3,894 related texts · 15 related myths · Page 79 of 82
Like a well, for instance. It's more than just a source of water; it’s often a meeting place, a place of destiny. Our sages point this out in Shemot Rabbah, noting how the well is ...
The verse But what did He see? What did He know? One interpretation, drawing on (Ezekiel 20:9), suggests that God knew it was time to redeem the Israelites for the sake of His name...
In the book of Exodus, Moses has that very experience. But it's not quite what you might expect. The verse reads, "He said: I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God...
The verse in question comes from (Exodus 3:15): "God said further to Moses: So shall you say to the children of Israel: The Lord, the God of your fathers, God of Abraham, God of Is...
Shemot Rabbah turns to Moses and Creation of Israelites. The story begins, as we know, with God commanding Moses to go to the Israelites in Egypt. But Moses, ever the reluctant lea...
It wasn't just a random event, a quirk of fate. According to Rabbi Ḥama, there was a very specific, almost divinely orchestrated reason. Moses growing up comfortably in his father'...
That feeling, that frustration, it's ancient. It's woven into the very fabric of our stories. Think about Moses and Aaron standing before Pharaoh, demanding freedom for the Israeli...
Shemot Rabbah turns to The Deeper Meaning Behind the Plague of Frogs. Here, in Shemot Rabbah 10, the rabbis are unpacking the verse "Behold, I will smite [nogef]". Now, nogef can m...
In the Book of Exodus, we read, "The Lord said to Moses: Say to Aaron: Extend your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals, and over the pools, and cause frogs to asc...
Shemot Rabbah turns to Why Aaron Not Moses Struck the Dust for Lice. Rabbi Tanchum offers a powerful explanation. The Holy One, blessed be He, says to Moses, ‘It is not proper that...
A reader can see them as just divine punishment, but the rabbis found layers of meaning, justice, and even hidden miracles within each one. the story turns to the plague of boils a...
In the book of Exodus, we read, "The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand toward the heavens, and there will be hail throughout the land of Egypt…" (Exodus 9:22). It seems straight...
It wasn't just about remembering the events, but about understanding the deeper meaning behind them. The Torah tells us, "And so that you will relate in the ears of your son, and o...
A reader can see them as simply divine punishments, but Jewish tradition often delves deeper, searching for layers of meaning and nuance. the story turns to the plague of darkness,...
The ancient Rabbis felt that way about the Exodus, the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt. And they found echoes of that feeling in the most unexpected places, even in the Son...
The ancient rabbis felt that way about the Israelites in Egypt. generation after generation born into slavery. It's a crushing weight. But what if, suddenly, that debt was cancelle...
The story of the Exodus, as told in Shemot Rabbah, the compilation of rabbinic sermons on the Book of Exodus, gives us a fascinating glimpse into this idea, focusing on the final p...
The book of Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Exodus, offers a stunning insight into just how crucial the calendar is. It all begins with the ...
Take, for instance, the humble hyssop. Hyssop – that little plant we read about in the story of the Exodus. It doesn't seem like much, but according to Shemot Rabbah, it's a key to...
” The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), specifically Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, asks a profound question about this v...
What Happened at Midnight When the Firstborn Died is the question behind this passage from Shemot Rabbah. Here's the picture Shemot Rabbah paints: Moses, acting as God's messenger,...
Take the Exodus, for example. That final, earth-shattering plague, the death of the firstborn, struck at midnight. But why? Why not high noon? What’s so special about that inky bla...
The Torah itself calls it a "night of vigil" – leil shimurim (Exodus 12:42). But what exactly does that mean? What is God watching over? In Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of M...
Our tradition suggests he did, and in a fascinating way: it reveals moments where Moses' own reasoning aligned perfectly with the divine will. The Shemot Rabbah, a collection of ra...
It goes all the way back to the Exodus, to the very night God spared the Israelite firstborn while striking down the Egyptians. But there’s more to it than just remembering a histo...
That bittersweet feeling is ancient, deeply human, and, Moses. MOSES! The guy who stood up to Pharaoh, who parted the Red Sea… he didn't get to walk into the Promised Land with the...
The ancient rabbis grappled with this very feeling when they looked at the Exodus story. The Torah tells us that God "did not lead them" – lo naham – after Pharaoh finally let the ...
The ancient Israelites, fresh out of Egypt, knew that feeling all too well. We find a fascinating glimpse into this in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on th...
It all starts with the verse, "Then Moses…sang" (Exodus 15:1). The Rabbis connect this to (Proverbs 31:26), "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her...
Shemot Rabbah turns to Moses Sings and the Bond Between God and Israel Endures. ” Rabbi Levi offers a powerful image: Usually, a bride is adorned and perfumed before being led to t...
Our story comes from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. It paints a breathtaking picture of divine intervention and the unwavering faith...
Shemot Rabbah, a rich collection of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers a powerful reading of the verse "Then Moses…sang [thi...
The Israelites, fresh from their miraculous escape from Egypt, certainly did. The book of Exodus tells us, "Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went out to the wilderness of...
Rabbi Yehuda tells us that the Israelites reasoned, "The Holy One, blessed be He, only took us out of Egypt for five things!" What were those five things? First, to give us the plu...
It might seem a little.. unflattering At first. But as with so many things in our tradition, there's a depth and beauty to be found when we dig a little deeper. Shemot Rabbah, a cl...
Shemot Rabbah turns to Manna as Bread from Heaven Earned Through Torah. Here's a question: Why did the Israelites sing praises over the well but not over the manna? Seems a bit unf...
The Israelites certainly did. In the book of Exodus, right after the incredible miracle of being freed from Egypt, they find themselves wandering in the desert, thirsty and complai...
He appears in the narrative, offers Moses some crucial advice, and then… well, what do we really know about him? The Book of Exodus tells us, “Yitro heard…” (Exodus 18:1). But hear...
The Shemot Rabbah, a classical collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, gives us some fascinating answers. "The Lord called to him from the mountain, saying.."...
Can you picture them all crying out at the same moment? Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, tells us that God hears them all concurrently...
It's a pretty radical concept, really. Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of Midrash on the Book of Exodus, dives right into this. It starts with the verse "These are the ordinanc...
It all centers around the Hebrew word ve’eleh, meaning "these are." The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) opens with a question: What's so special about ve’eleh? The Rabbi...
"Endow the king with Your justice, God…May he judge Your people with righteousness" (Psalms 72:1–2). Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, a key figure in the compilation of the Mishnah (the earlie...
It quickly jumps to a seemingly unrelated verse from Psalms: "I had said: You are divine beings, celestial beings, all of you" (Psalms 82:6). What's the connection? Shemot Rabbah e...
It happened. And the story, found in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, is It all starts after the Golden Calf incident. Moses, understa...
The Jewish tradition is rich with stories of angels, not just as winged figures, but as manifestations of the Divine Presence itself. And their role? To safeguard and redeem. to on...
Shemot Rabbah turns to Aaron and His Sons Chosen to Lead Israel in Service. The text cleverly connects this verse in Exodus to one in Zechariah (10:4): “From it will come a corners...
That feeling, that sense of unfair ostracism, resonates deeply within a fascinating interpretation of the Torah portion Ki Tissa in Shemot Rabbah (Exodus Rabbah). The familiar read...
