1,481 texts · Page 10 of 31
Saul was desperate. The Philistine army had gathered at Shunem in overwhelming numbers, and for the first time in his reign, God refused to answer him—not through prophets, not thr...
David knew he was dying. Cold had settled into his bones so deeply that no amount of clothing could warm him. So he summoned Solomon and gave him the kind of deathbed speech that k...
Demetrius I, a Seleucid prince who had escaped captivity in Rome, seized the Syrian throne and immediately turned his attention to Judea. Jewish collaborators, led by the corrupt H...
Herod strangled his own sons. Both of them. On the same day. At Sebaste, the city where he had married their mother Mariamne twenty years earlier. According to Josephus in Antiquit...
Two Torah scholars convinced their students to tear a golden eagle off the Temple gate in broad daylight. Herod burned them alive for it. According to Josephus in Antiquities XVII,...
Herod died the way he lived: in agony, surrounded by plots, and trying to control what happened after he was gone. His body was rotting while he was still inside it. According to J...
Jewish tradition teaches that all of creation springs forth from the very Name of God, specifically the holiest Name: YHVH. The Zohar tells us that in the very beginning, God revea...
We often hear about the benevolent angels, the messengers, the healers. But what about the ones who fall from grace? Let's talk about Dumah. According to Jewish tradition, Dumah wa...
It’s a question that’s haunted humanity for millennia, and Jewish tradition has some pretty specific – and unsettling – answers. According to Jewish folklore, demons can be born fr...
There's a story, a haunting one, about a well within the Temple court in Jerusalem. It's known as the Weeping Well, and its story is woven into the very fabric of the Ninth of Av, ...
We all know the story: he led the Israelites out of Egypt, received the Torah on Mount Sinai, and brought his people to the edge of the Promised Land. But then… he just disappears ...
It wasn't just a simple "pack your bags and leave," it was a journey into something far more profound. According to some fascinating strands of Jewish tradition, Adam’s exile didn'...
This one comes to us from a letter written in the fall of 1665 by Nathan of Gaza, the prophet of Shabbatai (the Sabbath) Zevi, a figure who stirred up messianic fervor like few oth...
Sha’ar HaGilgulim (the reincarnation of souls), the "Gate of Reincarnations," explores that very idea. It suggests that sometimes, a righteous soul, a Ruach (spirit), can connect w...
Today, we’re diving into a specific scenario: what happens when someone dies without children, failing to fulfill the mitzvah, the commandment, of Pru u'rvu, "be fruitful and multi...
In Jewish mysticism, particularly within the Kabbalah, this idea is explored in profound and intricate ways. Today, we're diving into a fascinating piece from the Sha'ar HaGilgulim...
Today, we're diving into a particularly intriguing text, Sha’ar HaGilgulim (the reincarnation of souls) (the reincarnation of souls) – "The Gate of Reincarnations" – specifically s...
It's a thorny issue, isn't it? This physical form, this body of ours, it's... well, let's be honest, it's kind of a mess. Imperfect, prone to illness, and ultimately, destined for ...
This tension, this cosmic tug-of-war between giving and receiving, is actually a central theme in the mystical teachings of the Zohar. The Zohar, a foundational text of Kabbalah, d...
Jewish tradition offers a powerful, layered answer, especially when we delve into the mystical teachings of the Zohar. And to understand the Zohar, we need a guide. Enter Baal HaSu...
A fourth stage, no less, that comes after the resurrection of the dead. Now, hold on. a bit. The idea here, as Baal HaSulam explains in his introduction to the Zohar, is tied to th...
That’s how diving into Kabbalah can sometimes feel. It's a vast ocean of wisdom, but where do you even begin? Well, today, let’s talk about the keys. Not just any keys, but three f...
That's the atmosphere that hangs heavy in the opening of Heikhalot (the heavenly palaces) Rabbati, a mystical text describing heavenly ascents and divine secrets. Rabbi Ishmael, a ...
