3,491 texts · Page 61 of 73
Take the story of the Israelite enslavement in Egypt. We all know the basics, but the details… well, that’s where things get interesting. The Torah tells us, "They imposed upon the...
Their story, as told in Shemot Rabbah, is a powerful reminder of resilience, faith, and the strength of community. Pharaoh, wasn't just content with enslaving the Israelites. He wa...
The scene: Pharaoh, terrified by the growing Israelite population, issues a horrifying command to the Hebrew midwives. "When you deliver the Hebrew women," he says, "and you see th...
The Torah tells us that Pharaoh, increasingly paranoid about the growing Israelite population, ordered the Hebrew midwives to kill all newborn baby boys (Exodus 1:16). But the midw...
To one of those moments, found within the pages of Shemot Rabbah, a classical collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. "She took for him a wicker basket…" Why ...
That feeling isn’t new. In fact, it echoes through one of the most powerful stories in the Torah. We all know the story of Moses. Born into slavery, hidden away, destined for great...
Take this one from (Exodus 2:6), describing Pharaoh’s daughter discovering the infant Moses adrift in the Nile: "She opened it and saw the child [yeled], and behold, a boy [na’ar] ...
The Torah tells us, "His sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter: ‘Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’" (Exodus 2:7). But why specifically ...
It’s a story filled with palace intrigue, near-fatal tests, and a touch of divine intervention. We all know the basics: baby Moses in a basket, found by Pharaoh's daughter. But She...
The ancient rabbis certainly understood that feeling. In the book of Exodus, we read, “It was during those many days that the king of Egypt died and the children of Israel sighed d...
In fact, they wrestled with it in their interpretations of the book of Exodus, specifically (Exodus 2:25): "God saw the children of Israel, and God knew." What did God see? What di...
To one, from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. The verse we're looking at is simple, yet profound: “God saw the children of Israel, and...
It might seem like just a simple Hebrew word meaning "was," but in the world of Jewish thought, it can unlock hidden meanings, destinies, and connections. Shemot Rabbah, a collecti...
“An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, but the bush was not consumed” (Exodus 3:2). ...
Our story begins in (Exodus 3:7): “The Lord said: I have seen My people’s affliction that is in Egypt, and I have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, as I know their p...
That's the situation Moses found himself in. In (Exodus 3:11), Moses cries out to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should take the children of Israel out of ...
It all starts with that pivotal moment when Moses encounters God at the burning bush. Remember the verse? "God said to Moses, 'I will be what I will be,' and He said, 'So shall you...
The passage we're looking at begins with God instructing Moses: "Go and gather the elders of Israel, and say to them: The Lord, the God of your fathers, God of Abraham, of Isaac, a...
Turns out, Moses did. And, according to the Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, it didn't go unnoticed. The story begins, as we k...
Something that makes you think, "Surely, there's someone better suited for this!" Well, you're not alone. Even Moses, the great lawgiver himself, had a moment of reluctance. to a f...
We all know the story: God commands Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites. But Moses hesitates. He protests, famously declaring, "I am not a man of words"...
Even some of the biggest figures in Jewish history felt that way. Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) interpretations on the Book of...
The book of Exodus tells us that God spoke, but the how… that’s where the Jewish tradition gets truly wondrous. Our exploration starts with a seemingly simple verse: “The Lord said...
The Torah tells us, "Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord that He had sent him, and all the signs that He had charged him" (Exodus 4:28). Seems straightforward. But Shemot Ra...
We all know the story, but Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of midrashim (rabbinic interpretive commentary) – interpretations and expansions – on the Book of Exodus, offers a fa...
We all know the story of the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the triumphant journey to freedom. But was it really the entire nation that crossed over? Pharaoh, in his stub...
(Exodus 6:9) tells us, "Moses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they did not heed Moses because of lack of spirit, and because of hard labor." Can you blame them? They’d been...
The passage begins with a rather grand statement from Exodus: "See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother will be your prophet” (Exodus 7:1). But what does it re...
Jewish tradition has some pretty strong opinions on that. And, spoiler alert: it doesn't end well. Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of Midrash (interpretive stories) on the Book...
The Book of Exodus tells us the what – ten devastating plagues – but it's the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), those ancient rabbinic interpretations, that delve into th...
It's all there in the book of Exodus, chapter 7, verse 9: "When Pharaoh will speak to you, saying: Provide a wonder for you; then you shall say to Aaron: Take your staff, and cast ...
Unthinkable. Yet, that's precisely the level of focus the Sages expected during prayer. The Mishna Berakhot (5:1) tells us that even if a king greets you, or a serpent wraps around...
It's not just a random trick. It's a direct confrontation, a symbolic smackdown, if you will. : Pharaoh saw himself as a god, the supreme ruler of Egypt, unshakeable and all-powerf...
It wasn't just random chaos, you know. There's a deeply considered, almost… merciful… method to the madness. The Book of Exodus (7:16-17) sets the stage: "You shall say to him: The...
The Torah tells us, "The magicians of Egypt did so with their spells; and Pharaoh's heart hardened, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had spoken” (Exodus 7:22). But what does "...
The ancient rabbis certainly thought so. In Shemot Rabbah, a collection of homiletic interpretations of the Book of Exodus, we find a fascinating, and frankly chilling, comparison ...
We often focus on the what – the frogs, the locusts, the darkness – but sometimes miss the deeper meaning. to one of the more… amphibious plagues and see what the ancient rabbis ha...
Take the story of the plagues in Egypt. It's not just about showing off God's power; it's a complex tapestry woven with themes of justice, redemption, and even a little bit of…well...
The scene: Moses is tasked with confronting Pharaoh yet again. God tells Moses, "Rise early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him: So said the Lord, God of the H...
The Torah tells us, "Behold, I will rain down tomorrow at this time very severe hail, that there has not been like it in Egypt since the day it was founded until now" (Exodus 9:18)...
It’s a question that our sages grappled with, and the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) in Shemot Rabbah offers a fascinating perspective, connecting it to the story of th...
It wasn't just about remembering the events, but about understanding the deeper meaning behind them. The Torah tells us, "And so that you will relate in the ears of your son, and o...
"Moses extended his hand toward the heavens, and there was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days. They did not see one another, and no one rose from his place...
It's easy to see them as simply divine punishments, but Jewish tradition often delves deeper, searching for layers of meaning and nuance. Let's look at the plague of darkness, as e...
The Israelites certainly did in Egypt. But even in the darkest of times, hope can blossom. And it often arrives in unexpected ways. Our story begins, as so many do, with a word fro...
It seems like a minor detail, but as we learn in Shemot Rabbah, it's anything but. Rabbi Ḥanina offers a beautiful explanation. He says that God's choice of words reflects a profou...
It's not just dry recitation – it's a story of resilience, faith, and the enduring bond between God and the Jewish people. to a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah 15, a collect...
It's not just about freedom from slavery, but about a deeper truth about power, righteousness, and our relationship with the Divine. Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpr...
