1,629 related texts · Page 4 of 34
The Mekhilta unpacks a subtle but powerful argument that God makes to Israel. The verse reads: "As the deeds of the land of Egypt in which you dwelt you shall not do" (Leviticus 18...
(Exodus 21:35) says: "And if the ox of a man strike" — the Mekhilta immediately draws a legal boundary. The phrase "of a man" excludes the ox of a minor. A child who owns an ox tha...
"Pay shall he pay an ox for an ox" — the Torah prescribes the remedy when a mued (habitual goring ox) kills another person's ox. The payment is a beast for a beast. But the Mekhilt...
The Mekhilta raises an objection to the theory that the four-and-five payment applies only to animals that are sacrificed on the altar. If that were the rule, then a blemished anim...
"and the stranger": This refers to a ger toshav (a "sojourning stranger [one who shuns idolatry and observes the seven Noachide laws]). But perhaps it refers to a ger tzedek (a "ri...
The tradition paints a rather… unusual picture. Imagine an angel resembling an ox with a split lip. Strange. But hold that image for a moment, because this angel's position is what...
There's a powerful, almost unsettling image in Midrash Tehillim, a collection of homiletic interpretations of the Book of Psalms. It speaks of someone being stripped bare, of havin...
A story found woven into the ancient text of Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer. The scene: Mount Sinai. Moses is up there receiving the Torah, the ultimate gift, the very blueprint for a just...
But when you really dig in, you find these incredible layers of compassion and ethical guidance. Take the laws about lending and taking pledges, for example. They're not just about...
It’s not just about what we owe to God, but what we owe to each other. Today, let’s delve into a fascinating passage from Sifrei Devarim, a commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy, c...
Ever hear a law and think, "Wow, that's… specific?" Well, buckle up, because we're about to dive into one of those laws from the Torah. It’s a concept called yibum, or levirate mar...
Now, what happens when one of them passes away, leaving behind a wife but no children? Traditionally, Jewish law provides a specific path, one designed to both care for the widow a...
Today, we're going to untangle a particularly fascinating knot from Sifrei Devarim 288, dealing with the laws of yibum and chalitzah – levirate marriage and its alternative. So, wh...
The ones that govern life, death, and... well, levirate marriage? It's a mouthful, I know. But stick with me, because even in ancient texts, there are surprisingly human stories hi...
The kind of stuff that makes you scratch your head and think, "Wow, someone really thought of everything!" Well, today we’re diving into one of those corners: the laws of chalitzah...
Benjamin the Righteous served as the guardian of the community charity fund. Every donation that came in, every disbursement that went out, passed through his honest hands. The peo...
The story of Ben Sabar who helped an orphan to be married. On his journey home he was met by the angel §5 of death. He went to the R. Shaffan b. Laish and was saved from death thro...
Ben Sabar was traveling home one evening when he came upon a young orphan girl weeping by the side of the road. She had no family, no dowry, and no one willing to marry her. Withou...
"Know with certainty that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved to them and they will oppress them, four hundred years.” That's...
In the Torah, seemingly straightforward words often ripple with hidden depths, revealing layers of symbolism that speak to our history, our hopes, and our ultimate destiny. Take Ja...
The verse “Yitro…heard” (Exodus 18:1) sparks a fascinating connection to a seemingly unrelated verse from Job: “The stranger does not stay the night outside” (Job 31:32). What’s th...
“We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows” (Lamentations 5:3).“We have become orphans, fatherless.” Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The Holy O...
21:1). Scripture states (elsewhere in reference to this verse): The strength also of the king who loveth justice. Thou hast established equity and righteousness in Jacob (Ps. 99:4)...
21:1). R. Abahu said in the name of R. Yosé the son of Zimra: Whenever the word eleh (“these”) is written, the lack of importance of the earlier generations is indicated, but whene...
21:1). Scripture says (elsewhere) in reference to this verse: These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good (Prov. 24:23). The Holy One, bl...
Behold, I sent an angel before thee (Exod. 23:20). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: I will send an angel before you but not before them. Whereupon Moses replied: If you ...
Behold, I send an angel before thee (Exod. 23:20). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: For He will give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways (...
The Book of Tobit, a beautiful story nestled within the Apocrypha, touches on just that. It's a tale filled with faith, healing, and the surprising intervention of angels. We find ...
We're diving into the Letter of Aristeas, a fascinating text that offers a glimpse into the world of Hellenistic Judaism. Imagine you're an advisor to a powerful king, and you're t...
The Letter of Aristeas, a fascinating text that purports to describe the translation of the Torah into Greek, offers a glimpse into this very question. It suggests that these seemi...
It's easy to dismiss them as arbitrary, ancient dietary restrictions. But what if there's something much deeper going on? Something about character, about virtue, about becoming th...
It's easy to dismiss them as outdated or just plain weird. But what if there's a deeper wisdom hidden within? The Letter of Aristeas, an ancient text, gives us a fascinating perspe...
But it's a concept that's woven deep into Jewish lore, appearing in various forms throughout our sacred texts and stories. One particularly compelling tale features Rabbi Loew, the...
We all know the story of Joseph and his brothers. Sold into slavery in Egypt, he rises to prominence, eventually saving his family from famine. But let's rewind and look at the ver...
Jewish tradition offers some truly fascinating perspectives. For instance, the idea that God's goodness should reign on earth just as it does in Heaven. To achieve this, the tradit...
Not according to some powerful Jewish legends! They paint a picture of a world created specifically for us, for the people of Israel. It’s a pretty bold claim, isn't it?According t...
The universe is a vast, seemingly endless expanse, and yet, here we are, tiny humans on a small planet, contemplating our existence. It’s a question that has plagued philosophers a...
That’s the story of Enoch. According to Legends of the Jews, after spending a long time in seclusion, Enoch heard an angel calling him. “Enoch, Enoch,” the angel said, “make yourse...
It sounds like a dream. But what if everyone around you is dead-set against it? That's the situation Joseph found himself in, according to Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews, when Phar...
According to Ginzberg in Legends of the Jews, Judah wasn't shy about sharing his battlefield exploits. He recounted his bravery in the wars against the Canaanite kings and even aga...
We all know the big picture: slavery, plagues, the parting of the Red Sea. But what about the individual choices, the moral dilemmas, the moments of despair and resilience that sha...
According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, the very voice of the Divine, booming forth, caused heaven and earth to shake. Can you picture it? The sheer power of it w...
We're talking commandments here, not the Big Ten, but more like, let's say, the "Really Important Suggestions for a Good Life and Avoiding Divine Wrath." Sound intense? It is! Firs...
The story, as retold by Ginzberg in Legends of the Jews, introduces us to this angel, a being named Hadarniel. This angel, it's said, towers over his brethren, exceeding them by si...
According to some traditions, the journey up the mountain was even more perilous than we imagine. Moses, a mortal man, ascending to the very Throne of Glory, surrounded by angels.....
We often picture him receiving the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, in a moment of serene revelation. But Jewish tradition suggests it was a far more intense, even ...
It's a monumental task. Well, the angels apparently had some thoughts. The story goes that they were a little… skeptical. As we find in Legends of the Jews, a monumental compilatio...
And when we look at the story of Joseph, the biblical hero, we find a fascinating answer. Joseph, sold into slavery in Egypt, faces temptation at every turn. But he remains steadfa...
