12,014 related texts · Page 9 of 251
Rabbi Yehudah ben Betheirah offered a teaching that collapses the distance between God's promise and its fulfillment at the Red Sea. God told Moses: "I have already fulfilled My pr...
Four are called "acquisitions": Israel—viz. "this people whom You have acquired." Heaven and earth—viz. (Genesis 14:22) "Acquirer of heaven and earth." The Temple—viz. (Psalms 78:5...
Rabbi Eliezer Hamodai taught that Moses was one of four great tzaddik (a righteous person)im (the righteous) — righteous people — to whom God gave a subtle hint about the future. T...
Jewish tradition certainly thinks so. And one such place, according to our stories, revolves around an altar... a very special altar. The Torah tells us that Abraham arrived at the...
It sounds like something out of a fantastical story, but according to tradition, there was a time when the Hebrew alphabet itself was called upon to do just that. Imagine this: God...
It's a profound idea, isn't it? That death isn't the end, but a kind of pause. A cosmic holding pattern. The Tree of Souls reminds us that God keeps the souls of the dead alive. Im...
The ancient texts grapple with this very idea, and there's perhaps no better example than the story of Joseph and his brothers. Midrash Mishlei, a collection of rabbinic teachings ...
King David knew that feeling. Midrash Tehillim, an ancient collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms, offers a glimpse into David's heart, revealing a profound sense of h...
(Psalm 18:26) offers a fascinating, and perhaps unsettling, answer: "With a pious person, act piously; with an upright man, be upright; with a pure one, be pure; and with a crooked...
The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) starts with a powerful statement: "God's way is perfect." And it connects this perfection to Abraham, pointing to the verse in Genesi...
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms, points us to King David as the ultimate example of repentance, of teshuvah (repentance). It says, "Many wil...
Midrash Tehillim, a beautiful collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms, offers us some clues, specifically in Midrash Tehillim 49. It begins with the verse, "Hear this, ...
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...
That feeling, that connection, is something Jewish tradition has explored for centuries. And one beautiful place where we find this idea expressed is in Midrash Tehillim, a collect...
One fascinating interpretation of Psalm 104 connects the birds of the sky to the nations of the world. But not in a peaceful, harmonious way. Instead, the midrash (rabbinic interpr...
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms, offers a startling perspective on the famine that forced Jacob and his family to leave Canaan. “And there w...
The ancient sages certainly did. And they saw this power reflected even in the way we remember the righteous and the wicked. It all starts with the verse, "Praise the Lord, for He ...
That feeling resonates deeply within Jewish tradition, particularly in our prayers and meditations on justice, righteousness, and redemption. to a fascinating exploration of Psalm ...
Rabbi Ẓe'era had a rather fiery take on it. He suggested that these earthly kingdoms, with all their pomp and power, were ultimately created as nothing more than fuel for Gehinnom ...
Let’s talk about circumcision, or brit milah, and one very special perspective on it found in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Chapter 29. This text isn't just a dusty historical record. It...
to one such moment, a poignant scene involving Hagar and her son Ishmael in the wilderness. We all remember the story: Hagar, cast out into the desert with her son, Ishmael, their ...
It’s a question that’s occupied thinkers for millennia, and the Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating collection of stories and interpretations from the early Middle Ages, certainl...
The people of Jebus, knowing the Israelites were coming, weren't about to just roll out the welcome mat. But how could they possibly hold off the Israelites, especially knowing abo...
It paints a picture of a final transaction, a division of inheritance, that has echoes even today. The story goes that Esau took all that his father, Isaac, had left. But then – an...
Sometimes, digging into the details reveals surprising connections and enduring echoes. Take, for example, a seemingly obscure passage in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Chapter 39. It sta...
"When you cross the Jordan." Just six words, really. "Ki ta'avrun et ha-Yarden." But packed inside is a promise, a destiny, and a whole lot of hope. What's it all about? Well, it c...
When God gave the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, the sages taught that He did not speak them into a void. Each commandment was connected to the covenant God had already made with...
It all starts with a simple verse: "These are those who were counted of the children of Israel…" And from there, it launches into a deep dive about blessings, promises, and the end...
The ancient rabbis certainly wrestled with this idea, especially when pondering the future of the Jewish people. to a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabb...
It all starts with a verse from the Song of Songs (3:11): "Go out and gaze, daughters of Zion, at King Solomon, at the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wed...
Jewish tradition suggests that success isn't just handed out; it’s earned through trials, through proving ourselves worthy. Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on t...
When the Torah says, “Command the children of Israel, and say to them: For you are coming to the land of Canaan; this will be the land that will fall to you as an inheritance” (Num...
The Torah gives us hints, but it's in the rabbinic tradition where things get really interesting, where they piece together the ages and relationships to illuminate the story. (Gen...
We're talking about the famous verse in (Genesis 12:1), the very beginning of Abraham's journey: "Go you [lekh lekha] from your country, your people and your father’s household to ...
It's like a song with a recurring chorus, reminding us of something vital. Let's look at one of those refrains, the reassurance "Fear not, Abram," and see what echoes it holds. The...
The Torah uses powerful imagery to describe just such a feeling in (Genesis 15:11): “Birds of prey descended upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.” But what does it really...
one such verse, rich with meaning and implication. In (Genesis 15:14), God tells Abraham, "And also that nation that they will serve, I will judge, and after that they will go out ...
Our story centers on Sarai (later Sarah) and Abram (later Abraham), a couple facing the heartbreaking reality of childlessness. Sarai, in a desperate attempt to fulfill the divine ...
But what does it truly signify? And why there? In Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations of Genesis, we find a fascinating discussion between Rabbi Yishm...
The Torah tells us in (Genesis 17:5), "Your name will no longer be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations." Seems pre...
The ancient rabbis grappled with that all the time, and their discussions, preserved in texts like Bereshit Rabbah, offer some fascinating, and sometimes surprising, insights. We f...
(Psalm 119:89) declares, “Forever, Lord, Your word stands firm in the heavens.” But does this mean it doesn’t stand firm here, with us? Our sages grappled with this, finding an ans...
The Torah tells us, "The matter was greatly distressing in Abraham’s eyes, regarding his son" (Genesis 21:11). This refers to the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael. But why was Abraha...
It might be more surprising – and down-to-earth – than you think. Our text from Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis, dives into...
We all know the story: God commands Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. Abraham, with unwavering faith, prepares to fulfill this divine decree. "They came to the place tha...
The Torah, as it often does, gives us clues, and this time it’s wrapped up in the story of Abraham burying his beloved Sarah. In (Genesis 23:19), we read, “Then, Abraham buried Sar...
It begins, "Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household, who was in charge of everything that was his: Please, place your hand under my thigh" (Genesis 24:2). Under his...
Take Eliezer, for instance, Abraham's trusted servant. He might seem like a supporting player, but Bereshit Rabbah 60 reveals a depth of understanding that's truly remarkable. The ...
