9,687 related texts · Page 24 of 202
We find the story in Numbers 25, where Phinehas takes decisive action to stop a plague ravaging the Israelites. But as much as God approved of his act, not everyone was thrilled. A...
After God worked wonders through Gideon, he had an ephod made. Now, the ephod was a sacred garment, sort of like a fancy vest, worn by priests. Think of it as a visual representati...
That’s the situation the historian Josephus found himself in, and it led him to write one of his most passionate works, Against Apion. He begins this work by addressing a man named...
Take the story of the Jewish people and their time in Egypt, for example. We all know the Exodus story from the Torah, but what did the Egyptians themselves say about it? That's wh...
The story of Rabbi Ishmael offers just such a glimpse, though it's woven with threads of immense suffering and ultimate acceptance. This story, "Rabbi Ishmael's Ascent," isn't just...
That feeling – that’s a glimpse of something truly profound. The Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, an important kabbalistic text, touches upon just this. It speaks of a time when all souls ...
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught that the root cause of exile is a lack of faith. And the cure for exile is the Land of Israel. The connection is not sentimental. It is structural. ...
The scene: The Cave of Machpelah in Hebron, the ancient burial ground purchased by Abraham himself. Jacob, also known as Israel, has passed away in Egypt, and his sons are bringing...
We read the story every Passover, we sing the songs, but sometimes the sheer horror of it can get lost in the ritual. Rabbi Akiva, a towering figure in Jewish tradition, pulls no p...
There's one in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Chapter 48, that's definitely worth exploring. Rabbi Joseph tells us a troubling tale about the Israelites' suffering in Egypt. It's a story ...
The Torah portion of Bamidbar (Numbers) opens a fascinating window into exactly that, with a story about Miriam and Aaron speaking against their brother, Moses. The verse in (Numbe...
But also imagine the faith, the conviction, the unwavering belief that something greater was on your side. Our text today, from Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretation...
Take the blessing of the tribe of Dan in Deuteronomy, for example. It seems simple enough, but the rabbis of old saw layers upon layers of significance packed into just a few words...
Jacob gathered his twelve sons around his golden bed to reveal the future. But something went wrong. According to Targum Jonathan, Jacob intended to show them "the hidden mysteries...
The Torah describes Jacob's burial as a solemn procession to Canaan. Targum Jonathan turns it into an epic confrontation complete with a golden deathbed, a eulogy comparing Jacob t...
[What about all] the praise of Joseph, who exceeded in the honor of his father? And yet he did not enter into him all the time, such that were it not that they came to tell him, "Y...
When the Egyptians were drowning in the Red Sea, the ministering angels wanted to sing. God stopped them cold. According to Megillah 10b, He said: "My handiwork is drowning in the ...
The Roman emperor challenged Rabban Gamliel with a direct theological question: if your God is everywhere, why can He not be seen? According to Sanhedrin 39b, the conversation expo...
Rabbi Meir was traveling through Samaria when he encountered a Samaritan who was proud of his lineage. "I am a descendant of Joseph," the man declared — claiming descent from the m...
IV. 4. A man called Joseph Mokir Shabba (“honourer of the Sabbath") lived next to a rich Parsee. The latter was told that all his property would go to Joseph. He, therefore, sold a...
The Torah portion describes the offerings brought by the leaders of the tribes of Israel at the dedication of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. Each day, a different leader brought the ...
It's not just a random listing; there's a deep, symbolic reasoning behind it all. to Bamidbar Rabbah 13, a section of the Bamidbar Rabbah, a rabbinic commentary on the Book of Numb...
In Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Genesis, we find a fascinating discussion about the depth of that relationship. Rabbi Yoḥanan, R...
The passage in Genesis (9:24) tells us, "Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done to him." Now, Bereshit Rabbah, that incredible collection of rabbinic int...
And Bereshit Rabbah, that incredible collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Genesis, offers a fascinating perspective. It's found in Bereshit Rabbah 55 and it all st...
Jewish tradition is full of stories that remind us that sometimes, salvation comes on the third day. It’s a recurring motif, a whisper of hope that echoes through our texts. Think ...
Take Eliezer, for instance, Abraham's trusted servant. He might seem like a supporting player, but Bereshit Rabbah 60 reveals a depth of understanding that's truly remarkable. The ...
Our ancestors felt it too. And the Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, addressed it head-on. We find a fascinating discussion in Bereshit Rabbah, specifically section 79, sparked by ...
We're looking at the story of Joseph, the favored son, being sent to check on his brothers. It all starts with the line: "His brothers went to herd their father’s flock in Shekhem"...
Names aren't just labels; they're stories waiting to be unpacked. Take Joseph, for example, and the rather unusual name Pharaoh gives him: Tzafenat Paane’aḥ. What does it even mean...
The scene: a devastating famine grips the land. Jacob's sons have returned from Egypt with grain, but it’s gone. They need to go back, but the mysterious Egyptian ruler—who we, the...
The verse says, "He raised his voice in weeping…. And his brothers could not answer him" (Genesis 45:2-3). It's a powerful moment! But what does it really mean? Well, Abba Kohen (a...
The verse in Isaiah (11:13) says, "The jealousy of Ephraim will cease." Now, Bereshit Rabbah, that incredible collection of rabbinic interpretations of Genesis, sees a connection h...
The ancient rabbis pondered this very idea, using a seemingly simple verse about eating meat to unlock profound insights about freedom, desire, and divine provision. It all starts ...
The Book of Exodus, as we all know, begins with the Israelites enslaved in Egypt. "The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying..." (Exodus 12:1). But Shemot R...
That feeling, that sense of unfair ostracism, resonates deeply within a fascinating interpretation of the Torah portion Ki Tissa in Shemot Rabbah (Exodus Rabbah). We often read the...
Today, we’re diving into a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah 36 that grapples with the legacy of King Ahaz. The verse from Proverbs sets the stage: “One hand to another will ...
“In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Aḥashverosh, he had cast a pur, that is, the lot, before Haman for each day and for each month, to the tw...
And Joseph was brought down into Egypt (Gen. 39:1). May it please our master to teach us whether one may recite the Havdalah (the ceremony marking the end of Shabbat (the Sabbath))...
His master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph (Gen. 38:7). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that indulge ...
But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife (Gen. 39:8). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord (Jer. 17:7). You fi...
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine (Gen. 41:2) After he (Pharaoh) had his dream, he summoned all his magicians. Whereupon the Holy Spirit called out: Where are ...
Then Judah came near unto him. Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: The lion, which is the mightiest of beasts, turneth not away for anyone (Prov. 30:30). It happ...
Then Judah came near unto him (Gen. 44:18). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: And the envy of Ephraim shall depart (Isa. 11:13). Concerning whom did Isaiah utt...
And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28). Scripture states elsewhere: Behold, I send My messenger, and he shall clear the way before Me (Mal. 3:1). Observe that every misfortune t...
This is it that their father spoke unto them and blessed them (Gen. 49:28). Scripture does not say “he blessed him” but rather he blessed them. Why is this so? Because he attribute...
Who came into Egypt with Jacob (Exod. 1:1). Did they actually enter Egypt on that very day? Had not many days passed by since their arrival? (This informs us that) as long as Josep...
And Moses took the bones of Joseph (Exod. 13:19). How did Moses know where Joseph’s grave was to be found? They say that only Serah the daughter of Asher had survived from that gen...
