320 related texts · Page 3 of 7
Let me tell you a story from Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, chapter 33, that might just change your perspective. It’s about a man named Shallum, son of Tikvah. Now, Shallum wasn't a king ...
to a fascinating passage from Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, specifically chapter 37, that wrestles with this very issue, focusing on the complex relationship between Jacob and Esau. The ...
We often think of great scholars, perhaps, or those who dedicate their lives to prayer. But Jewish tradition sometimes surprises us. The Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal inter...
Moments where the choices seem equally appealing, or equally daunting. This week, in Sifrei Devarim 53, we find a powerful exploration of just that – the choices we face and the il...
The ancient text of Sifrei Devarim wrestles with this very question, and its answer is surprisingly nuanced. We find ourselves in the book of Deuteronomy, or Devarim in Hebrew, spe...
Sometimes, it's not as straightforward as you might think. Take the classic example of basar b'chalav, meat and milk – a cornerstone of kashrut (dietary laws). You might assume it'...
We often prioritize, naturally. The urgent email over the thoughtful note. The looming deadline over the quiet moment of reflection. The text focuses on the phrase, "to observe to ...
We’ve all been there. But what if I told you that according to one ancient interpretation, that seemingly small act could be seen as something far more serious? Sifrei Devarim 117,...
We're looking at a passage that wrestles with the details of the Pesach (Passover) sacrifice – the Passover offering. The text begins by pointing out that the verse "and you shall ...
The passage begins with a seemingly simple phrase: "From the beginning of the sickle." What does that even mean? Well, according to the Sifrei, it’s all about timing and method. Th...
Well, our Sages grappled with that very idea when it came to Sukkot, the Festival of Booths. Sukkot, as you probably know, is that joyous week where we dwell in temporary shelters,...
We often think of inheritance in terms of land, possessions, things we can hold in our hands. But what if your inheritance was something… else? Something more sacred? to a fascinat...
That’s the heart of bikkurim (בִּכּוּרִים), the first fruits offering, and Sifrei Devarim sheds light on its beautiful simplicity. The passage from Sifrei Devarim 297 opens with a ...
It wasn't just about plowing and planting. It was a system of sacred sharing, a way of life woven into the very fabric of their calendar. We're going to dive into a little corner o...
Specifically, (Deuteronomy 26:12). It’s a short verse, but it’s packed with meaning: "then you shall give to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow." Sounds simple, do...
The shofar on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) was not just a call to repentance. According to the Targum's version of (Numbers 29), the trumpets served a cosmic combat function...
The Targum Jonathan on (Deuteronomy 13) confronts one of the most dangerous problems in ancient Israelite religion: the prophet whose miracles actually work. The Hebrew text warns ...
The story of the false prophets Ahab ben Kolaya and Zidkia b. Maaseya. They went to the daughter of Nebuchad- nezar and by false prophecies tried to induce her to sin, The king kno...
Nahum of Gamzu — the sage whose name became a proverb, because to every misfortune he would say "Gam zu l'tovah," "This too is for the good" — learned the cost of delayed charity t...
The rabbis taught a stark warning: reduce your tithes, and God will reduce your harvests. The Talmud and Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) preserve the story of a family t...
A prosperous farmer in the land of Israel had fields that yielded abundantly, orchting, and vineyard heavy with fruit. Year after year, God blessed his harvests. But the farmer gre...
Bar Kappara was walking along the seashore when he encountered the survivors of a shipwreck — strangers, soaked and shivering, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They had...
The book of Genesis tells us, almost in passing, "Jacob traveled to Sukot, and built him a house, and established booths [sukot] for his livestock. Therefore, he called the name of...
The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), that treasure trove of Jewish stories and interpretations, finds echoes of this universal joy in the verses about the holiday of Suk...
The arba minim—the "four species" used during the Jewish festival of Sukkot (the Festival of Tabernacles)—carry a meaning far deeper than ritual. These four species – the etrog, th...
It’s a question that’s been wrestled with for centuries in Jewish tradition. What if someone says Elijah himself appeared to them? According to some, that person might be peddling ...
(Numb. 22:28:) “Then the Lord opened the mouth of the she-ass,” in order to make known to him that the mouth and the tongue are under His (i.e., God's) control, so that if he desir...
to a fascinating, and sometimes surprising, peek into the origins of Passover and Shabbat, as seen through the lens of a text called the Book of Jubilees. The Book of Jubilees, som...
It's more than just a ritual; it's a declaration of independence. God wouldn’t have redeemed Israel, wouldn’t have pulled them out of Egypt, if they hadn’t turned away from idol wo...
"Draw forth and take for yourselves": "Draw forth"—he who possesses his own; "and take" (i.e., acquire)—he who does not possess his own. R. Yossi Haglili says (The meaning is:) "Dr...
"It is a sign forever" — the Mekhilta derives from this phrase that the Sabbath will never be lost from Israel. No matter what happens — exile, persecution, assimilation pressures ...
It might sound a little unusual, but Jewish tradition is rich with symbolism, and this particular image is incredibly powerful. Imagine this: It's the sixth of Sivan, the day appoi...
Specifically, we're looking at Midrash Tehillim 42. It's a plea, a challenge, almost a demand, directed at God. The speaker in this Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) begin...
The verse in question comes from (Leviticus 17:15): "And every soul that eats neveilah (carcass) or treifah (what is "torn")… he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water…” Okay, p...
Our guide here is Sifrei Bamidbar, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Numbers. It wrestles with a verse in Numbers (8:25): "And from the age of fifty he shall ret...
Seems like a prime opportunity for spiritual growth. But Sifrei Bamidbar, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Numbers, pulls no punches. It points out a rather gla...
Our ancestors certainly did. Today we're diving into a fascinating story from Sifrei Bamidbar, a legal commentary on the Book of Numbers, that grapples with just that feeling of ex...
We're going to dive into a fascinating passage from Sifrei Bamidbar, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Numbers, and explore the intricacies of terumah and ma'ase...
Today, let's unpack a passage from Sifrei Bamidbar, specifically focusing on (Numbers 18:30-32), which deals with the Levites and their portion of the tithes. The verse states, "An...
The passage opens with the verse from Devarim (Deuteronomy) 3:23: "And I supplicated (va'ethchanan) the L-rd." Va'ethchanan, the text tells us, is a term loaded with entreaty, a he...
The word atzeret (עצרת) appears in Bamidbar, or the Book of Numbers (29:35), in the context of Shmini Atzeret, the "eighth day" that follows the seven days of Sukkot, the Festival ...
The ancient rabbis certainly considered the importance of order, especially when it came to sacred rituals. to a fascinating little corner of Jewish law, specifically from Sifrei D...
A disciple recited before R. Jochanan: "Whoever occupies himself with the study of the Torah and with the practice of loving kindness and (Ib. b.) buries his children [during his l...
Bamidbar Rabbah (5) dives deep into this, using the verse "Do not rob the impoverished as he is impoverished..." (Proverbs 22:22) as a springboard for profound ethical reflection. ...
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...
Because sometimes, the universe has a funny way of showing us that insight isn't exclusive to the scholars and sages. We find a perfect example in Bereshit Rabbah, specifically sec...
We're going to look at the story of the cities of Babel and Nineveh and what their fates reveal. Our journey starts with (Genesis 10:10): “The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, a...
Our tradition is filled with stories that suggest it might. Today, we're diving into a few tales from Devarim Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy...
