1,380 related texts · Page 29 of 29
Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs, explores this idea in a powerful way. It teaches us that before we sin, even the creatures of the world are in a...
In Jewish tradition, it's often interpreted as an allegory – a story with a deeper, hidden meaning. And that's where Shir HaShirim Rabbah comes in. This is a collection of rabbinic...
It's not just about hygiene. In the rabbinic imagination, as we see in Vayikra Rabbah 17, tzara'at becomes a physical manifestation of spiritual failings. It's a fascinating, if un...
The ancient rabbis grappled with this question, and their insights, preserved in texts like Vayikra Rabbah, offer some truly fascinating answers. Rabbi Abba bar Avina, a sage of ol...
Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “But you did not call Me, Jacob, for you wearied of Me, Israel” (Isaiah 43:22). Rabbi Yoḥanan understood it [the verse in (Isaiah 43:22)] from this, as it is w...
Rabbi Berekhya said: The Holy one blessed be He recorded the redemption of Israel in the Torah, as it is written: “If a stranger who is a resident among you shall prosper…” (Leviti...
The rabbis of Esther Rabbah made a stunning claim: every time the Hebrew word vayhi ("it was") appears in the Torah, it signals disaster. Rabbi Tanhuma, Rabbi Berekhya, and Rabbi H...
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...
It all starts with the verse: "Abraham passed over and sat upon them" (Genesis 15:11). Simple enough. But what does it mean? What is Abraham sitting on? Some interpret this verse a...
And Joseph made ready his chariot (Gen. 46:29). R. Yudan said in the name of R. Aibu: Two men were accorded more homage than any other men in all the world; they were Jethro and Ja...
And Moses was content to dwell (Exod. 2:21). The word content (vayo’el) is used with reference to an oath, as in the case of Saul: And he adjured (vayo’el) the people (I Sam. 14:24...
And Moses went and returned to Jethro, his father-in-law (Exod. 4:18). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for ...
And Moses went and returned to Jethro, his father-in-law (Exod. 4:18). Scripture states elsewhere: But he is at one with Himself, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desireth, ...
And Jethro said to Moses: “Go for peace” (Exod. 3:18). You find that everyone about whom it is written Go for peace departs and returns in peace, and that everyone concerning whom ...
Another explanation of God thundereth marvelously with his voice (Job 37:5). When did the Holy One, blessed be He, perform these miracles with His voice? He did so at the time he w...
And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord (Exod. 4:29). Moses began to reveal to him everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, had told him, and that he was to go perform t...
And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying (Exod. 12:1). Is it not a fact that He spoke only to Moses? Why, then, does the Scripture say unto Moses and Aa...
And the Lord went before them by day (Exod. 13:21). Has it not already been said: Do not I fill heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:25), and also: The earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6:3)?...
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Exod. 32:13). It is written elsewhere in reference to this verse: And when they shall say to you: “Seek unto the ghosts and the familiar spirit...
Another comment on write thee (Exod. 34:27). Scripture states elsewhere: Let them be thine only, and not a stranger’s with thee (Prov. 5:17). What does this verse refer to? When th...
And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses (Exod. 39:32). May it please our masters to teach us: What things were instituted for the sake of peace? Thus do our masters teach us: Th...
(Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses [and spoke unto him].” This text is related (to Ps. 103:20), “Bless the Lord, O His messengers,1Mal’akhaw. Throughout this section of...
Three things Moses found difficult and the Holy One, blessed be He, showed them to him with a finger and these are them: The making of the menorah, the moon, and creeping things.35...
(Lev. 25:25:) ”When your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property, then his redeemer shall come.” Who is his redeemer? I am He, as stated (in Jer. 50:33-34), “The Child...
(Numb. 1:1:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert.” This text is related (to Jer. 2:31), “0 generation, understand the word of the Lord, ‘Have I been a desert for Is...
(Numb. 2:2:) “Each with his standard, under the banners [for their fathers' houses….]” This text is related (to Cant. 6:10), “Who is this woman that shines through like the dawn, a...
(Numb. 20:18:) “But Edom said unto him, “You shall not pass through me.’” This text is related to Ps. 120:7), “I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.” Where is it show...
(Numb. 25:6:) “Just then one of the Children of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman unto his brothers [before the eyes of Moses and the eyes of the whole congregation of the ...
(Numb. 25:11) “Phinehas ben Elazar […].” What reason did the Holy One, blessed be He, have for tracing the lineage of Phinehas after this act (of slaying Zimri in Numb. 25:8)?1Numb...
(Numb. 26:1-2:) “And it came to pass after the plague [that the Lord said unto Moses and unto Elazar ben Aaron the priest, saying,] ‘Take a census.’” Every time that they fell, the...
(Deut. 1:1:) “These are the words (elleh hadevarim).” May the name [of the Holy One, blessed be He,] be blessed and may His memory be exalted. All the miracles that he did for Isra...
Judges and officials (Deuteronomy 16:18): The judges need to be men of strength through good deeds. As this is what Moshe did: "And Moshe chose men of valor" (Exodus 18:25), in Tor...
As these nations that you are, etc. (Deuteronomy 18:14): This is that which is stated in the verse (Deuteronomy 28:13), "The Lord will make you the head, not the tail; you will alw...
And you see horse and chariot (Deuteronomy 20:1): And it is stated (Exodus 15:19), "For when the horse of Pharaoh." And why did it not state, "horses and riders?" Rather [it is] be...
“When a camp goes out against your enemies, you shall beware of everything evil” (Devarim 23:10). There should be no levity among you so that you do not incur any liability. From w...
(Deut. 29:9:) “Your tribal leaders, [your elders, and your law officers].” Although I have appointed for you heads, judges, elders, and law officers, you shall all be equal before ...
