with Amalek; tomorrow I will be standing on top of the hil...
It all revolves around Yitro, Moses' father-in-law. The verse we're looking at is “Yitro…heard” (Exodus 18:1), which is the start of the portion where Yitro comes to visit Moses in...
It all centers around the Hebrew word ve’eleh, meaning "these are." The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) opens with a question: What's so special about ve’eleh? The Rabbi...
In Shemot Rabbah, the great midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic collection on the Book of Exodus, we find a story about just that, and it hits right at the heart of the re...
The Torah portion of Terumah introduces us to Betzalel, the artisan chosen to construct the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. But where did he get all that skill? Shemot Rabbah, a classical...
It wasn't just a tent; it was a portable sanctuary, a reflection of the Divine Presence, and the artisans poured their hearts and souls into every thread. Shemot Rabbah, a collecti...
It’s a humbling, and frankly, a little thought. And it's exactly what we find explored in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings and interpretations on the Song o...
The rabbis of old knew that struggle all too well. And they had some pretty creative ways to wake people up! There’s a story told in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on the Son...
Take this one, from (Song of Songs 4:3): “Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your speech is lovely; your temple is like a pomegranate slice behind your braid.” What does it e...
Specifically, (Song of Songs 7:10): “Your palate is like fine wine that goes pleasantly for my beloved, moving the lips of the sleeping.” A seemingly simple verse… but in Shir HaSh...
The passage opens with a quote from (Leviticus 4:15), describing the ritual of the elders laying their hands on the head of a bull before it's sacrificed. "The elders of the congre...
Sometimes, the most unexpected things can lead us to hidden riches. Take leprosy, for example. Yes, leprosy. Now, I know what you're thinking. Leprosy? Good tidings? Seems impossib...
It wasn't all manna from heaven and miraculous wells, you know. There was a lot of… well, let's call it "divine growing pains." The Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabb...
The ancient sages grappled with this too, particularly when thinking about the relationship between God, the patriarchs, and the land of Israel.Here, Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, quo...
We're diving into a fascinating little corner of the book of Leviticus, specifically Vayikra Rabbah 32, and trust me, it’s juicier than it sounds. The passage in (Leviticus 24:10-1...
We often think of life itself, perhaps, or the beauty of nature. But according to Jewish tradition, some gifts are so profound, so foundational, that they shape our very existence....
The verse we're looking at is (Leviticus 26:4), "I will give your rains at their time." Seems straightforward. God promising timely rain for a bountiful harvest. But the Rabbis, ne...
“How does the greatly crowded city sit alone? She has become like a widow. Great among the nations, a princess among the states: She has become a vassal” (Lamentations 1:1).“How [e...
An Athenian came to Jerusalem and encountered a certain child. He gave him coins and said to him: ‘Go bring me figs and grapes.’ He said to him: ‘Well done, you with your coins and...
“A princess among the nations,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because Israel violated the terms that they accepted at Sinai, therefore, “she has become a vassal [lamas].” Sinai is lamas, the...
“All its people are sighing, seeking bread; they have given their delights for food to restore life. See, Lord, and look, for I have become abject” (Lamentations 1:11).“All its peo...
“The elite of Persia and Media:” It is taught in the name of Rabbi Natan about these ten measures: There are ten portions of licentiousness in the world, nine in Alexandria and one...
“Also, Vashti the queen made a women’s banquet in the royal palace of King Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:9). Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Simon began: “My people, its oppressors are babes an...
