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It's like they're walking around with a spotlight shining on everyone else but themselves. Well, Kohelet Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, has some thoughts on that,...
The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it’s known in Hebrew, grapples with this in its final chapter. Chapter 12, verse 12, reads: "More than that, my son, be careful: Making many...
It’s found within Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. Imagine a king, overflowing with riches. Not just money, but gold, silver, precious...
He says that God declares "I am the Lord your God" precisely because He took us out of Egypt. It's the foundation. He freed us so that we would, in turn, accept His divinity upon o...
But according to Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, there's a whole world of meaning packed into that single verse. It wasn't just a pro...
We all know the story of the first set, shattered in anger at the sight of the Golden Calf. But what about the second? Was it just a simple do-over? Shemot Rabbah, the compilation ...
It’s not always just for emphasis. Sometimes, there’s a deeper, almost heartbreaking reason. Take the word mishkan, "Tabernacle," in the Book of Exodus. We find it stated twice in ...
Jewish tradition often uses metaphors to help us understand our place in the world, our relationship with God, and the destinies of nations. Take this story, as told by Rabbi Shmue...
It seems that even the ancient Israelites weren't immune to this! to a fascinating passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs....
It's even found within the ancient wisdom of Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic compilation focusing on the book of Leviticus! Rabbi Pinḥas, a sage whos...
The book of Leviticus, or Vayikra in Hebrew, opens with laws about sacrifices. But within Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on Leviticus, we find ourselves c...
“The greatly crowded city,” Rabbi Shmuel taught: There were twenty-four thoroughfares in Jerusalem, each and every thoroughfare had twenty-four streets, each and every street had t...
“Sapping my strength,” Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Yirmeya said: There are four matters that exhaust a person’s strength, and they are: Fasting, the road, iniquity, and the kingdom of B...
“Arise, cry out at night, at the beginning of the watches, pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him for the life of your infants, who a...
“It is the Lord’s kindnesses that have not ceased, for His mercies have not ended” (Lamentations 3:22).“It is the Lord’s kindnesses that have not ceased” – Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish ...
“Let him sit alone and be silent, because He has laid it upon him” (Lamentations 3:28).“Let him sit alone and be silent” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The Holy One blessed be He ...
There was an incident involving a certain man in Jerusalem, who made a feast. He said to a member of his household: ‘Go and bring me my friend, Kamtza.’ He went and brought his ene...
“Her nazirites were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their appearance was ruddier than gems, their form, a sapphire” (Lamentations 4:7).“Her nazirites were purer than snow,” for ...
“Servants rule over us; there is no deliverer from their hand” (Lamentations 5:8).“Servants rule over us,” this is Egypt.11They descend from Ham, who was cursed by Noah that his de...
“We bring our bread at the peril of our lives due to the sword of the wilderness” (Lamentations 5:9).“We bring our bread at the peril of our lives.” Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said:...
“The crown of our head has fallen; woe to us, for we have sinned” (Lamentations 5:16).“The crown of our head has fallen.” Rabbi Yirmeya of Shavshav took an olive branch crown and t...
“You, Lord, are enthroned forever; Your throne is from generation to generation” (Lamentations 5:1)9).“You, Lord, are enthroned forever; Your throne is from generation to generatio...
“It was during the days of Aḥashverosh; that [hu] Aḥashverosh who reigned from India to Kush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.” “Who reigned” – but had not yet reigned.5This...
“…who reigned from India to Kush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.” Rabbi Eliezer in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: Are there not two hundred and fifty-two provinces in the world...
“When King [Aḥashverosh] was sitting [keshevet hamelekh].” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The nations of the world do not sit securely. They objected: Is it not written: “When King [Aḥashvero...
“In the third year of his reign, he made a banquet for all his princes and his servants, the elite of Persia and Media, the nobles and governors of the provinces before him” (Esthe...
Another matter: “The elite of Persia and Media” – sometimes Media precedes Persia and sometimes Persia precedes Media. When the throne is in Media, Persia is secondary to it; when ...
The nobles – Rabbi Elazar said: The nobles are the king’s two legions, as the king is not called Augustus (i.e. emperor) until they call him that first, and these are they. Rabbi Y...
“And governors of the provinces before him.” Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Rabbi Elazar said: Like the court in Geder, where the king sits in judgment above, and all th...
“In the courtyard of the garden of the king's palace” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda said: The garden was on the outside and the courtyard on the inside. Rabbi Neḥe...
“Hangings of white [ḥur], green [karpas] and blue [tekhelet], fastened with cords of fine linen and purple wool on silver rods and marble pillars, couches of gold and silver, on a ...
“Drink was served in vessels of gold and vessels of diverse kinds, and abundant royal wine, in keeping with the king’s bounty” (Esther 1:7).“Drink was served in vessels of gold” – ...
“And abundant royal wine.” Later it is written: “[King Belshazzar made a great banquet for his thousand nobles,] and before the thousand he drank wine” (Daniel 5:1); however, here ...
“The drinking was as customary, without coercion, for so did the king establish with all the stewards of his house, to do as every man desired.” (Esther 1:8). “The drinking was as ...
“Also, Vashti the queen made a women’s banquet in the royal palace of King Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:9). Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Simon began: “My people, its oppressors are babes an...
Another interpretation: “From people by Your hand, O Lord” – how mighty are they who took dominion from under the hand of God. Who is that? That is Nebuchadnezzar. “From people fro...
“[Also [gam], Vashti the queen] made a women’s banquet,” she fed them kinds of soup [gema’in]. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: She fed them kinds of sweets. “In the royal palace” – she situate...
“He said to Mehuman, Bizzeta, Ḥarvona” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He called the angel who is appointed over fury16A reference to the verse: “Quee...
“The king was very angry and his fury burned within him.” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: At that moment, The Holy One blessed be He said to the angel appointed over fury: Descend and blow win...
“The seven princes of Persia and Media” – Rav and Shmuel, Rav said: Scripture is referring to the kingdom of Aḥashverosh, and Shmuel said: Scripture is referring to the kingdom of ...
“Who viewed the face of the king” – there were two families [who had permission] to appear before Rabbi Yehuda haNasi; that of Rabbi Hoshaya, and that of the household of Rabbi Yeh...
“According to the law, what shall be done to Vashti the queen, who has not done the bidding of Aḥashverosh the king [conveyed] by the officials?” (Esther 1:15).Rabbi Yitzḥak said: ...
“Memukhan said before the king and the princes: It is not against the king alone that Vashti the queen has sinned; rather, it is against all the princes and all the peoples who are...
“For the queen’s deed will get out to all the women, making their husbands contemptible in their eyes; that King Aḥashverosh said to bring Queen Vashti before him, but she did not ...
“If it please the king, let a royal edict be issued before you, and let it be written into the laws of Persia and Media, so that it cannot be abrogated, that Vashti shall never [ag...
“The king’s decree about what he will do will be heard throughout his entire kingdom, vast as it is, and all wives will give honor to their husbands, from great to small” (Esther 1...
“The matter was pleasing in the eyes of the king and the princes, and the king did as Memukhan had said” (Esther 1:21).He issued the decree and brought in her head on a platter.
“After these matters, when the fury of king Aḥashverosh had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what was decreed against her” (Esther 2:1).“After [aḥar] these m...
