1,822 related texts · Page 33 of 38
The phrase "until Dan" appears in the vision God granted Moses from Mount Pisgah (Deuteronomy 34:1). But the Mekhilta raises an obvious problem: at the time of Moses, the land had ...
The Mekhilta extends its analysis of conditional versus unconditional covenants to two more foundational gifts: the Torah scroll and the priesthood of Aaron. Whence is it derived t...
R. Yossi says: It is written (Isaiah 45:19) "Not in secrecy did I speak, in a place of darkness, etc." In the very beginning, when I gave it, I did not give it in secret or in a da...
R. Eliezer, the son of R. Yossi Haglili was wont to say (Ibid. 147:19) "He relates His statutes to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel. He did not do so for any other n...
"if the thief is found, he pays double": A thief (one who steals by stealth) pays kefel, but not a robber (one who steals openly). Why did Scripture see fit to be more severe with ...
The opening of Mekhilta Tractate Shabbata draws attention to the singular way God communicated with Moses. The verse states (Exodus 30:11): "And the Lord spoke to Moses." The Mekhi...
It's a powerful, heartbreaking moment in our history. But what if I told you that in their darkest hour, God chose to share their pain, to literally go into exile with them? There'...
Jewish tradition, while often speaking of seven heavens, hints at something even beyond that: an eighth heaven, a realm of ultimate mystery. Now, we’re pretty familiar with the con...
Jewish tradition tells us that when someone is truly immersed in Torah study, something extraordinary happens. Take the story of Rabbi Yonathan ben Uziel. It’s said that when he de...
Ever stumble across a name in the Bible and wonder, "Who was that person?" The Torah is full of these little mysteries! Let's talk about one that always gets my attention: Iscah. Y...
Was Sarah truly barren? Genesis tells us plainly that she "had no children" (Gen. 16:1). But what if I told you that she gave birth in a way that defied conventional understanding?...
Let’s talk about Jacob and Esau, and a bowl of… lentil stew. Genesis tells us that the twins were different from the start. "When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a...
There's a story, a rather incredible one, about a rabbi who supposedly did just that. It all revolves around Rabbi Judah Loew, also known as the Maharal of Prague. This was a truly...
We hear their names, perhaps a small story or two, and then...silence. But sometimes, just sometimes, the silence breaks and a legend blossoms. Take Serah bat Asher, for example. W...
We're talking about Cain and Abel. The story begins simply enough. As we read in Genesis (4:1-16), "Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain…" Eve, in a momen...
Some traditions suggest the answer is a resounding yes! They paint a picture of the Messiah existing even before creation itself. Imagine this: before the sun, moon, and stars were...
According to Jewish tradition, it's not just about who gets in, but who gets to wake up first. Why are our patriarchs, the Avot – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – said to be buried in t...
It’s a question that’s captivated Jewish thinkers for centuries. And Jewish tradition actually gives us a glimpse, a stunning vision of just such an encounter. Imagine this: it's t...
The story of King Solomon and the Daughter of Pharaoh, as told in Midrash Mishlei, is a potent reminder. It's a tale of celebration, misdirection, and a temple almost lost. Rabbi I...
The verse that kicks off this particular exploration comes from (Psalm 1:6): "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." But what does tha...
And sometimes, the answers lie hidden in the stories we tell. to a passage from Midrash Tehillim, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms. This particular midrash (ra...
The 15th chapter of Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Psalms, offers a fascinating exploration of just that. It's not a simple checklist, but a ta...
The Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Psalms, offers a powerful glimpse into David's humility. It tells of David declaring, "I am a stain." A powe...
But it's a question that ancient Jewish texts grapple with, revealing profound insights into justice, repentance, and the ultimate fate of our souls. to a passage from Midrash Tehi...
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, dives deep into this idea. In one particular passage (Midrash Tehillim 30), it explores the connec...
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of Rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Psalms, dives deep into this idea, exploring how the voices of the righteous resonate with the Divine. "The r...
The ancient sages felt that way too. And they looked to the future, to a time when things would be set right. Midrash Tehillim, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalm...
And they found a way to explore it through the beautiful, layered interpretations we call midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary). We're going to delve into a tiny but powerful ...
Take (Psalm 81:2), for example: "Raise a song, strike the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp." But then it continues, "Sound the shofar at the New Moon, at the full moon for ...
Midrash Tehillim, an ancient collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, dives into this very idea. Specifically, it unpacks the verse, "I will give thanks to the...
It's not like God shows mercy to Israel for a year or two and then calls it quits! The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) suggests something much deeper is at play here. Th...
In fact, it teaches us that it's really not fitting to sing your own praises… unless someone else steps up to vouch for you. But then, who vouches for God? That's the question pose...
The ancient rabbis certainly did, and they poured those feelings, along with their hopes and fears, into their interpretations of scripture. to one such interpretation found in Mid...
The sages of the Midrash Tehillim, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms, knew that feeling well. In their exploration of Psalm 119, they grapple with this very hum...
They're…complicated, to say the least. : Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, Joseph and his brothers. Talk about a mixed bag! So, when the Song of Songs (8:1) says, "...
Ishmael, R. Elazar ben 'Arakh, R. Eliezer ben Hyrḳanos, and R. 'Aḳiba—a veritable dream team of Jewish scholars—all gathered together, deep in discussion about the Molad, the birth...
We often picture a silent, almost dreamlike scene. But the ancient text Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer paints a much more vivid – and unsettling – picture. Imagine the serpent, not slither...
The story picks up with Abraham's servant, often identified as Eliezer, returning from Haran with Rebecca. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer tells us that he took Rebecca and Deborah, her nur...
That, according to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, is precisely what happened at the Tower of Babel. The story goes that the builders of the Tower, all speaking the same language, suddenly...
The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating ancient Jewish text that retells and expands upon biblical narratives, offers a compelling example through the story of Lot. We all know L...
The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, an ancient text that weaves together biblical narrative, aggadah (storytelling), and mystical insights, outlines ten trials that Abraham faced. Ten mome...
The ancient text Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a collection of stories and interpretations of the Hebrew Bible, gives us a glimpse into just such a moment. Specifically, it focuses on Ab...
It’s easy to skim over those details, but sometimes, buried within those numbers, are entire worlds of meaning. Let's pull on one of those threads today, and see where it leads us....
Jewish tradition is full of stories of righteous individuals who, facing persecution, chose to flee. And often, it was the very act of fleeing that led them to salvation and a deep...
The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating collection of stories and interpretations from the early Middle Ages, gives us a glimpse. It tells us that Isaac was thirty-seven years ol...
Take the tale of Jacob and Esau, those iconic twins from the Book of Genesis. We know their story. Isaac and Rebekah's sons, forever locked in sibling rivalry. But Pirkei DeRabbi E...
Here he is, a man learned in Torah, yet understandably terrified of receiving his father's curse instead of a blessing. Can you blame him? His mother, Rebecca, steps in, offering a...
Take lentils, for example. They might seem like just another legume, but in Jewish tradition, they carry a heavy weight of sorrow and mourning. Why is that? Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer,...
