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Take the story of Jacob, Leah, and some very potent mandrakes in Genesis 30:16-17. Seems like a simple domestic scene. But the sages of the Bereshit Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah), a clas...
It’s a question that’s been pondered for centuries, and our tradition offers some fascinating insights. a passage from Bereshit Rabbah 74, which delves into the nature of prophecy ...
The passage begins with Jacob, poised to meet his brother Esau after years of separation. “Jacob sent messengers” (Genesis 32:4). But it's not just a simple act of diplomacy. The R...
Genesis 32:17 tells us, "And he placed them in the hands of his slaves, each flock separately, and he told them: Go before me, and leave space between the flocks." Jacob isn't just...
There's a fascinating little drama tucked away in the story of Jacob preparing to meet his brother Esau, a drama involving a chest, a daughter, and a divine rebuke. It all starts w...
The Torah is full of stories of resilience, and one that particularly resonates with this idea is Jacob's return to Canaan. In Genesis 33:18, we read: "Jacob arrived intact to the ...
to Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of Rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis. In section 79, we find a fascinating exploration of the verse from Job 8:6: “If you are...
Our ancestors felt it too. And the Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, addressed it head-on. We find a fascinating discussion in Bereshit Rabbah, specifically section 79, sparked by ...
We make our plans, we have our dreams, but as the Book of Proverbs (27:1) wisely reminds us, "Do not glory in tomorrow, for you do not know what the day will bring." This idea of t...
