538 related texts · 3 related myths · Page 2 of 12
Legends of the Jews turns to Reuben Lost Three Crowns for One Rash Act. Jacob, on his deathbed, addresses Reuben. "Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my...
Legends of the Jews turns to Reuben Told His Children to Follow Levi and Study Torah. Well, according to Legends of the Jews, Reuben, despite his past failings, had a powerful mess...
Reuben admits, "Now I confess my sin, that ofttimes I longed to kill him, for I hated him from the bottom of my heart… and I desired to destroy him from off the land of the living....
The familiar story is this: Moses goes up Mount Sinai, gets the Ten Commandments, and the Israelites, left to their own devices, panic. But the story, as we find it in Legends of t...
In the Book of Genesis, Jacob, nearing the end of his life, bestows blessings upon his sons, the founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. When he blesses Dan, he likens him to Juda...
It’s certainly on display as we approach the end of Moses' life in the book of Numbers. The story goes that God tells Moses he’s going to die soon, specifically after avenging the ...
Before asking for something big, wouldn't you acknowledge the power and greatness of the one you're asking? That's exactly what Moses did before blessing Israel. He didn't just div...
The stories surrounding his reign are filled with drama, piety, and some truly perplexing decisions. One of Saul's very first acts, as recounted in Legends of the Jews, was his tri...
The moment Joshua and Eleazar the high priest died, Israel began to unravel. Josephus does not soften this. The generation that had conquered Canaan gave way to one that could not ...
What's happening on high? Well, according to a beautiful passage in the Zohar (2:40b-41a), the foundational text of Jewish mysticism, God isn't just observing. God's hosting a cele...
It’s one of those enduring mysteries that captures the imagination. They were carried away, prisoners in their own land, and exiled beyond the mysterious river Sambatyon. But what ...
(Psalm 94:1) cries out, "God of vengeance, shine forth!" And in Midrash Tehillim, the collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Psalms, this verse opens a fascinating door in...
Even Moses, our great leader, faced such dilemmas, and the stories of how he navigated them are They reveal not just his wisdom, but also a glimpse into the Divine hand at play in ...
It's a passage that sparks some interesting questions, and the ancient commentary, Sifrei Bamidbar, dives right in. "And the L-rd spoke to Moses, saying: Take the revenge of the ch...
It's not always as simple as being the oldest, especially when we explore Jewish tradition. It first appears it's a straightforward thing – the eldest son gets the lion's share. Bu...
It’s a profound question, one that our tradition grapples with in beautiful and surprising ways. the tradition turns to the book of Devarim (Deuteronomy), specifically Sifrei Devar...
It turns out, this isn't just a nice sentiment, but a deep spiritual truth, at least according to some fascinating Jewish texts. The Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal and ethic...
Sifrei Devarim turns to Reuben Claims the Birthright but Levi Wins the Priesthood. Sifrei Devarim tells us that Asher steps in and "reconciled his brothers." Because of this act, t...
(22) We are taught in a Baraitha, R. Simeon b. Jochai said: "There are four matters that R. Akiba expounded, but which I interpret differently. The fast of the fourth, means the se...
Jakob crossed the Pherat and set his face for the mountain of Gilead. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan gives the reader a future-sight camera angle the plain text does not: Jakob saw, by the...
What about the power of words, the weight of oaths, and the ripple effect of our actions, intended or not? The ancient rabbis wrestled with these questions, and their insights, pre...
Bamidbar Rabbah refuses to skim the tribal offerings. Reuben's silver dish, basin, and incense ladle all become signals. The Torah tells us about Elitzur's offering: "His offering ...
It centers on an incident involving Reuben, Jacob’s eldest son, and its lasting impact on his status within the family. The story begins with a seemingly simple statement from (Gen...
The story of Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, is a powerful illustration of just that – a tale of lost potential, impulsive actions, and the consequences that ripple through generations....
The ancient rabbis certainly did. They saw layers of meaning, hidden connections, and prophecies woven into the very fabric of the Torah. Take the beginning of the Book of Exodus, ...
Shir HaShirim Rabbah turns to Reuben and Creation of Egypt. The rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) see in this verse a powerful statement about the people of ...
In Vayikra Rabbah 37, the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) explores this idea through a fascinating lens: vows. Specifically, it looks at instances where individuals made...
And he called his son Joseph (Gen. 47:29). Why did he not summon Reuben or Judah? After all, Reuben was the firstborn, while Judah was a king. He ignored them and called Joseph ins...
From the Exodus to the destruction of the First Temple, Israel was exiled eight times. According to the Chronicles of Jerahmeel, a 12th-century Hebrew chronicle translated by Moses...
Moses spent his final days doing what he had done since Sinai: giving laws. But these were different. These were the laws of a man who knew he would never cross the Jordan. The mil...
Hazael, king of Syria, tore through the eastern territories of Israel like a brushfire. The lands of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh fell. Gilead and Bashan burned. And...
When the Torah says "tomorrow," does it mean the next day or some distant point in the future? The Mekhilta demonstrates that the word carries both meanings, depending on context. ...
Sometimes, the answer isn’t just in swords and shields. Sometimes, it's in something far more powerful: wisdom. Our story comes from Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interp...
(Numb. 30:3:) “When someone makes a vow (neder) to the Lord.” Let our master instruct us: How are konamot (i.e. vows of abstinence) and vows (nedarim)? Thus have our masters taught...
(Numbers 35:11:) “You shall provide yourselves with places to serve you as cities of refuge.” And it is written (in (Numbers 35:13-1)4), “six cities of refuge shall there be for yo...
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught that in the future, all suffering will be revealed as good. Not philosophically. Experientially. You will bless God for your pain the same way you b...
"The entire world was created only for my sake" (Sanhedrin 37a). Rabbi Nachman of Breslov takes this teaching at face value: if the world exists for you, then you are responsible f...
A Roman emperor once told Rabban Gamliel: "Your God is a thief. He put Adam to sleep and stole one of his ribs." Before Rabban Gamliel could answer, his daughter interrupted. Accor...
The death of Moses is the most devastating scene in the Torah. And the Talmud in Sotah 13b expands it into something almost unbearable. Moses pleaded with God not to let him die. H...
The Torah says something strange when Balaam, the prophet hired by Balak of Moab to curse Israel, finally opened his mouth. And the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth (Numbers 23:5)...
Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on (Genesis 12:3) performs one of its most characteristic moves, it drops the future straight into the past. The plain verse says, I will bless those who ble...
The Torah has a default order. Moses before Aaron. Joshua before Caleb. Father before mother. Heaven before earth. Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit 14:1 collects the quiet exceptio...
Jacob is speaking, recounting a conversation, perhaps to his father Isaac, or maybe in his own private reflections. He emphasizes his commitment to marrying within his family. “To ...
Sometimes the ancient texts offer us a glimpse behind the curtain, a little more color, a little more… well, human drama. This ancient Jewish text, considered apocryphal by some bu...
Book of Jubilees turns to Laban Chases Jacob to the Mountains of Gilead. The Book of Jubilees, by the way, is an ancient Jewish text that retells the stories from Genesis and Exodu...
Book of Jubilees turns to Jacob and Laban Swear an Oath at Gilead. The Book of Jubilees (chapter 29, to be exact) gives us a little extra insight. This fascinating, often overlooke...
Our tale begins in the Book of Jubilees, a text that expands on the stories we find in Genesis. It's a fascinating, sometimes controversial, work that offers a unique perspective o...
Book of Jubilees turns to Reuben's Secret Sin Against His Father's Bed. One such moment, a rather uncomfortable one found in the Book of Jubilees. Now, the Book of Jubilees isn't p...
