2,344 related texts · Page 48 of 49
It might seem random, but Jewish tradition offers a fascinating explanation, one rooted in rumor, reputation, and divine forgiveness. Our story begins with the prophet Hosea, who s...
It all starts with the verse in (Leviticus 22:29): “When you slaughter a thanks offering to the Lord, you shall slaughter it to garner favor for yourselves.” Now, Rabbis Pinḥas, Le...
The book of Vayikra Rabbah, a treasure trove of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Leviticus, dives deep into this very idea. It all starts with a quote from the prophet Jerem...
The verse from (Leviticus 23:24) sets the stage: "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first of the month, shall be a rest for you, a remembrance b...
The ancient rabbis grappled with these questions too, and their insights, preserved in texts like Vayikra Rabbah, offer some startling perspectives. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, quoting R...
Our ancestors felt it too. to a fascinating little piece from Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic collection that unpacks the book of Leviticus. This par...
It's more than just a last-minute animal substitution. Our tradition sees it as a symbol, a prophecy even, about the future of the Jewish people. The Torah tells us, "Abraham lifte...
In Jewish tradition, the number seven is definitely one of those numbers. It’s not just a random figure; it's woven into the very fabric of our understanding of the world and our r...
Take, for instance, the four species we use on Sukkot – the etrog (citron), the lulav (date palm frond), the hadass (myrtle), and the aravah (willow). They aren't just random plant...
It all begins with the verse, "Command the children of Israel, and they shall take to you pure virgin olive oil for the lighting, to kindle a lamp continually" (Leviticus 24:2). Th...
It all starts with the phrase "Command the children of Israel" – which, on the surface, sounds like a divine order. But the Rabbis, masters of unpacking layers of meaning, saw some...
In fact, it goes even deeper. Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating collection of Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic teachings on the Book of Leviticus, opens up this very idea. ...
The ancient rabbis grappled with this very question. In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus, we find a fascinating discussion. Rabbi Ḥanina p...
The ancient rabbis grappled with this question, and their answers, preserved in texts like Vayikra Rabbah, are pretty . Vayikra Rabbah, a midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)...
Take, for instance, the story in Vayikra Rabbah 31, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus. It focuses on Aaron, the High Priest, and his rol...
We're diving into a fascinating little corner of the book of Leviticus, specifically Vayikra Rabbah 32, and trust me, it’s juicier than it sounds. The passage in (Leviticus 24:10-1...
We find a clue in Vayikra Rabbah, specifically in a passage connected to the story of the "son of an Israelite woman" (Leviticus 24:10). The text begins by quoting the Song of Song...
Jewish tradition wrestles with these questions constantly. Take, for example, the difficult case of the mamzer. The mamzer, often translated as "illegitimate child," occupies a com...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. They saw the world as a delicate balance, and they understood that even seemingly small acts of injustice could have enormous consequences. In Vay...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. They saw echoes of these struggles in the biblical text, particularly in the stories surrounding kings and their kingdoms. In Vayikra Rabbah, a co...
to a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, that wrestles with this very issue. The passage starts with a seemi...
Jewish tradition definitely has something to say about that. It's not just about charity; it's about justice, divine presence, and the very fabric of our world. to a fascinating pa...
Jewish tradition grapples with this tension constantly, especially when it comes to giving to the poor. And sometimes, the answers we find are… well, unexpected. to a fascinating, ...
We're talking about tzedakah, often translated as charity, but really meaning righteousness and justice. It’s more than just giving; it's about correcting imbalances in the world. ...
Rabbi Elazar, in Vayikra Rabbah 35, offers a powerful comparison. He says, "The way of the world is that a king issues a decree; if he wishes to fulfill it, he fulfills it, and if ...
We often take these things for granted, but Jewish tradition suggests there's a deeper, more profound answer than just physics. It's all about ḥukim (חקים), statutes. But not just ...
You're not alone. Our tradition recognizes this struggle, this internal tug-of-war. And it offers a powerful image to understand it. The text we're looking at today comes from Vayi...
We often think of life itself, perhaps, or the beauty of nature. But according to Jewish tradition, some gifts are so profound, so foundational, that they shape our very existence....
Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Leviticus, gives us a glimpse into that idyllic vision. Specifically, it discusses the verse “I ...
Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, tackles this very question. And it does so with a story – a really compelling one. It starts with...
“They heard that I sigh; there is no comforter for me; all my enemies heard of my misfortune, were glad because You acted. May You bring the day that You proclaimed, and they will ...
“Lad and elder lay on the ground in the streets, my young women and my young men fell by the sword. You killed on the day of Your wrath, You slaughtered, had no compassion” (Lament...
“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...
“How has gold tarnished, the fine gold changed? The sacred stones are spilled at the head of every street” (Lamentations 4:1).“How has gold tarnished [yuam]?” Rabbi Shmuel said: Ho...
“The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world did not believe that an adversary and enemy would enter the gates of Jerusalem” (Lamentations 4:12).“The kings of the e...
“It was due to the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst” (Lamentations 4:13).“It was due to the sins of her prophet...
“The young men carried the mill, and the lads stumbled on the wood” (Lamentations 5:13).“The young men carried the mill.” You find that there was no mill in Babylon. When Nebuchadn...
“Why do You forget us forever, forsake us for so long?” (Lamentations 5:20).“Why do You forget us forever?” Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin said: Jeremiah employed four expressions: Spurni...
“It was during the days of Aḥashverosh; that [hu] Aḥashverosh; that [hu] Aḥashverosh who reigned from India to Kush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces” (Esther 1:1).1What foll...
“Also, Vashti the queen made a women’s banquet in the royal palace of King Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:9). Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Simon began: “My people, its oppressors are babes an...
It is written: “And set it in the ears of Joshua” (Exodus 17:14), this is one of four righteous people to whom a portent was given; two sensed it and two did not sense it. A porten...
Another matter: “After these matters, King Aḥashverosh promoted Haman” – there were calculations there. Who calculated? Rabbi Yehuda said: Haman calculated. He said: If Esther is a...
“When they [the king’s servants] spoke to him [Mordekhai] daily and he did not heed them, they told Haman, to see whether Mordekhai’s words would prevail; for he had told to them t...
“The text of the document was that an edict be issued in every province, to be publicly displayed to all the peoples: Be ready for that day” (Esther 3:14). “The text of the documen...
“Mordekhai knew everything that had been done, and Mordekhai rent his garments and donned sackcloth and ashes. He went out in the midst of the city and cried a loud and bitter cry”...
Sometimes, the deepest truths are hidden in plain sight, masked by complexity or sheer volume of information. This is something the author of The Wars of God seems to anticipate. R...
The mystics imagined it, and what they saw is The story goes that when God decided to create Adam, it wasn't a snap of the fingers. It was a process. A cosmic sculpting project, if...
And I will bless thee and make thy name great, and be thou a blessing (Gen. 12:2). And I will bless thee implies: I Myself will bless thee. I will make thy name great indicates tha...
