396 texts · Page 8 of 9
And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite (Exod. 13:5). (Scripture mentions) five nations though there were (in fact) seven nations.17Cf. Mekhil...
And they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water (Exod. 15:22). Some say that the water they had taken with them, from between the rocks, was exhausted by that time. ...
18:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is an ointment poured forth; therefore do the maidens love thee (Song 1...
It has been taught: thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart (Lev. 19:17). You might say that this means you must not strike him or curse him. However, since Scripture says in ...
The two different items that were pledged—habol tahbol.22Though Exod. 22:25 speaks only of night garments, the repetition of the word haval (havol tahbol) indicates that two differ...
If thou at all take thy neighbor’s garment to pledge (Exod. 22:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: How guilty are your sins before Me, yet I have been patient with you. And...
And thou shalt command (Exod. 27:20). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair (Song 1:15). R. Akiba said: The e...
And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them (Exod. 29:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Forever, O Lord, Thy word standeth fast in heaven (Ps. 119:89)....
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense (Exod. 30:1). What do the letters in the word ketoret (“incense”) stand for? The kuf stands for kedushah (“sanctification”), tet for ta...
And Moses said unto the children of Israel: “See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel” (Exod. 35:30). Scripture states elsewhere: So shalt thou find grace and favor in the sight o...
And he made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia-wood (Exod. 36:20). R. Tahlifa of Caesarea said: The Holy One, blessed be He, taught man correct behavior. If a man desired to b...
(Lev. 7:11:) “This is the law of the sacrifice for peace offerings.” This text is related (to Prov. 3:17), “The ways [of wisdom] are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are pea...
(Lev. 10:8-9:) “And the Lord spoke unto Aaron, [saying], ‘Drink no wine or intoxicating liquor.’” Why did He give a commandment concerning wine?13Lev. R. 12:1; cf. Numb. R. 10:2; M...
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. 12:3:) “And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.” It is not written here that one lays out expenses over circumcision. See how much Israel loves ...
(Lev. 19:2:) “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Before I created My world, the ministering angels praised My name through you and san...
(Lev. 19:2:) “Speak unto the whole congregation of the Children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘You shall be holy.’” What reason did He have to speak this parashah in an assembly?5 ...
(Lev. 19:2:) “You shall be holy.” Why? Because I have made you cling to My loins, as stated (in Jer. 13:11), “For as the girdle clings unto one's loins, [so I have made all the Hou...
(Lev. 19:2:) “You shall be holy.” R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest said that R. Reuben said, “What is the meaning of that which is written (in Ezek. 3:12), ‘and I heard after me?’14Th...
(Lev. 19:23:) “And plant [any tree for food], you shall count (rt.: 'rl) [its fruit] as forbidden (literally, as foreskin, rt.: 'rl)….” [This verse] is teaching about an infant: (i...
(Lev. 22:28:) “In the case of an animal from the herd or the flock, [you shall not slaughter] it and its offspring on the same day.”66Although the nouns here are masculine singular...
(Lev. 23:40:) “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day [beautiful tree fruit, branches of palm trees, boughs of dense trees and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoi...
(Lev. 23:40:) “And you shall take for yourselves.” [Take (rt.: lqh) implies] by a full purchase (rt.: lqh), for you are not to persist in stealing it.84ySuk. 3:1 (53c); Suk. 43a; L...
(Lev. 25:14:) “When you sell property to your kinsman.” This text is related (to Prov. 28:22), “An evil-eyed person moves quickly after wealth, [and he does not know that loss will...
(Lev. 26:3:) “If you walk in My statutes….” This text is related (to Hos. 9:17), “My God will reject them because they did not heed Him….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I hav...
Our masters have said in the name of R. [Hanina] (Huna) the father of R. Aha, “The adulterer and adulteress transgress the Ten Commandments.”13Numb. R. 9:12. [They] said to [him], ...
(Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.” This text is related (to Ps. 51:20–21), “Make Zion prosper in Your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusal...
R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “There are four things that the evil drive would refute [as irrational], and for each of them is written [the word,] huqqah (i.e.,...
(Numb. 24:3:) “So he took up his theme and said.”76These words also appear in Numb. 23:7, 18; 24:15, 20, 21, 23, but the context of this verse certainly fits the sense of the midra...
(Numb. 25:16-17:) “Then the Lord spoke [unto Moses], saying, ‘Harass the Midianites […].’” Why?5Numb. R. 21:4. (Numb. 25:18:) “Because they are harassing you.” Hence the sages have...
(Numb. 27:5:) “Moses brought their cause [before the Lord].” Some say that [God] made this become too hard for Moses, as there are righteous people that become [overly] proud in ma...
Another interpretation (of Numb. 27:5), “Moses brought their cause [before the Lord]”: R. Simeon ben Laqish said, “Our master Moses knew this judgment, but they first came before c...
(Numb 28:2:) “Guard to offer it to Me at its set time.” This text is related (to Prov. 13:25), “The righteous man eats to satiate his soul.” This is Eliezer who said to Rebekah (in...
(Numb. 29:35:) “On the eighth day [you shall have] a solemn assembly.” Let our master instruct us: Is it permitted to eat outside the sukkah on the Feast (of Tabernacles)?39BB 75a;...
(Numb. 29:35:) “On the eighth day [you shall have] a solemn assembly.” This text is related (to Is. 26:16), “You have added to the nation O Lord, You have added to the nation and b...
(Numb. 30:3:) “When someone makes a vow (neder) to the Lord.” Let our master instruct us: How are konamot (i.e., vows of abstinence) and vows (nedarim)? Thus have our masters taugh...
(Numb. 31:1-2:) “Then the Lord spoke, ‘Exact vengeance for the Children of Israel [on the Midianites].” Let our master instruct us: How many sustained blasts (teqi'ot) does one blo...
(Numb. 31:2:) “Exact vengeance [for the Children of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you shall be gathered unto your people].” R. Judah said, “If Moses had wanted to live for se...
(Numb. 35:9–11:) “And the Lord spoke [unto Moses, saying], ‘Speak unto the Children of Israel, and say unto them, “When you cross the Jordan to the Land of Canaan, you shall provid...
(Deut. 3:23:) “I besought the Lord.” This text is related (to I (Kings 8:30) // II Chron. 6:21), “And may You harken unto the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication.” See, ...
(Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if (literally, in the heel of).” This text is related (to Ps. 49:6), “Why should I fear in the evil days, when the iniquity of my heels enc...
(Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if you heed [these statutes].” This text is related (to Prov. 5:6), “She does not steer a straight path of life; her ways wander, and she d...
All of the commandment that I command you today (Deuteronomy 8:1): This is what the verse stated (Proverbs 4:22), "They are life to him who finds them, healing for his whole body,"...
Another interpretation: "All of the commandment" (Deuteronomy 8:1). If you have began with a commandment, finish all of it. Why? Rabbi Yochanan said, "Anyone who began with a comma...
It is written (in Ps. 37:3), “Trust in the Lord and do good; settle the land and maintain yourself with faith.” R. Haggai said in the name of R. Isaac, “Interpret this verse by tra...
(Deut. 14:22:) “You shall surely tithe.” This is related to the verse (in Prov. 31:21), “She is not afraid for her household because of snow, for all her household are dressed in s...
Another explanation (of Deut. 14:22), “You shall tithe, tithe.” This is related to the verse (in Is. 24:5), “And the earth was distorted under its inhabitants, because they transgr...
(Deut. 14:22:) “You shall surely tithe.” This is related to the verse (in (Job 31:3)8), “If my land cries out against me.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Job, “Do you have an...