1,047 related texts · 1 related myths · Page 21 of 22
The Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, wrestles with the verse, "The Lord your God will maintain for you…" What exactly will God maintai...
We all have. But have you ever stopped to consider the consequences, not just for those around you, but for yourself? The Book of Deuteronomy, or Devarim in Hebrew, is full of wisd...
Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, tackles this very question. It starts with a bold statement. Rabbi Elazar says that after God spoke a...
Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, gives us a glimpse into that incredible scene, a cosmic struggle between life and death, between Mose...
Kohelet Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, grapples with this very feeling. It opens with the powerful image of rivers flowing into the sea: "All the rivers go to the...
The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, touches on this very feeling. Specifically, there's a line in (Ecclesiastes 1:15) that says, "That which is warped can...
That’s a feeling woven deep into the tradition of Jewish tradition, a feeling the rabbis grappled with intensely. how they expressed it. The story begins with the passing of Ḥiyya ...
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, a prominent figure in the Zohar (the foundational text of Jewish mysticism), puts it this way: a good name is more beloved than the Ark of the Covenant itse...
One minute you're basking in sunshine, the next you're caught in a downpour. How do we navigate those wild swings of fortune? Well, the book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it’s kno...
The rabbis of old, in their infinite wisdom, dove deep into its poetic verses, finding layers of meaning we might miss today. Specifically, we’re unpacking a rather… vivid interpre...
The ancient rabbis saw that struggle playing out in the life of Moses, as he stood on the cusp of his world-changing mission. The book of Exodus (4:18) tells us, "Moses went and re...
A seemingly insignificant phrase can carry immense weight, altering the course of destiny. to a curious observation from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on ...
The verse says, "The Lord said to Moses in Midyan: Go, return to Egypt; as all the men who sought your life are dead" (Exodus 4:19). Simple enough. But the Rabbis of the Midrash (r...
(Exodus 4:20) tells us, "Moses took his wife and his sons, and mounted them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. Moses took the staff of God in his hand." Simple enou...
The Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers a breathtakingly intimate perspective on that pivotal moment. Specifically, Shemot...
The story starts with a seemingly simple commandment: "This is the statute of the paschal offering." Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta paints a vivid picture: God, blessed be He, instructs ...
It wasn't just about finding the best route to the Promised Land. It was about timing. The Book of Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, of...
The verse Sounds simple. Just gather your daily bread, or manna. But the Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, see so much more woven into these words. They connect it to (Psalm 68:20)...
In Jewish tradition, names aren't just labels. They're packed with meaning, hinting at a person's essence, their journey, their very destiny. Take Yitro, Moses' father-in-law. He's...
A collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Exodus, the answer might surprise you. It all goes back to Mount Sinai. Rabbi Yitzḥak makes a bold claim: Everything the prophets w...
The Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Exodus, offers some fascinating insights. Rabbi Aḥa ben Rabbi Ḥanina kicks things off with a quote from (Psalms ...
Our story begins after the devastating sin of the Golden Calf. Can you imagine the scene? Moses is up on Mount Sinai, receiving the very word of God, while down below, the Israelit...
It quickly jumps to a seemingly unrelated verse from Psalms: "I had said: You are divine beings, celestial beings, all of you" (Psalms 82:6). What's the connection? Shemot Rabbah e...
Shemot Rabbah turns to The Torah as a Gift That Deepens Connection With God. Shemot Rabbah, a treasury of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) interpretations on the Book o...
Shemot Rabbah turns to How Aaron Reacted When Moses Smashed the Tablets. The scene: Moses is descending from Mount Sinai, clutching the tablets of the law. He sees the Israelites r...
In Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, we find a fascinating exchange. God tells Moses, "And you, draw near to you." Now, Moses isn't exa...
Our tradition wrestles with that very feeling in the story of the Golden Calf. The scene: Moses is up on Mount Sinai, receiving the Torah, the very blueprint for a just and holy so...
A powerful story from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, where Moses does just that after the sin of the Golden Calf. The people have tr...
The answer, according to the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), is a fascinating blend of divine foresight and, well, a little bit of divine concern! Our story begins, as ...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. They saw the world – our world, and all the worlds beyond – as hanging in the balance, dependent on something surprisingly simple: our commitment ...
The Torah tells us, "He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. He wrote upon the tablets the words of the covenant, ...
It goes all the way back to Mount Sinai, according to the ancient Rabbis. Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on the Song of Songs, dives into a fascinating interpretation of the ...
Rabbi Yanai had a similar thought. He pointed out that the Torah truly needed to begin only with the verse "This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2), marking the start of the Jew...
Shir HaShirim Rabbah turns to Betzalel Before the Flood. The text imagines the congregation of Israel – Knesset Yisrael, the Jewish people – speaking. "I am a rose [ḥavatzelet] of ...
Like, you look around and wonder, "How did we get here?" Well, ancient Jewish wisdom has some thoughts on that – and a surprising solution involving a rose. to Shir HaShirim Rabbah...
The apple tree in Shir HaShirim Rabbah is not decoration. It is Sinai in bloom. Rabbi Aḥa ben Rabbi Ze'eira notices the order of the tree: blossom first, leaves after. Israel, he s...
In Shir HaShirim Rabbah 7, the Rabbis unpack a seemingly simple verse – (Song of Songs 2:7): “I administer an oath to you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the hinds...
The ancient rabbis did, and they found clues in the most unexpected places, even in the love poetry of the Song of Songs! It speaks of a "palanquin" made by King Solomon. But this ...
The verse we're unpacking is "Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates" (Song of Songs 4:13). The Midrash cleverly interprets "your branches" (shelaḥayikh in Hebrew) as "your g...
A passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs, that explores just that feeling. Specifically, What does it all mean? The Rabbis...
Take this one: "His hands are rods of gold set with beryl; his belly is a slab of ivory covered with sapphires." (Song of Songs 5:14). Beautiful imagery, but what does it mean? Wel...
We start with a verse from (Song of Songs 5:16): "His palate is sweet and all of him is delightful. This is my beloved, and this is my companion, daughters of Jerusalem." The Rabbi...
Shir HaShirim Rabbah turns to When God's Voice Nearly Overwhelmed Israel at Sinai. Our sages explored this very idea. The verse from Song of Songs, "His palate is sweet," (Song of ...
Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on the Song of Songs, and unpacking just such a verse. Get ready for a journey through noble lineage, the power of brit milah (circumcision), a...
Shir HaShirim Rabbah reads "Who is that ascending from the wilderness?" as a map of Israel's rise, collapse, and return. The text immediately grounds us in the stark reality of the...
The familiar story is this: from Exodus 32 – the Israelites, impatient for Moses to return from the mountain, pressure Aaron to create a god for them. He obliges, a golden calf is ...
They used stories – beautiful, powerful stories – to make sense of it all. One of my favorites comes from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Leviticu...
It touches on themes of covenant, perfection, and even the very nature of blessing. to a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) tex...
