307 related texts · Page 6 of 7
And the answer, according to Jewish tradition, is wonderfully layered. Deuteronomy (Devarim) 12:5 tells us, "But to the place that the L-rd your G-d will choose of all your tribes…...
The Sifrei Devarim, a legal midrash on the Book of Deuteronomy, touches on some specific examples of legal “disputes” that might arise. It mentions the ordeal of the sotah, the wom...
The passage centers around (Deuteronomy 18:6), dealing with the rights and roles of the Levites. Now, who were the Levites? They were members of the tribe of Levi, designated for s...
This one, from Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretations and homilies related to the Book of Deuteronomy, really got to me. The story goes that Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakka...
It seems like a simple question, but the answer, like so many things in Jewish tradition, is layered with meaning. The Sifrei Devarim, an ancient commentary on the Book of Deuteron...
Leviticus 13 is the longest chapter in the book—a detailed medical manual for diagnosing skin diseases. The Targum Jonathan transforms it from clinical instructions into a color-co...
Leviticus 21 restricts which priests may serve at the altar. The Targum Jonathan expands the list of disqualifying blemishes with clinical precision that goes well beyond the Hebre...
When Moses ascended to heaven to receive the Torah, the angels were furious. According to Shabbat 88b, they confronted God directly: "What is a human being doing among us?" God tol...
The full scope of Moses's argument against the angels is recorded in Shabbat 89a, and it is a masterclass in turning your opponent's own premises against them. Moses went through t...
The Throne of Glory is an important feature in the Cabala. It is placed at the highest point of the universe (Ḥag. 12b); and is of the same color as the sky—purple-blue, like the "...
King Solomon stood before God and prayed at the dedication of the Temple. "Master of the Universe," he said, "let everything else be set aside and focus on my prayer and supplicati...
The verse we're looking at is (Numbers 3:42): “Moses counted, as the Lord commanded him, all firstborn among the children of Israel.” Simple enough. But the Rabbis never let anythi...
Today, we’re diving deep into one of the most fascinating and unsettling rituals described in the Torah: the ordeal of the sotah (סוטה), the woman suspected of adultery. The passag...
We find ourselves delving into just that, specifically in Bamidbar Rabbah 9, a section of the great Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic compilation on the Book of Numbers....
The verse sets the scene: "The man shall bring his wife to the priest, and he shall bring her offering on her behalf, one-tenth of an ephah of barley flour; he shall not pour oil u...
We're diving into the ritual surrounding the sotah, the woman suspected of adultery. Specifically, we're looking at (Numbers 5:16-17), which details the priest's actions in this de...
It comes from Numbers, Chapter 5, verse 26. We're in the middle of the sotah ritual – that's the process involving a woman suspected of infidelity. The verse reads: "The priest sha...
There’s a fascinating passage in Bamidbar Rabbah – that's the collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Numbers – that dives right into this, focusing on the case of th...
Bamidbar Rabbah, a classic collection of Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic teachings on the Book of Numbers, gives us a fascinating peek into just that. It takes a passa...
Here, we're unpacking the story of the sotah, the woman suspected of adultery, and the unique ritual designed to determine her guilt or innocence. It's a wild ride, so buckle up. O...
Today, we’re diving deep into the Priestly Blessing, also known as Nesi’at Kapayim, the Lifting of the Hands, found in the Book of Numbers (6:22-27) and explored in Bamidbar Rabbah...
You know, the one that starts "Yevarechecha Adonai v'yishmerecha – May the Lord bless you and keep you..." It’s a beautiful, powerful blessing, and it's packed with layers of meani...
But what if the answer wasn’t a cold, scientific explanation, but a beautiful, poetic description hidden within our sacred texts? The Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teac...
Our jumping-off point is Bamidbar Rabbah 12, a fascinating exploration of the verse "On the day that [Moses] concluded." Now, you might think this is just a throwaway line, but the...
The text starts with a seemingly simple phrase, “Et hamishkan” – "the Tabernacle.” But according to this Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), it's so much more than it seems...
And it seems even the leaders of ancient Israel weren't immune. We find a fascinating story in Bamidbar Rabbah 12, a section of the great collection of Midrash (rabbinic interpreti...
That holiest of objects, containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Now, you might assume everyone always knew exactly how it was supposed to be handled. But, as we learn from...
The Book of Numbers, Bamidbar in Hebrew, is full of details about the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. And in chapter 7, we find a fascinating account of the dedication ...
And the very first offering? It's from Naḥshon, son of Aminadav, from the tribe of Judah. We read, "The one who presented his offering on the first day was Naḥshon..." (Numbers 7:1...
It’s a story rich with symbolism, divine presence, and, believe it or not, even a little tension about who gets to offer what. , shall we? According to Bamidbar Rabbah 13, it all b...
The Torah portion Naso, particularly in Bamidbar Rabbah 13, delves into this very concept, using the offerings of the princes as a springboard. It's a fascinating exploration of Is...
It wrestles with a seemingly simple question about the dedication of the altar in the Tabernacle. The text focuses on the phrase "the first, and his offering." It’s from the Book o...
Sometimes, those little things hold the key to unlocking profound insights. to one such instance from Bamidbar Rabbah (Numbers Rabbah), specifically chapter 13, and see what we can...
The text opens with a seemingly simple observation about the dedication offerings brought by the princes of the tribes. "On the third day, prince of the children of Zebulun, Eliav ...
to a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah, specifically section 14, which grapples with just that question, focusing on the anointing of the altar and its implications for the ...
We're diving into Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Numbers. Specifically, we're looking at Chapter 14, which wrestles with a seemingly redundant v...
Our ancestors felt that way, too. The ancient rabbis understood this, and that's why we find so much human drama, even in the most sacred texts. Take this story from Bamidbar Rabba...
The story of Koraḥ's challenge to Moses' leadership is a powerful one, filled with jealousy, ambition, and a profound questioning of divine authority. We find a particularly insigh...
Like after all the hard work, the dedication, the striving... shouldn't there be a bonus round of celebration? Well, Jewish tradition understands that feeling perfectly. to a fasci...
Specifically, we're looking at section 47, which tackles the tricky subject of God's promises to both Ishmael and Isaac. The passage centers around (Genesis 17:20), where God says,...
The Torah, and the rabbinic tradition that blossoms from it, is obsessed with this very question. to a fascinating passage from Bereshit Rabbah 53, a midrash – a rabbinic interpret...
In the story of Jacob and Esau, as told in (Genesis 27:23), that sense of smell takes on a whole new, almost mystical, significance. The verse tells us, "He did not recognize him, ...
But Jewish tradition, in its beautiful and often poetic way, offers a compelling answer: the people of Israel. to a fascinating passage from Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbin...
Kohelet, the book of Ecclesiastes traditionally attributed to Solomon, wrestles with just that. And Kohelet Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, digs even deeper. Let's...
Pharaoh's army bearing down, water as far as the eye could see. What do you do? The Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, paints a vivid pi...
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...
The Torah tells us, "Betzalel crafted..." regarding every single item in the Tabernacle. But, wait a minute! Did he really do it all himself? That's the question posed in Shemot Ra...
In fact, the Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Song of Songs, dives deep into its meaning and context, revealing some pretty surprising ideas. L...
