3,200 related texts · Page 4 of 67
Our ancestors dealt with that too, as we see in the story of Abraham and his nephew Lot. The book of Genesis (12:4) tells us, "Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot we...
But maybe… maybe there’s more to it than meets the eye. The verse in Genesis tells us there was a big ol' argument brewing between the shepherds of Abram (later Abraham) and the sh...
Today, we're diving into a fascinating little debate from Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis. Specifically, we're looking at C...
That’s the situation Abram faces in (Genesis 14:14): "Abram heard that his brother had been taken captive…” But what’s truly fascinating isn't just the event, but Abram's reaction....
It's not just the giving, but the way we give, the intention behind it. And in the story of Abram and the King of Sodom, found in Bereshit Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah) 43, we see a mast...
They were promised descendants as numerous as the stars, yet years went by in the land of Canaan, barren and seemingly forgotten by destiny. The Torah tells us, “Sarai, Abram’s wif...
It's right there in the Torah: "Abraham said to God: 'Would that Ishmael might live before You.'" (Genesis 17:18). Seems straightforward. But like so much in our tradition, there's...
It all starts with Abraham, of course, and his legendary hospitality. The passage opens with Abraham's plea: "My Lord, please, if I have found favor in Your eyes, please do not dep...
That’s the kind of feeling I get when I think about Abraham and that young bull. Let's set the scene. Remember when three divine guests show up at Abraham's tent in the heat of the...
(Genesis 18:22) tells us, "The men turned from there and went to Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before the Lord.” Seems straightforward. But hold on... The opening phrase, "...
Abraham, our patriarch, certainly did. In (Genesis 18:27), during that intense negotiation with God over Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham says, “Behold now, I have presumed to speak to ...
He's stood on Mount Moriah, knife raised, ready to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. The tension is almost unbearable. And then? (Genesis 22:20) tells us, "It was after these matter...
The Torah is full of incredible journeys, and sometimes, the distance covered seems almost impossible. to a fascinating passage from Bereshit Rabbah (59) about Eliezer, Abraham's s...
It’s a question that perplexed some of our sages, too. Take Ishmael, for example. (Genesis 25:12) starts out: "These are the descendants of Ishmael son of Abraham, whom Hagar the E...
They saw more than just stories; they saw patterns, echoes, and hidden depths. to one of those fascinating explorations, found in Bereshit Rabbah, the great collection of rabbinic ...
Take the tale of Esau, brother of Jacob. He wasn't exactly winning any popularity contests with his parents. (Genesis 28:8) tells us, "Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan were ob...
Our story today begins with Abraham, recovering from his self-circumcision, a profound act of devotion to God. (Genesis 17:24-27). But even in his convalescence, Abraham’s generous...
Take the story of Lot, Abraham's nephew, and the destruction of Sodom. We all know the story. God, disgusted by the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, decides to destroy them. But A...
The Torah tells us that Abraham did. But the story, like so many in our tradition, is layered with meaning, prompting centuries of interpretation and debate. The scene is set in Ge...
Jewish tradition has a way of blowing your mind with concepts like that – especially when we delve into stories like the Exodus and the Binding of Isaac. Imagine this: the Israelit...
It’s a question that the ancient rabbis grappled with, and their answers are, well, The Book of Job (23:13) gives us a starting point: "He acts through one, and who can respond to ...
It's not just about the animals themselves; it's about the patriarchs, about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the profound legacy they left behind. Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of ra...
The voice came again. Twice it called his name: "Abraham, Abraham!" "Here I am." "It is I. Fear not, for I am before the worlds, a mighty God who has created the light of the world...
And thus do you find with the men of Sodom, that You gave them a grace period for repentance and they did not repent. As it is written (Genesis 18:20-21) "And the L–rd said: The ou...
Jubilees, considered deuterocanonical (meaning it's included in some versions of the Bible but not others), gives us some incredible detail about Abraham's life, filling in gaps an...
(Exodus, Ibid. 21) "And the L–rd went before them by day": We are hereby taught that as one metes it out to others, so is it meted out to him. Abraham accompanied the ministering a...
Jewish tradition offers some fascinating, and surprisingly detailed, glimpses into that great unknown. Imagine this: the moment your soul separates from your body. According to the...
The Cave of Machpelah in Hebron is one of those places, a site revered for millennia. But the story of how it became so sacred is even more fascinating than you might imagine. It a...
In (Genesis 13:10), Lot "lifted up his eyes and saw the whole plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere." A simple observation about good farmland. But the ancient A...
"And the El Shaddai grant you mercy" (Genesis 43:14). Jacob is sending Benjamin to Egypt — his youngest, his only remaining connection to Rachel, the son he can least afford to los...
Sometimes, looking to other texts can give us a fuller picture. Take, for example, this passage from the Book of Jasher. It begins with a rumble of war. Chedorlaomer, king of Elam,...
According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, the story starts with a prayer. Abraham had prayed for Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, and when Abimelech recovere...
As Isaac grew, tensions flared between the two half-brothers over inheritance rights. Ishmael, the elder, believed he deserved a double portion, while Isaac should receive only one...
The story of Isaac blessing Jacob instead of Esau is definitely one of those moments. It’s a story filled with deception, family drama, and a bit of divine intervention, and it's f...
We read about the Akeidah, the Binding of Isaac, every year, but the details… they can be truly chilling. One of the most striking accounts comes from Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fas...
"Orchot Tushiya": These are the paths that the angel Ezekiel conveyed to our forefather Abraham as part of the covenant traditions. They are cited in the book "HaPliyah", in the in...
No parents, no comfort, just the cold, hard stone and the echoing silence. Abraham, left to fend for himself. According to Legends of the Jews, he began to wail, as any infant woul...
He wasn't just sitting idle. He was in deep conversation – but with whom? Himself? With the Divine? Then, tradition tells us, an angel appeared. Gabriel, no less! He approached Abr...
They were old when they finally had Isaac. We're talking ancient! So, naturally, people had questions. Naysayers abounded. The big question on everyone's lips was, "Can a hundred-y...
That’s kind of what happened to Abraham. God promised him the entire land of Canaan, a massive inheritance for him and his descendants. But when his beloved wife Sarah passed away,...
Abraham certainly did, especially when it came to finding a wife for his son, Isaac. He was very particular. Abraham knew the importance of lineage and shared values. There's this ...
It’s a question that echoes through the ages, and the ancient texts offer a fascinating glimpse into the heart and mind of this pivotal figure. Even though Abraham knew in his hear...
The tale goes like this: The archangel Michael himself descended, not in a flashy sports car, but in a chariot of the cherubim – those powerful, angelic beings. Can you imagine the...
He doesn't just offer a simple "God bless you." Instead, he crafts a blessing rich with history, hope, and a profound understanding of what it means to walk a righteous path. The b...
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Psalms, grapples with that very feeling, using the story of Sodom and Abraham to explore themes of corruption...
And the story of its origins, as told in Midrash Tehillim, is quite fascinating. The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) teaches us that these prayer times – evening, mornin...
We all know the story: God commands Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. Abraham, with unwavering faith, prepares to fulfill this divine decree. "They came to the place tha...
It’s the story of Jacob, our patriarch, and it's a story that the rabbis in Bereshit Rabbah, that great collection of Genesis interpretations, unpack with fascinating detail. We al...
