Patriarchs

3,059 texts · Page 125 of 340

Explore 3,059 Jewish texts related to the theme of Patriarchs, drawn from Midrash, Kabbalah, Apocrypha, and classical Jewish literature.

Balaam's Transgression and Curses

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg)

Jewish tradition has a fascinating story about that very phenomenon, starring the infamous Balaam. Remember Balaam? The non-Jewish prophet hired to curse the Israelites? Well, even...

Balaam in Battle and Curses

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg)

This story, recounted by Rabbi Louis Ginzberg, paints a vivid picture of a man caught in a divine tug-of-war. Remember Balaam? The non-Israelite prophet hired to curse the Israelit...

Kingdom of Balaam and Thee

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg)

He's hired by Balak, a Moabite king, to curse the Israelites. Balak is terrified of them, seeing them as a threat. Balaam, knowing he can't really curse them if God doesn't allow i...

Balaam's Transgression and Balak

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg)

So, Balaam, the non-Jewish prophet hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Israelites, is ready to get down to business. Balak and his princes are all waiting, anticipation thic...

Abraham: Enosh and Noah

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg)

It wasn't a simple "Let there be light!" and, boom, the universe. There was some serious deliberation involved. Imagine God, contemplating the void. As we read in Legends of the Je...

Balaam Among the Fathers

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg)

How a blessing can lift up, and a curse… well, you know. It's a question that dances at the heart of the story of Balaam, a figure who appears in the Torah, a non-Israelite prophet...

Balaam's Legacy and Israelite

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg)

But the story, as always, is far more complex than it seems. Balaam, unlike some of the other characters we encounter in the Hebrew Bible, doesn't give up easily. After initially b...

Phinehas and the Patriarchs

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg)

We find the story in Numbers 25, where Phinehas takes decisive action to stop a plague ravaging the Israelites. But as much as God approved of his act, not everyone was thrilled. A...

Faith of Abraham of Egypt

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg)

It might seem like a simple administrative task, but according to some fascinating Jewish traditions, there's a deeper, more spiritual reason behind it. The story goes that God com...