Patriarchs

2,974 texts · Page 192 of 331

Explore 2,974 Jewish texts related to the theme of Patriarchs, drawn from Midrash, Kabbalah, Apocrypha, and classical Jewish literature.

Kingdom of Jacob of Esau

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

But what if I told you the Torah itself offers some pretty practical advice about diversifying your... well, everything? It's tucked away in Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbin...

Esau: Jacob's Prayer

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

We're looking at section 76, which grapples with Jacob's prayer as he prepares to meet his brother Esau after years of separation (Genesis 32:10). Remember the setup: Jacob is unde...

Jacob's Journey and Jordan

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Jacob, our patriarch, certainly did. In Genesis 32:11, after years of wandering and working, facing down tricksters and building a family, Jacob cries out, "I am unworthy of all th...

Daniel: Esau and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

It’s easy to think of it as a simple sibling rivalry, a fear of physical harm. But when we delve into the ancient commentaries, a much larger, almost cosmic, fear emerges. The vers...

Jacob: Esau at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Take the story of Jacob preparing to meet his brother Esau after years of estrangement. He sends Esau a lavish gift, described in detail in Genesis 32. But is it just a gift list, ...

Yehuda: Jacob at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

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...

Kings: Jacob at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

"Jacob remained alone, and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn" (Genesis 32:25). A simple sentence, but pregnant with meaning. What does it mean to be alone? And who, o...

Wings of the Angels and Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The story of Jacob wrestling with an angel, found in Genesis 32, is one of the most enigmatic and powerful scenes in the Torah. But what was really going on that night by the river...

Jacob Wrestles the Angel

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina suggests that Jacob wasn't wrestling just anyone; he was battling Esau’s guardian angel! Remember when Jacob says, "For therefore I have seen your face,...