9 texts in Midrash Aggadah
Jewish mystical tradition offers us some pretty imagery. We're talking about God's Throne of Glory – not just any chair, but a cosmic command center. A vision of ultimate authority...
Jewish mystical tradition offers a stunning image: a ceaseless cycle of angelic creation, service, and dissolution, all fueled by a river of fire. Not just any fire, but the Rigyon...
Jewish mystical tradition takes that question head-on, describing not just one heaven, but seven! Seven distinct realms, each with its own unique purpose and wonder. Think of it li...
That, in essence, is the heart of this powerful story about Jacob and the destruction of the Temple. Tradition tells us that in the lead-up to the destruction of the Temple in Jeru...
According to Chagigah 12a, there are seven heavens stacked above the earth, each with a distinct name and function. Reish Lakish listed them: Vilon, Rakia, Shehakim, Zevul, Ma'on, ...
The Talmud in Chagigah 12b asks a foundational question: what holds up the world? The answer, according to Rabbi Yosei, is a chain of impossible supports—each one resting on someth...
Four rabbis entered the Pardes (פרדס)—the orchard, a code word for the deepest levels of mystical knowledge. According to Chagigah 14b, only one came out whole. The four were Ben A...
Elisha ben Abuya—the rabbi the Talmud calls "Aher" (אחר), "the Other"—became a heretic because of something he saw in heaven. According to Chagigah 15a, the vision that broke his f...
After Elisha ben Abuya became a heretic, his student Rabbi Meir never stopped trying to bring him back. According to Chagigah 15b, the attempts were heartbreaking—and futile. Elish...
