4,138 related texts · 13 related myths · Page 84 of 87
Devarim Rabbah, in section 2, uses the verse from (Ecclesiastes 5:9), "One who loves silver will never be satisfied with silver," as a springboard for exploring this very human des...
It might seem like a niche legal issue, but within it lies a profound understanding of justice, forgiveness, and even the nature of hope itself. In Deuteronomy, we read, "Then, Mos...
Jewish tradition explores this feeling on a national scale, focusing on the ancient Israelites' request for a human king. God, the ultimate King, has been leading the Israelites. B...
In Jewish tradition, the answer might surprise you: it's the Torah. Devarim Rabbah, a collection of homilies on the Book of Deuteronomy, offers a powerful idea: God says that if we...
In (Deuteronomy 30:12-14), we find the verse, "It is not in the heavens… It is not beyond the sea… Rather, the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you...
Maybe you stumble over your words during a presentation, or completely blank on someone's name. Imagine the pressure, then, of leading a congregation in prayer and making a mistake...
Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the book of Deuteronomy, opens up this very question for us. It begins with the verse, "This is the blessing," and then explor...
We look back with nostalgia, imagining that the giants of the past held all the answers. But Jewish tradition challenges that very notion. The idea that each generation has its own...
The sages in Kohelet Rabbah 7 explore this very question, offering some fascinating possibilities. Rabbi Yehuda paints a picture of something like the Nile River. the Nile doesn't ...
"For to the man who is good before Him, He gave wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He gave the task to gather and to amass, to give to one who is good before God. This, ...
A time for everything, as the saying goes. But what does that really mean? Well, one fascinating interpretation comes to us from Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, found within Kohelet Rab...
Kohelet Rabbah turns to The Advantage of Cultivated Land Is in Every Way. Well, according to Rabbi Nehemya, "The advantage of land is in every way." Now, what does that even mean? ...
The wisdom of a man illuminates his face, and the boldness of his face is changed" (Ecclesiastes 8:1). Right away, the Rabbis ask: Who is this wise man? And their answer, in a move...
The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, wrestles with that very idea. It's a book of wisdom, attributed to King Solomon, but some of its verses have sparked d...
It all starts with a verse from Ecclesiastes (12:11): "The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails well fastened are the collectors of wisdom; they are given from one shep...
Where is God, exactly? Is He up in the heavens, completely removed from our earthly struggles? Or is He still somehow… here? The book of Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic int...
The ancient rabbis certainly thought so. In Shemot Rabbah, a collection of homiletic interpretations of the Book of Exodus, we find a fascinating, and frankly chilling, comparison ...
It suggests that God isn't just listening, but already knows what's in our hearts, even before we utter a word. The Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the B...
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 familiar picture has it as a solitary moment, maybe Moses standing on the mountain alone. But Jewish tradition paints a much grander, more awe-inspiring picture. Get ready for ...
A collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, there's a whole world of meaning packed into that single verse. It wasn't just a pronouncement; it was an entrance. ...
The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), specifically Shemot Rabbah, dives right into this question with a powerful idea. It begins with the verse, "These are the ordinances...
The familiar picture has him descending triumphantly, tablets in hand. But what if the timing was more delicate than we imagine? Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretat...
You remember the story. Moses is up on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah, and the Israelites, feeling abandoned, panic and create a golden idol to worship. Big mistake. Shemot Rabbah...
The familiar story centers on the first set, shattered in anger at the sight of the Golden Calf. But what about the second? Was it just a simple do-over? Shemot Rabbah, the compila...
The verse in question is (Exodus 34:27), "Write for yourself these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel." But what does "these ...
The ancient rabbis certainly thought so. We find this idea beautifully illustrated in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. It uses a verse...
The earth shook, the trumpets blared, GOD spoke... but was that it? Rabbi Elazar has a fascinating take on this, and it all hinges on a seemingly simple verse from Leviticus: "The ...
The verse? "Your temple is like a pomegranate slice behind your braid" (Song of Songs 6:7). Sounds pretty. Poetic, even. But what does it mean? The rabbis of old, in their endless ...
A debate between Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai and other, unnamed Rabbis, focusing on the clarity of prophetic vision. Rabbi Yehuda uses the prophet Ezekiel as his example. In (Ezeki...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to God Watches Over Israel Like a King Over His Only Son. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, a giant in the world of Jewish mysticism and a figure readers often encounter...
Consider the instructions for bringing a minchah, a meal offering, found in Leviticus. It might seem like a simple act, but the Rabbis find layers of meaning and insight within it....
The ancient Israelites certainly did. And sometimes, even the best of us can feel that way. Imagine a powerful ruler entering your town, surrounded by criminals in chains. It’d be ...
That’s because, often, it is! one such instance. We find ourselves in Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah) 19, diving into a seemingly straightforward verse from (Leviticus 15:25), de...
Vayikra Rabbah, specifically chapter 20, dives right into this difficult territory. It starts with a quote from Proverbs (17:26): “To punish also the righteous is not good." It's a...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Had Nadav and Avihu Left Sons They Would Have Led Israel. Rabbi Yaakov bar Avin, quoting Rav Aḥa, makes a crucial point: if Nadab and Abihu had had sons, th...
See, (Leviticus 16:23) tells us that Aaron, the High Priest, would enter the Tent of Meeting – the Ohel Mo'ed – and remove the linen vestments he wore when he entered the Sanctum –...
It teaches us that even the smallest injustice can have enormous consequences, echoing through the world and even impacting our relationship with the Divine. Our jumping-off point ...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Zion's Transgression. We find a fascinating passage in Vayikra Rabbah, a midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) collection focusing on the Book of Lev...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Torah as a Tree of Life You Must Not Treat Like a Spade. Rav Huna, citing Rabbi Aḥa, offers a powerful analogy. He warns us not to treat Torah like a desper...
The ancient sages grappled with this too, particularly when thinking about the relationship between God, the patriarchs, and the land of Israel.Here, Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, quo...
Sometimes, the answer lies in the most unexpected places, like, say, a close reading of the book of Ezekiel and a bit of ancient commentary. In Vayikra Rabbah 25, we find a fascina...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Why the High Priest Had to Excel in Beauty Wisdom and Wealth. In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus, we find an intr...
Vayikra Rabbah turns Shelomit's name into a clue for reading one of Leviticus's most charged episodes. The passage in (Leviticus 24:10-11) sets the stage: "The son of an Israelite ...
It’s a powerful thing to consider. The ancient sages certainly thought so. Our story today comes from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviti...
They had a knack for seeing the sacred in the mundane, and Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah), a collection of rabbinic teachings on the book of Leviticus, is full of such gems. to ...
“How does the greatly crowded city sit alone? She has become like a widow. Great among the nations, a princess among the states: She has become a vassal” (Lamentations 1:1).“How [e...
“From on high He sent fire into my bones, and He crushed them; He spread a net for my feet, He turned me back. He rendered me desolate, suffering all day” (Lamentations 1:13).“From...
