Joseph

2,156 texts · Page 42 of 45

Joseph the dreamer: sold into slavery, risen to power in Egypt, and the reunion that saved his family from famine.

Moses Invokes the Patriarchs to Save the People

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The Israelites, fresh from their miraculous exodus from Egypt, had already broken their covenant with God. And God, understandably, was furious. But Moses, ever the advocate, stepp...

Moses Defends Israel After the Golden Calf

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

This particular section, Shemot Rabbah 43, gives us a glimpse into the intense drama that unfolded between Moses and God after the Israelites' colossal blunder. The verse in questi...

Egypt — Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers a fascinating perspective on this, likening the people of Israel to a vine. Rabbi Tanhuma bar ...

Israel Loses Its Crown After the Golden Calf

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

In Shemot Rabbah, the great midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) collection on the Book of Exodus, we find a story about just that, and it hits right at the heart of the re...

Moses Asks to See God's Glory and Learns Humility

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The Torah is full of moments like that, and they teach us so much about ourselves and our relationship with the Divine. We find a fascinating exploration of this idea in Shemot Rab...

To Everything There Is a Season Even for Moses

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

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...

Betzalel and the Dreamer

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The Torah portion of Terumah introduces us to Betzalel, the artisan chosen to construct the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. But where did he get all that skill? Shemot Rabbah, a classical...

Songs — Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Good intentions, maybe, but with a track record that's... well, let's just say "mixed"? That's the feeling at the heart of a beautiful passage in Shemot Rabbah 49, a collection of ...

How Receiving the Torah Made Israel Immortal Briefly

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Shemot Rabbah, the collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers a fascinating glimpse. Specifically, Shemot Rabbah 51 dives into the idea that the Israelite...

Moses and the Dreamer of Tabernacle

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

That feeling… it's actually deeply rooted in a story from the Torah, a story about the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. We're diving into Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpreta...

Joseph the Diligent Man Who Stood Before Kings

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The very first verse tells us: “The Song of Songs, that is Solomon’s” (Song of Songs 1:1). And the Rabbis, in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, begin by linking it to a verse from Proverbs: “H...

The Diligent Man Who Earned the Right to Stand Before Kings

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The verse "Have you seen a man diligent in his work? He will stand before kings" (Proverbs 22:29) sparked quite the debate. Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpret...

Solomon and the Heavenly Realms

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

In fact, the Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Song of Songs, dives deep into its meaning and context, revealing some pretty surprising ideas. L...

Abraham's Fragrance Released When God Said Go

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) commentary on the Song of Songs, dives deep into the verse where God tells Abraham, “Go you from your land, fro...

Finding the Divine Even in the Forces of Amalek

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

They found ways to see even those challenging forces as a path towards the Divine. to a fascinating interpretation of a verse from Shir HaShirim, the Song of Songs, explored in Shi...

I Am Dark but Lovely Says the Community of Israel

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs, captures this beautifully in its interpretation of the verse: "I am black but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, li...

Kedar in Battle

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Jewish tradition teaches us this is a dangerous habit, a lesson beautifully illustrated in the interpretation of the verse, "Like the tents of Kedar" (Song of Songs 1:5) found in S...

My Own Mother's Sons Were Angry With Me Says Israel

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

That feeling, that sting of inner circle treachery, echoes through the ancient words of Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the collection of Rabbinic teachings on the Song of Songs. Today, we'r...

Moses Asks God Where He Should Lead the Flock

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

I can't possibly do that!" Well, Moses felt that way too. to a fascinating interpretation of the Song of Songs that reveals Moses's very human anxieties. The verse we're looking at...

Go Out in the Footsteps of the Flock Says the Beloved

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

It's a feeling, according to our sages, that even Moses himself grappled with. to a fascinating passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) co...

Joseph's Brothers Compared to a King's Beloved

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Let’s turn to Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the classic rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs (also known as Song of Solomon). The rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, find layers of meani...

God Likens Israel to His Love at the Red Sea

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Today, we’re diving into Shir HaShirim Rabbah 9, a section of the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs, and trust me, it’s not always what you’d expect. The verse under discuss...

Moses and Joseph of Aaron

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

It's not just a love poem; it’s a treasure trove of wisdom, and the Rabbis of old found layers of meaning within its verses. Take the verse, “Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,...

The Gifts of Gold That Adorned Israel Like a Bride

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

It's not just a love poem, but a lens through which to view the most precious gifts given to the Jewish people. to one fascinating interpretation from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a colle...