Heikhalot (the heavenly palaces) Rabbati, a text steeped in the mystical traditions of the Heikhalot literature, offers us a glimpse into just such a chilling negotiation. It's a n...
Rabbi Ishmael, a key figure in the Heikhalot (the heavenly palaces) Rabbati, a foundational text of Jewish mystical literature describing ascents to the heavenly realms, tells a pr...
Rabbi Ishmael, a central figure in the Heikhalot (the heavenly palaces) Rabbati, a key text of early Jewish mysticism, once shared a chilling account. It's a story of earthly torme...
Sometimes, the wheels of the divine grind with a satisfying, almost theatrical flourish. Let me tell you a story from the Heikhalot (the heavenly palaces) Rabbati, a text filled wi...
We’ve all been there, especially when delving into ancient texts. Think about Rabbi Akiva, one of the most influential sages in Jewish history, asking Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, auth...
The author of Mitpachat Sefarim, a text whose name roughly translates to "A Wrapper of Books" or "A Covering for Books," certainly felt that way. And judging by the passion, the an...
To a fascinating perspective from the Sefer HaKanah, an important Kabbalistic text. The Sefer HaKanah paints a picture of Binah (Understanding) – often translated as understanding ...
It’s a question that’s haunted humanity since, well, humanity began. And it’s a question that’s explored in rich, complex ways within Jewish thought. Now, this isn't just some abst...
We live, we strive, we experience... and then what? The idea of resurrection, of coming back to life, is a pretty concept. But it's also deeply embedded in Jewish thought. Da'at (K...
Like something's missing from the equation. Well, Jewish tradition offers a profound, and somewhat comforting, perspective on this very question. It all comes down to chet, or sin,...
No parent wants to punish their child. The whole point is to guide them, to help them grow into a responsible, kind person. But sometimes, that guidance involves consequences, thin...
The Kabbalists certainly did. And they wrestled with this very question: If God is good, and only good, then how do we make sense of the not-so-good things that happen? The Kalach ...
Ramchal's Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah — his 138 Gates of Wisdom — is one of Kabbalah's most demanding texts, and tucked inside it is a puzzle that has troubled mystics for centuries. I...
It points out that throughout history, moments of perceived progress, of tikkun (repair) have often been limited in scope. They primarily benefited Israel, while the rest of the wo...
A time when holiness wasn't just a nice idea, but the dominant force. The Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a Kabbalistic text whose name roughly translates as "Thresholds of Wisdom," paint...
The ancient mystics wrestled with these very questions, and their insights, preserved in texts like Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah (Wisdom), offer a fascinating perspective. They spoke of...
It explores the intricate relationship between the soul and the body, especially in the context of sin, death, and ultimately, resurrection. The text paints a picture of what could...
One such exploration comes from the Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a kabbalistic text that delves into the mysteries of existence. It paints a picture of the soul's journey, particularly...
The verse from Isaiah, "He will consume death for ever" (Isaiah 25:8), hints at something truly profound. It's not just about immortality, but about the absorption of evil back int...
That’s the scene as we enter the story of the Idra Zuta. The Idra Zuta, or "Lesser Assembly," is a crucial section of the Zohar, the foundational text of Jewish mysticism. It descr...
The mystics have pondered that feeling for centuries. They've looked into the silence and asked, "What's really there?" And sometimes, the answers they found are… unsettling. to a ...
That’s the kind of feeling that permeates the Idra Zuta, the "Lesser Assembly." It's a pivotal scene in the Zohar, a foundational text of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism. The Idra Zuta ...
The Idra Zuta, meaning "The Lesser Assembly," is a profound text within the Kabbalistic tradition. It details the final teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a central figure in th...
That’s the feeling pouring out of the Idra Zuta. The Idra Zuta, meaning "The Lesser Assembly," is a profound and deeply personal section of the Zohar, the foundational text of Jewi...
Tradition tells us that Rabbi Shimon, or Rashbi as he's often called, was one of the greatest mystics of all time, the one to whom the Zohar, the central text of Kabbalah, is attri...
