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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...
Rabbi Eliezer lays down a pretty firm rule: A disciple shouldn't issue halakhic rulings in the presence of their teacher, or at least, not until they're a good distance away. How f...
It's one that the ancient rabbis understood deeply. They wrestled with these feelings in their interpretations of scripture, offering us a timeless roadmap for finding strength eve...
Rabbi Berekhya, quoting Rabbi Levi, puts it so powerfully. He says that King David proclaimed, "You, Lord, are forever exalted" (Psalms 92:9). What does it mean to say God is alway...
This week, we're diving into Vayikra Rabbah 27, a fascinating exploration of these very questions, sparked by a seemingly simple verse from Leviticus: "A bull, or a sheep, or a goa...
We often overlook the seemingly insignificant, but Jewish tradition teaches us that profound blessings can reside even there. Take, for instance, the omer offering. What exactly is...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. They saw echoes of these struggles in the biblical text, particularly in the stories surrounding kings and their kingdoms. In Vayikra Rabbah, a co...
To a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, that wrestles with this very issue. The passage starts with a seemi...
Jewish tradition is full of stories exploring this very idea. Today, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrash on the book of Leviticus, that unpacks t...
Jewish tradition definitely has something to say about that. It's not just about charity; it's about justice, divine presence, and the very fabric of our world. to a fascinating pa...
It’s a question that has echoes through Jewish tradition, and one that comes up in a fascinating discussion about bowing down, prostration, and the very nature of God’s glory. The ...
It goes deep, friends. Really deep. We're talking about a system where, as the esteemed Kabbalist, the master of the Chamber of Blessing, of blessed memory, tells us, the court has...
It's a harsh rebuke, a stark reminder of the damage that lashon hara – evil speech – can inflict. The writer directly confronts his friend, accusing him of believing falsehoods wit...
My dear friend, it all boils down to the core of our faith: the absolute and singular authority of God. Our sages, whose wisdom stretches back to Moses himself, taught us that the ...
It’s a story of intense debate, careful consideration, and a deep commitment to preserving the integrity of Jewish law and thought. It’s a reminder that tradition isn’t static; it’...
Jewish tradition has been grappling with this very idea for millennia. The Midrash of Philo—a collection of interpretations and elaborations on the Torah attributed to the philosop...
The story of Cain, the first murderer, wrestles with these very questions. And there's one particular verse, a single, chilling promise, that really gets to the heart of it all: (G...
We all know the story: Cain's offering wasn't accepted, Abel's was, jealousy flared, and tragedy struck. But what about the consequences? Why a mark of protection, instead of swift...
It's not just about counting sheep; ancient Jewish thought saw numbers as keys unlocking profound spiritual truths. to one such exploration, found in the writings attributed to Phi...
That’s the kind of divine regret we find hinted at in (Genesis 6:7), when God says, "I am indignant that I made them." Now, hold on. Does that sound. God, feeling indignant? Isn't ...
It's like we're trying to soften the blow, to create a little distance between the person and the negative action. Well, it turns out this isn't just a quirk of human interaction; ...
This particular midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), let's call it Midrash of Philo 5, offers what we might call a "noble panegyric" – high praise, really – for the just per...
Our tradition is rich with layers of meaning, isn't it? And sometimes, the smallest detail holds a hidden universe. Take the timing of the great flood. It wasn't just any time. The...
Philo, a Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria in the first century CE, delved into these questions. He wrote extensively on the Torah, often offering allegorical interpretati...
The passage focuses on how the sacred writers—think of the authors of the Torah—refer to God in different ways, depending on the context. It's not arbitrary; it's deliberate and de...
God, knowing humanity’s propensity for wickedness from the start, initially intended to destroy the world with a flood. Yet, afterward, God promises not to destroy all flesh again,...
Philo, in his unique way, dives into this very question, and his insights, drawn from his interpretation of scripture, are surprisingly relevant even today. He speaks of two kinds ...
Take the story of Noah and his sons after the flood, specifically Ham and his son Canaan. We read in (Genesis 9:27) that Canaan, not Ham, is cursed to be a servant. Why? What's goi...
It's a practice deeply rooted in Jewish law, but when you really stop and think about it, some tough questions arise. Philo, the 1st-century Jewish philosopher from Alexandria, gra...
It turns out, even Abraham, our forefather, might have had a moment of… well, not exactly doubt, but perhaps profound wonder. The Torah tells us, in (Genesis 17:17), after God prom...
Because the eyes of God, we're told, are everywhere. It's a powerful image, isn't it? From His throne in Heaven, God's eyes observe absolutely everything that takes place in the wo...
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram (Gen. 15:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The wicked earneth false wages, but he that soweth righte...
Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness (Exod. 10:21). Where did the darkness come from? R. Judah and R. Nehemiah discussed this question. R. Judah held: It ...
18:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: And so I saw the wicked buried, and they came into their rest; but they that had done right went away from the holy pl...
The tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). This refers the Torah in which they labored. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because of the Torah and the sacrifices, I will rescu...
Rabba expounded that which is written (in Hab. 3:11), “Sun and moon remain on high (zevul)”:51Numb. R. 18:20, cont.; Sanh. 110a. [This] teaches that the sun and moon ascended to Ze...
(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...
(Deut. 29:9:) “You are standing today.” This text is related (to Prov. 12:7), “The wicked are overturned (rt.: hpk) and are no more, but the house of the righteous shall stand.” Ev...
