11,062 related texts · 38 related myths · Page 231 of 231
Like, staring up at a mountain of laundry or a career change and thinking, "Where do I even begin?" Well, you're not alone. Our sages grappled with this feeling too, especially whe...
The Torah tackles this very question, and the answer is surprisingly nuanced. We find a fascinating passage in Vayikra Rabbah 23, which explores (Leviticus 18:3): “You shall not ac...
Rabbi Elazar paints a vivid picture. Imagine a lily growing amidst a thicket of thorns. Beautiful. But how difficult would it be to pluck it, to reach in and claim that delicate fl...
That feeling is surprisingly ancient. The Rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) knew it well, wrestling with how to maintain Jewish identity in a world of compet...
In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Leviticus, we find a powerful exploration of this idea. It all starts with a seemingly simple verse: "You shall...
A song, a smell, a place... and suddenly you're right back there, feeling the weight of it all over again. Jewish tradition is keenly aware of this power of association, and how ea...
The verse in Leviticus (23:40) instructs us: "You shall take for you on the first day the fruit of a pleasant tree, branches of date palms, and a bough of a leafy tree, and willows...
It all starts with the verse, "You shall take for you on the first day.." (Leviticus 23:40) – referring to the lulav, the palm branch, used during the festival of Sukkot (the Festi...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Israelite Women Guarded Their Virtue in Egypt. Rabbi Pinchas offers an interpretation: "A locked fountain – these are the virgins. A locked garden – these a...
The verse Seems straightforward. God promising timely rain for a bountiful harvest. But the Rabbis, never content with the surface level, ask a crucial question: Is this promise ju...
It's a metaphor, a living, breathing symbol of the Jewish people themselves. We find this beautiful idea elaborated on in Vayikra Rabbah 36, a section of the Midrash (rabbinic inte...
The story goes that when the seventy-two elders presented it to him, he didn't just nod politely. He rose from his throne, and prostrated himself before it not once, but seven time...
It’s powerful stuff, and not everyone agrees on how much we should explore it. We see this tension reflected in the words of the sage Yair, who seems hesitant to delve too deeply i...
It starts with a pretty bold statement: the wisdom of even the greatest Kabbalists – masters of the mystical tradition of Kabbalah – shouldn't outweigh the authority of the ancient...
The Wars of God turns to Does the Zohar Hold Equal Authority With the Talmud. This isn't just a friendly disagreement; it's a full-blown intellectual battle. And at the heart of it...
This is a tricky concept, one that's tripped up even seasoned students of Kabbalah. The question at hand is: why doesn't Adam Kadmon – the primordial man, a concept representing th...
The answer, as with so many profound questions, lies deep within Jewish tradition, and grapples with some pretty mind-bending concepts, especially when we explore Kabbalah. But som...
The familiar story is this: Cain's offering wasn't accepted, Abel's was, jealousy flared, and tragedy struck. But what about the consequences? Why a mark of protection, instead of ...
The Midrash of Philo, a collection of interpretations and elaborations on the Torah, offers a profound perspective. It highlights the expression, "And he took unto him," suggesting...
Like so many things in the Torah, there's a deeper layer, a hidden meaning waiting to be uncovered. The ancient sages, particularly those who engaged in midrash (rabbinic interpret...
42:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread (Ps. 37:25). R....
Another comment on This is it that their father spoke unto them. and he charged them, and said unto them: “I am to be gathered unto my people” (Gen. 49:28–29). He said to them: If ...
