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It uses the comparison between Moses and Bilam to highlight just how utterly unique Moses was. (Deuteronomy 34:10) tells us, “There has not arisen another prophet in Israel like Mo...
These are the kinds of questions that ripple through the ancient texts. In Bamidbar Rabbah, we find a fascinating exploration of the verse, "He heard the Voice speaking with him" (...
Strike a match, touch it to the wick, and boom – light. But in Jewish tradition, even something as seemingly mundane as lighting a lamp can be filled with profound meaning. Take, f...
The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), specifically Bamidbar Rabbah 15, tells us that crafting the menorah was uniquely challenging for Moses. More so than any other objec...
The story of the menorah, the candelabrum in the Tabernacle, as told in Bamidbar Rabbah 15, is a wild ride about just that. It's a reminder that even Moses, the ultimate receiver o...
It’s a question the rabbis grappled with centuries ago, and their insights, drawn from the Torah itself, are surprisingly relevant today. We find a fascinating discussion in Bamidb...
It's like a secret code, hinting at deeper meanings. Take this verse from (Numbers 11:16): "Gather to Me seventy men [ish]..." Why ish, and not the more common Hebrew word for men,...
The verse from Proverbs (26:6) sets the stage: “One who sends things by the hand of a fool cuts off his feet and drinks rancor.” Ouch. Strong words. But here's the puzzle: were the...
The verse sets the scene: “They ascended and scouted the land from the wilderness of Tzin to Rehov, at the approach to Hamat” (Numbers 13:21). But, Bamidbar Rabbah asks, how exactl...
In the book of Numbers, we find Moses doing just that, wrestling with God over the fate of the Israelites. It’s a moment of incredible intensity, revealing a deep and complex relat...
His story, recounted in Bamidbar Rabbah (Numbers Rabbah) 18, is a wild ride of ambition, rebellion, and some seriously bad consequences. So, "Korah took…" That's how the story begi...
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...
The story of Moses and the rebellion of Korah, Datan, and Aviram in the Book of Numbers gives us a powerful example. The Torah tells us, “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to...
The Torah isn't just a text; it’s a living conversation, a dialogue that echoes through generations and, some say, even between God and Moses himself. Rabbi Aḥa, quoting Rabbi Ḥani...
Talk about pressure! In this week's Torah portion, Chukat, we find a particularly fraught moment (Numbers 20:8). God tells Moses, "Take the staff…and give the congregation and thei...
Jewish tradition certainly thinks so. Take a look at the story surrounding the death of Aaron in the book of Numbers, specifically as it's illuminated by Bamidbar Rabbah 19. The ve...
But in Jewish tradition, there are moments where even MOSES, our greatest prophet, seems to do just that. to one of those fascinating instances from Bamidbar Rabbah 19. The verse w...
The story of Pinḥas (Phineas) in the book of Numbers is a wild ride, a tale of zealotry, divine intervention, and a whole lot of questions about what's right and wrong. The scene i...
Today, let's talk about counting, specifically, the census in the Book of Numbers, Bamidbar in Hebrew. We find ourselves in Numbers 26, right after a devastating plague. God tells ...
That even the greatest among us can have their moments of… well, let’s call it humility. Today, we’re diving into a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbin...
This is the complex and very human story bubbling beneath the surface of (Numbers 27:17), "that the congregation of the Lord will not be like a flock that has no shepherd." It's a ...
The text opens with God's command to Moses: "Take the vengeance of the children of Israel against the Midianites; then you will be gathered to your people" (Numbers 31:2). It seems...
The book of Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Numbers, delves into Moses' burning desire to witness the vengeance against Midian before his d...
We often take it for granted, but the bracha, the blessing after the meal, has a rich history, deeply intertwined with our relationship to the Land of Israel. Our source for this j...
The Torah, in the book of Genesis (Bereshit), gives us a glimpse of just how fleeting paradise can be. The verse says, "They were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were no...
It's like a chameleon, shifting its color to match the background. Take the Hebrew word hu, meaning "he is" or "he was." It seems simple enough. But in Bereshit Rabbah, a collectio...
But the rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), those brilliant interpreters of our tradition, saw so much more. Bereshit Rabbah, that treasure trove of rabbinic ...
Take the tale of Pharaoh and Sarah in Genesis. We know the basic outline: Abraham and Sarah enter Egypt, Abraham says Sarah is his sister, Pharaoh takes Sarah into his house, and t...
The story of Abraham and the binding of Isaac, the Akeidah, is a powerful lens through which to explore this idea. Our text today comes from Bereshit Rabbah 55, a collection of rab...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. They saw God's hand even in moments of anger, betrayal, and… well, poisoned drinks. to a fascinating passage from Bereshit Rabbah, a classic rabbi...
It’s a question that echoes through the story of Joseph, as we find it explored in Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis. The passage ope...
Talk about a whirlwind! As we read in (Genesis 41:14), "Pharaoh sent and summoned Joseph, [and they rushed him from the dungeon. He shaved, changed his garments, and came to Pharao...
The ancient rabbis certainly did, and they found fascinating insights in the story of Joseph in Egypt. In Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of G...
We find a fascinating example of this in the story of Joseph and his brothers, a tale filled with drama, reconciliation, and the enduring strength of family. The verse in (Genesis ...
Specifically, we're going to look at section 94. So, Pharaoh tells Joseph: "Say to your brothers: Do this: Load your animals, and go, and come to the land of Canaan, and take your ...
Take the story of Joseph and his brothers in Egypt. In (Genesis 47:2), we read, "From among his brothers he took five men, and he presented them before Pharaoh." Okay, seems simple...
Specifically, we're going to look at section 97, which unpacks Jacob's final words to Joseph. The verse in question is (Genesis 48:21): "Israel said to Joseph: Behold, I am dying, ...
We often read the Torah focusing on the big picture, but sometimes, it's in the details that we find the most fascinating human drama. Take the story of Jacob's death and burial in...
It's easy to read the Torah as a collection of individual stories, but the rabbis of old saw something more: echoes, parallels, and meaningful connections woven throughout the gene...
But did they really get away with it? The Book of Devarim—Deuteronomy—opens with the phrase, "These are the words that Moses spoke…" And the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commenta...
The text presents a fascinating idea: that the speaker's life and experience lend weight to their words. It's not just what you say, but who you are that matters. Imagine someone e...
In (Deuteronomy 3:2), God tells Moses, "Do not fear him, as I have delivered him and his entire people and his land into your hand; you shall do to him as you did to Siḥon, king of...
It all starts with Moses, and his famous plea, "I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying..." (Deuteronomy 3:23). The Rabbis of old, in their wisdom, saw this verse as a springb...
Deuteronomy, or Devarim in Hebrew, is full of Moses' final words, his reflections on a lifetime of leadership. And within the rabbinic compilation called Devarim Rabbah, a midrash ...
And it turns out, even Moses, the greatest prophet of them all, knew what that was like. Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, explores thi...
Our story revolves around a verse from Deuteronomy (3:24): "Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is in the heavens or on ...
It starts with a verse from Deuteronomy (4:25): "When you will beget children, and children’s children, and you will have been long in the land, and you will act corruptly and craf...
Today, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, that explores just that, through the lens o...
