4,035 texts · Page 39 of 85
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Psalms, offers a profound and intimate look at this idea in its commentary on Psalm 139. This psalm, tradi...
To Midrash Tehillim, specifically Psalm 140, and unpack its layers of meaning. The Psalm begins with a plea: "A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man; preserve me f...
Psalm 143, a heartfelt plea from David, grapples with exactly that. "Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my plea..." But the questions bubble up: Who among us can truly claim innocence...
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Psalms, grapples with this very question in its exploration of Psalm 146. The verse "Hallelujah, my soul, ...
Midrash, the ancient Jewish art of interpreting scripture, is full of stories that reveal deeper truths about life, death, and everything in between. And Midrash Tehillim, a collec...
It’s an idea that pulses with life throughout Jewish tradition, a concept that goes far beyond just melody. to Midrash Tehillim, specifically Midrash Tehillim 149, and see what it ...
A verse from Isaiah (44:26): "[God] confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers; that saith of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited'; and of the ...
We often picture opulent feasts, lavish parties, maybe strategizing with advisors late into the night. But what about King David, the sweet singer of Israel? What filled his nights...
Today, let’s explore a passage from the Pesikta deRav Kahana, specifically section 13, where Rabbi Abba bar Kahana unpacks a verse from the prophet Isaiah (10:30): “Raise your voic...
The Pesikta DeRav Kahana, a collection of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) teachings, offers a fascinating insight into this very question. It all starts with a verse f...
They're…complicated, to say the least. : Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, Joseph and his brothers. Talk about a mixed bag! So, when the Song of Songs (8:1) says, "...
It’s in those very moments that Jewish tradition whispers some of its most powerful promises. to one such whisper, found in the Pesikta DeRav Kahana, a collection of rabbinic teach...
Jewish tradition certainly has stories like that, moments where knowledge transcends mere information and becomes something almost…divine. Let’s turn to the Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer,...
Ishmael, R. Elazar ben 'Arakh, R. Eliezer ben Hyrḳanos, and R. 'Aḳiba—a veritable dream team of Jewish scholars—all gathered together, deep in discussion about the Molad, the birth...
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating and sometimes enigmatic text, sheds light on this very question. It tells us that the sun marks the days, and the moon the nights, their cycle...
Like the calendar is just... off? Well, our ancestors in Egypt felt that way too. And it all ties into a fascinating, and often overlooked, concept: the Jewish calendar and the pra...
We all know the story of Jonah, swallowed whole for his disobedience. But what happened in the belly of the beast? Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating collection of stories and i...
We often think about the legal agreements, the ketubah, and the ceremony itself. But what about the party? The celebration? The text we're looking at is from Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer...
Our sages certainly thought so, and they had some amazing stories to illustrate just that. to one, found in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, specifically chapter 16. It tells of Eliezer, Ab...
The servant finds Rebecca, and her family, Laban and Bethuel, are faced with a decision: Do they let Rebecca go with this stranger? What do they do? Their response, according to Pi...
The story picks up with Abraham's servant, often identified as Eliezer, returning from Haran with Rebecca. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer tells us that he took Rebecca and Deborah, her nur...
Today, let's talk about Eliezer, Abraham's trusted steward. But who was this Eliezer, really? The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating early collection of biblical stories and exp...
Sometimes, the answer lies tucked away in unexpected corners of our sacred literature. Take the tradition of the seven-day wedding celebration, the sheva brachot. Where did that co...
He wasn't just some figurehead in the ancient Israelite camp. He was a tzaddik, a righteous soul, who actively sought out harmony. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating early medie...
It's a portal, a time set apart. And according to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a beautiful, almost novelistic Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), keeping Shabbat (the Sabbath) b...
It’s a question that echoes through the ages. The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating collection of stories and interpretations, offers a glimpse into Adam’s profound journey of ...
Abraham knew that feeling. The story of the Tower of Babel – you know, that ambitious, maybe even arrogant, attempt to build a tower that would reach the heavens – it's more than j...
The story of the Tower of Babel, found in Genesis, offers a powerful explanation, but it's in texts like Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer – a fascinating collection of stories and interpreta...
That, according to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, is precisely what happened at the Tower of Babel. The story goes that the builders of the Tower, all speaking the same language, suddenly...
Often, it’s because they grapple with fundamental questions of justice, morality, and divine intervention. Take the story of Sodom, for instance. It's a tale we find in Pirkei DeRa...
Lead with something positive before diving into the difficult stuff. It turns out, this isn't just good manners; it's a lesson we learn from God Himself! Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a ...
Is it power? Is it armies? Is it wealth? Well, according to Jewish tradition, the answer might surprise you. It all boils down to righteousness. We find this idea beautifully illus...
The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating ancient Jewish text that retells and expands upon biblical narratives, offers a compelling example through the story of Lot. We all know L...
Tradition tells us that Abraham faced not just a few challenges, but ten major trials throughout his life. Ten! Can you imagine? The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, an early medieval colle...
His life was practically a masterclass in overcoming adversity. We often think of Abraham's trials, his nisyonot, as being primarily about faith – being asked to sacrifice Isaac, f...
The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, an ancient text that weaves together biblical narrative, aggadah (storytelling), and mystical insights, outlines ten trials that Abraham faced. Ten mome...
Not just for a little while, but potentially… forever. What would you do? How far would your trust in the divine stretch? That’s the kind of situation Abraham faced, according to P...
This particular passage, from Chapter 26, gives us a glimpse into Sarah's encounters with powerful rulers and the surprising twists that shaped her journey. It all starts with Phar...
The ancient text Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a collection of stories and interpretations of the Hebrew Bible, gives us a glimpse into just such a moment. Specifically, it focuses on Ab...
We often think of trials as personal, internal struggles. But what happens when those trials come from the outside, from the world itself? to one chapter, chapter 27, of Pirkei DeR...
Our story starts with Abraham. Remember when he learns that his nephew Lot has been captured? (Genesis 14:13) tells us, "And there came one who had escaped, and told Abram the Hebr...
The patriarch Abraham experienced just such a moment, according to the ancient text, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer. Imagine the scene: Abraham, fresh from his encounter with the divine, i...
The Jewish tradition teaches us that time itself can be layered, that moments can resonate across generations. : is it possible that the same night, the very same 24 hours, could w...
We often think of it as a formal obligation, a percentage we owe. But its roots, according to some fascinating ancient texts, are surprisingly personal, filled with gratitude and r...
It's a collection of stories and interpretations of the Torah, attributed to Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, a prominent sage from the first century. It's not quite Midrash (rabbinic i...
That feeling, that sense of wonder and a connection to something vast, is at the heart of this story about Abraham, our patriarch. According to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinatin...
It’s easy to skim over those details, but sometimes, buried within those numbers, are entire worlds of meaning. Let's pull on one of those threads today, and see where it leads us....
To a fascinating passage from Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a non-canonical yet beloved collection of stories and interpretations of the Torah. Here, Rabbi Joshua offers a powerful insig...
