122 related texts · Page 3 of 3
"Covenant" is written of Israel, viz. (Genesis 17:13) "And My covenant (i.e., circumcision) shall be in your flesh." And it is also written of strangers, viz. (Isaiah 56:4) "and th...
"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's more than just a nice sentiment; it's a springboard for some incredible midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic interpretations. The Midrash Mishlei, a collection of inte...
It’s a question that leads us to a fascinating passage in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a beautiful, ancient text that weaves together biblical narrative and rabbinic interpretation. The...
It's all there in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, chapter 29. This ancient text uses the image of a vine to teach us about growth, potential, and the transformative power of commitment. Ra...
The story we find in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Chapter 36, about King David and the conquest of Jerusalem, reveals just that. It's a fascinating glimpse into how deeply the covenant ...
The passage begins with God speaking to Moses, commanding him to instruct the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone afflicted with tzara'at (often translated as leprosy, tho...
It's fascinating to consider how seemingly disparate aspects of life were connected, and Sifrei Devarim 208 offers us a tantalizing glimpse into this very connection. The text open...
The day after Korah's company was swallowed by the earth, the people of Israel accused Moses and Aaron of murder. God sent a plague. And Aaron did something no other priest would e...
Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) Levanat HaSapir is a midrash on the Torah in the style of kabbalah, in Aramaic like the Zohar. It is not extant before us today. The Yuha...
It's not just about physical cleanliness, but a whole system of ritual purity and impurity that touches upon nearly every aspect of life. Today, we’re diving into a fascinating pas...
It all starts with a verse from the Song of Songs (3:11): "Go out and gaze, daughters of Zion, at King Solomon, at the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wed...
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven." We all know the famous line from Ecclesiastes (3:1). But have you ever stopped to consider just how m...
It's never accidental. Jewish tradition teaches us that repetitions often hold profound significance, echoing through generations. Take Abraham, for example, our patriarch. We find...
It's right there in (Genesis 17:17): "Abraham fell upon his face, and he laughed. He said in his heart: Shall a child be born to one who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, ...
"Distribute a portion to seven, and also to eight, as you do not know what evil will be upon the earth" (Ecclesiastes 11:2). Simple enough. But what does it mean? That’s where Kohe...
What allowed him, a human, to step into the most sacred space? Shemot Rabbah, a treasure trove of biblical interpretations, explores this very question. "This is the matter," it sa...
Seems straightforward. But the Rabbis, in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, see layers of meaning here. Specifically, they focus on the Hebrew word libavtini – "you have charmed me." The spell...
We all know the basics from Genesis, but the Rabbis of the Talmud and Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) dove deep, exploring every nuance, every implication. And what they...
It wasn't just a quick glance. The Torah tells us in (Leviticus 13:12) that the priest examines the afflicted individual in “the entire view of the eyes of the priest.” But what ex...
The verse in question, from (Leviticus 14:4), describes a ritual for purifying someone who has been healed from a skin disease: “The priest shall command, and one shall take for th...
What would you bring with you? What could possibly prepare you for such an encounter? Well, Rabbi Yudan, in Vayikra Rabbah 21, offers a fascinating perspective. He interprets the v...
The ancient rabbis certainly did! They saw profound symbolism woven into every thread, especially when it came to the garments of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest. : the High Pries...
“Pay them retribution, Lord, according to their handiwork” (Lamentations 3:64).“Pay them retribution” – Jeremiah said: “Pay them retribution.” Asaf said: “Pay our neighbors retribu...
And thou shalt command the children of Israel (Exod. 27:20). May it please our masters to teach us: At what age must an infant be circumcised? So do our masters teach us: An infant...
(Lev. 8:3:) “And assemble the whole congregation.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Pay him honor in front of all Israel, in order that they may see him today when he e...