Songs — Mikhael at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Today, we’re diving into a fascinating interpretation of a verse from the Song of Songs – Shir HaShirim – that explores just this idea: the contrast between foul odor and sweet fra...

God Saves Israel Only When They Have No Other Protector

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

It’s a humbling, and frankly, a little thought. And it's exactly what we find explored in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings and interpretations on the Song o...

Sanhedrin and the Dreamer

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Take the line, "Your eyes are like doves." What could that possibly mean? Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a classical midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) commentary on the Song of S...

Rabbi's Song

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The rabbis of old knew that struggle all too well. And they had some pretty creative ways to wake people up! There’s a story told in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on the Son...

Noah and Creation of Land

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

We see it everywhere, from synagogue art to holiday decorations. But have you ever stopped to consider why? Well, let’s dive into a fascinating passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah – ...

Divine Presence of Temple

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

It wasn't just about bricks and mortar, you see. It was about something far deeper – a sense of stability, of divine presence truly dwelling amongst the people. Shir HaShirim Rabba...

Betzalel Before the Flood

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

That’s the feeling at the heart of a beautiful passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs. It starts with the line, "I am a rose of Sharon, a l...

Joseph the Dreamer of Israelites

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The Shir HaShirim Rabbah – a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs – opens up a fascinating window into this. Rabbi Eliezer, interpreting a verse about redemp...

Avun — Esau at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

In the ancient wisdom of Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the Song of Songs commentary, we find just that: the humble lily as a powerful metaphor for the enduring spirit of Israel. Rabbi Avun...

Moses and Joseph of Songs

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

It pops up in unexpected places, carrying layers of meaning far beyond just a tasty fruit. Take the Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs. It uses the ...

The Apple Tree as a Symbol of Sinai and Torah

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Jewish tradition is full of such considerations, especially when it comes to our sacred texts. Take, for example, the apple tree. Seems simple. But in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a compi...

God Gives Israel the Torah Like Priceless Gems

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

What was God's response? According to Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, it was like a king with priceless gems being asked for a treasure by his son. The king doesn't...

The Sick Prince Who Needed Rest Before Studying Torah

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

He paints a picture in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on Song of Songs, that really resonated with me. Imagine a prince, see? He's been dreadfully ill. Finally, he recovers. ...

Death of Hadrian

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

That’s how I feel diving into the pages of Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of Rabbinic interpretations of the Song of Songs. Today, we're looking at a fascinating passage from s...

Messiah — Moses at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Jewish tradition understands that feeling, and offers a powerful image to overcome it: God leaping over mountains. We find this image in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on the...

Israel Pleads With God to Come First Like a Gazelle

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

To one little verse that the Rabbis found particularly rich: "My beloved is like a gazelle or a fawn; behold, he is standing behind our wall, gazing from the windows, peering throu...

Winter as Slavery and Spring as the Exodus from Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

They saw echoes of that very struggle in the beautiful, often enigmatic, Song of Songs – Shir HaShirim in Hebrew. Specifically, they found a powerful metaphor in the verse, "For, b...

Moses and the Dreamer of Songs

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Ever read a love poem and thought, "This is beautiful, but what does it mean?" Well, the Jewish tradition has been doing that for centuries with the Song of Songs, also known as Sh...

Israel Trapped Like a Dove Between Pharaoh and the Sea

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The ancient rabbis certainly understood that feeling, and they used powerful stories to explore it. The Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song o...

Why Rebecca Was Barren Before the Nations Could Claim Credit

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

As with many ancient mysteries, there's not just one answer, but a tapestry of explanations woven together. One fascinating perspective comes to us from Rabbi Yehuda, quoting Rabbi...

My Beloved Is Mine and the Bond Between God and Israel

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

We find this echoed in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon. This text isn't just about romance; it's a profound alle...

Abraham's Devotion Seen Through the Song of Songs

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

It’s a question that's plagued humanity for centuries. And while there aren't easy answers, Jewish tradition grapples with this in profound and moving ways. to a story from Shir Ha...

Until the Shadows Flee and the Kingdoms Crumble

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The verse in question is (Song of Songs 2:17): "Until the day is great and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a fawn on the cleft mountains.” Now, on the ...

Seeking God on the Bed at Night and Not Finding Him

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The Song of Songs, or Shir HaShirim in Hebrew, is filled with that kind of longing. It’s a love poem, yes, but Jewish tradition reads it as an allegory for the relationship between...