3,406 texts · Page 189 of 379
Our focus is Genesis 23:17-18, describing how Abraham acquired the field of Ephron, including the cave of Makhpela, as a burial place. "The field of Ephron that was in Makhpela tha...
The Torah, as it often does, gives us clues, and this time it’s wrapped up in the story of Abraham burying his beloved Sarah. In Genesis 23:19, we read, “Then, Abraham buried Sarah...
The sages of the Midrash, those brilliant interpreters of our sacred texts, really dug into this. Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic commentary on Genesis, explores ...
Our sages, in the ancient collection of rabbinic homilies known as Bereshit Rabbah, delve deep into this very question. They find an answer woven into the fabric of Torah itself. T...
The Psalmist certainly pondered this. "Even when I am old and gray, God, do not forsake me" (Psalms 71:18). A simple plea. But Rabbi Aḥa, in Bereshit Rabbah, asks a deceptively sim...
This one, found in Bereshit Rabbah 59, a compilation of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Genesis, definitely did that for me. It's a story about a rabbi, a myrtle branch, and a fie...
It might sound surprising, but the ancient Rabbis certainly thought so! The Midrash, specifically Bereshit Rabbah 59, delves into a fascinating interpretation of Psalm 45:3, "You a...
It begins, "Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household, who was in charge of everything that was his: Please, place your hand under my thigh" (Genesis 24:2). Under his...
We often focus on practicalities, but sometimes, the ancient texts remind us that there’s much more at stake than meets the eye. Take the story of Abraham sending his servant to fi...