Patriarchs

3,059 texts · Page 225 of 340

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

Promises to the Fathers and Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

We read in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, a fascinating idea tied to the verse "No foreigner shall eat of it" (Exodus 12:43) – refer...

Birth of Jacob and Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

It goes way beyond just family lineage. In fact, according to Shemot Rabbah, it points to something truly messianic. The verse in Exodus 13:2 commands us to "Consecrate to Me every...

Pharaoh: Abraham and Creation

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

Get out as fast as possible! But Exodus 13:17 tells us, "It was when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them via the land of the Philistines, although it was near, as God ...

Moses and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

We often think of Moses, armed with divine authority, as the driving force behind the Israelites' liberation. But what about Pharaoh? Did he simply cave to the plagues, or was ther...

Pharaoh's Song and Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The verse says, "it was when Pharaoh let the people go," (Exodus 13:17) which leads us to Song of Songs 4:13: "Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates." Rabbi Levi uses a para...

Pharaoh: Knowledge and Innocence

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The ancient rabbis certainly knew the feeling, and they used vivid imagery to describe the Israelites' escape from Egypt. It wasn't just a political liberation; it was a soul's lib...

Ephraim at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The book of Exodus tells us, “God did not lead them via the land [derekh eretz]” (Exodus 13:17). But what exactly does that mean? Well, Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbi...

Moses's Prayer and Esau

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

The Israelites are trapped. The sea is before them, Pharaoh's army is closing in from behind. Panic is in the air. They cry out to God, as we read in Exodus 14:10: "The children of...

Moses and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Midrash Rabbah

It sounds like something out of a movie, but the Rabbis grappled with this moment, and what it truly meant. The book of Exodus (14:16) tells us, "And you, raise your staff, and ext...