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Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Ecclesiastes, wrestles with this very question, offering us some pretty intense stories. One tale recounts a...
The sun rises, the seasons turn... it all seems so fixed, so unchangeable. But is it, really? Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Ecclesiastes, ...
The verse from Ecclesiastes (3:16) sets the stage: “Moreover, I have seen, under the sun, in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of justice there is wickedn...
The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet, grapples with this very human experience. "I returned and saw all the oppressions that are performed under the sun; and behold the tears of th...
(Ecclesiastes 4:3) dances with it: "Better than both of them is one who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil actions that are done under the sun." Now, Kohelet Rabbah, a col...
The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it’s known in Hebrew, dives right into that feeling. One particular verse, (Ecclesiastes 4:8), really hits home: "There is one and not anoth...
In fact, the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), specifically Kohelet Rabbah, connects them to something much deeper: the consequences of our actions and, specifically, our...
It's a reminder that divinity can work through anything. Kohelet Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, puts it this way: "The ad...
The ancient Rabbis certainly did. In Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, we find a series of stories, almost like little parables,...
The Book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, certainly does. And the ancient rabbis weren't afraid to grapple with that feeling either. Kohelet 5:15 laments, "This...
These questions, and more, bubble to the surface as we delve into a fascinating passage from Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes. O...
To (Ecclesiastes 8:8): “There is no man who rules the spirit to retain the spirit, and there is no rule over the day of death. There is no release in war, and wickedness will not r...
It all starts with a verse from Ecclesiastes (9:4): "For anyone who is joined to any of the living there is hope, as a living dog is better than a dead lion.” Now, that seems prett...
It seems Kohelet Rabbah, the collection of rabbinic commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes, thought so too. It uses that very image – "Dead flies spoil and froth a perfumer's oil" ...
Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of Rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, explores this very human experience with the verse, "There is an evil that I have seen under t...
The Book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet, certainly did. And the rabbis of old, in their interpretations, saw that same topsy-turvy world reflected in their own times. Kohelet Rabbah, ...
The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, wrestles with that very idea. It's a book of wisdom, attributed to King Solomon, but some of its verses have sparked d...
The Rabbis in Kohelet Rabbah delve deep into this verse, unpacking its layers of meaning. Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiya, in the name of Rabbi Simon, pose a crucial question: When ...
Their story, as told in Shemot Rabbah, is a powerful reminder of resilience, faith, and the strength of community. Pharaoh, wasn't just content with enslaving the Israelites. He wa...
Our story begins, as so many do, in the book of Exodus. "Moses was herding the flock of his father-in-law Yitro, the priest of Midyan, and he led the flock into the wilderness, and...
It’s a moment of raw honesty from Moses himself. The story begins after Moses relays God's message to Pharaoh – the one demanding freedom for the Israelites. Instead of freedom, Ph...
Jewish tradition has some pretty strong opinions on that. And, spoiler alert: it doesn't end well. Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of Midrash (interpretive stories) on the Book...
The Torah tells us, "The magicians of Egypt did so with their spells; and Pharaoh's heart hardened, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had spoken” (Exodus 7:22). But what does "...
Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, gives us a fascinating take on the plague of frogs. We all remember the story: Egypt is overrun with ...
The verse in question: "Moses emerged from the city, from Pharaoh, and spread his hands to the Lord; the thundering and hail ceased, and the rain did not pour upon the earth" (Exod...
It's not just dry recitation – it's a story of resilience, faith, and the enduring bond between God and the Jewish people. to a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah 15, a collect...
It was about a whole new way of counting time itself. Think of it this way. Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Exodus, offers a beautiful analogy to e...
The Book of Exodus, as we all know, begins with the Israelites enslaved in Egypt. "The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying..." (Exodus 12:1). But Shemot R...
Eleven! As it says, "From Egypt to the Land of Israel there are eleven journeys, which can be conducted in eleven days." (Shemot Rabbah 20). So, why did it end up taking them forty...
We’re diving into Shemot Rabbah today, specifically section 23, which explores the verse, “Then Moses…sang” (Exodus 15:1). But this isn’t just about a song after crossing the Sea o...
To a fascinating idea from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. It touches on something really fundamental: the way we express joy and sor...
The Jewish people know that feeling all too well. In fact, there's a fascinating passage in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, that uses...
This week, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, specifically Shemot Rabbah 27. It uses the s...
He appears in the narrative, offers Moses some crucial advice, and then… well, what do we really know about him? The Book of Exodus tells us, “Yitro heard…” (Exodus 18:1). But hear...
, shall we? The verse "These are the ordinances that you shall place before them" (Exodus 21:1) seems straightforward enough. But the Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, saw much mor...
The Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, dives deep into this question, particularly in section 30. It all starts with a verse from Isaiah...
That feeling, that fear, is something the Jewish people have grappled with throughout our history. And it's right there in Shemot Rabbah 31, a midrash on the book of Exodus. The pa...
The congregation of Israel itself has felt that way! Our passage opens with a fascinating connection between the verse "They shall take Me a gift" (Exodus 25:2), which refers to th...
Jewish tradition certainly has. to a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, that explores just that. The text open...
It wasn't just about aesthetics or availability. According to Shemot Rabbah, it was a symbolic statement about history, power, and ultimately, redemption. We read in (Exodus 25:3),...
Our tradition teaches that the Torah isn't just a book; it's a blueprint for creation, a manifestation of God's very being. And the luchot, the tablets upon which the Ten Commandme...
The aftermath of the Golden Calf. Moses is up on Mount Sinai, receiving the Torah, while the Israelites down below are, well, not exactly holding the faith. When God tells Moses to...
You remember the story. Moses is up on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah, and the Israelites, feeling abandoned, panic and create a golden idol to worship. Big mistake. Shemot Rabbah...
The story of how he did it, according to Shemot Rabbah, is The verse says, "Remember Abraham..." But the question is, why Abraham? Why not just appeal to God's mercy directly? Rabb...
The ancient sages grappled with this too, finding echoes of life's rhythms even in the verses of the Torah. : "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under h...
Shemot Rabbah (a classical collection of Rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus) explores this very human dynamic, and it hits surprisingly close to home. The text opens wi...
It reveals a surprising strategy employed by the righteous when approaching the Divine. The text opens with the curious phrase "write for yourself," and then it proposes that the r...
It’s more than just a physical structure. According to Shemot Rabbah, it’s deeply connected to the very essence of Jewish survival and destiny. The name itself hints at its purpose...
