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But stick with me. In Vayikra, Leviticus, chapter 14, we find a curious passage about a plague that can afflict houses. Now, Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrashic collection of interpretatio...
It’s a question that’s been pondered for centuries, and Jewish tradition offers some fascinating insights. Imagine a king, a ruler of flesh and blood. What powers does he wield? He...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. And they found ways to talk about it, to process it, and to find meaning even in those tough times. We find a fascinating example of this in Vayik...
It all begins with the poignant question: “Who fulfilled the mitzvah," the good deed, "of separating from a woman at the time of her discharge?” The answer? A surprising figure: Ye...
That feeling, that ache of separation, is what this week’s portion of Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah) touches upon. It centers around a seemingly simple phrase in Leviticus 16:2:...
Vayikra Rabbah 22, a fascinating collection of stories and teachings, explores just that. It suggests that everything – from frogs to plants to even inanimate objects – can be inst...
The rabbis of old grappled with this question, especially concerning the laws around building altars for sacrifice outside the designated Temple in Jerusalem. This wasn't some free...
And they used stories – beautiful, powerful stories – to make sense of it all. One of my favorites comes from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Levi...
It turns out the Talmud and Midrash are full of stories about them. And, interestingly, God seems to have taken special notice of their actions. In fact, Vayikra Rabbah 23 tells us...