Shabbat

1,262 texts · Page 24 of 27

The Sabbath as a taste of the world to come, the mystical Sabbath bride, and the holiness of sacred rest.

God Almost Destroyed Israel for the Golden Calf

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It happened. And the story, found in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, is It all starts after the Golden Calf incident. Moses, understa...

Behind the Scenes of Building the Tabernacle

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Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, gives us a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes preparations for this monumental task. It a...

Edom Among the Fathers

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It wasn't just about aesthetics or availability. According to Shemot Rabbah, it was a symbolic statement about history, power, and ultimately, redemption. We read in (Exodus 25:3),...

Moses and the Heavenly Realms and the Tabernacle

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The ancient rabbis certainly understood that feeling. a fascinating Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) that speaks directly to that sense of inadequacy, and how we can over...

Kehat at the Dawn of Creation

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A collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, there are four specific things that God longs for from His creation. The passage begins with the verse, "And you sha...

Moses and David of From

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In Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, we find a fascinating exchange. God tells Moses, "And you, draw near to you." Now, Moses isn't exa...

The Oral Torah and the Written Torah as One Covenant

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It’s a question that delves into the very heart of our tradition, and Shemot Rabbah (Exodus Rabbah) offers some pretty powerful insights. Let's unpack it. The verse in question is ...

Give Wisdom to the Wise and They Grow Wiser

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The ancient rabbis certainly thought so. We find this idea beautifully illustrated in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. It uses a verse...

Moses and the Heavenly Realms of Mishkan

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In Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Exodus, we find a fascinating discussion about just that. The passage grapples with the meaning of "the Testi...

The Human Struggle Echoed in Building the Mishkan

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That feeling, that struggle, is something deeply human, and surprisingly, it echoes in the story of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretat...

The Reward That Awaits the Righteous in the World to Come

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Seeing the reward that awaits the righteous. What would you do? Rejoice? Question your worthiness? Our sages grappled with this very question, and their insights are captured in Sh...

The Heart of the Wise Makes the Mouth Prevail

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They begin by referencing (Proverbs 16:23): “The heart of the wise will make his mouth prevail.” The idea is that a wise person’s heart overflows with wisdom. But what proves it? W...

Solomon the Master of Parables and Torah Wisdom

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It's deep, it's rich, but sometimes… it feels inaccessible. That's where stories, analogies, and parables come in. And King Solomon, according to Jewish tradition, was a master of ...

Elijah and Creation of Alacrity

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You turned the house upside down. You lit every lamp, peered into every corner. Why? Because the reward – finding that lost treasure – was worth the effort. Well, Shir HaShirim Rab...

Solomon and the Patriarchs

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Today, we're diving into the heart of one of the most beloved, and sometimes debated, books in the Jewish tradition: Song of Songs, or as it's known in Hebrew, Shir HaShirim. We're...

God Himself and the Heavenly Realms

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Ever read Song of Songs and wondered, "Where on earth did this passionate love poem even come from?" It's a question that's occupied Jewish thought for centuries, and the Rabbis of...

Elazar — Adam at the Dawn of Creation

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It’s a question that bubbles up from the depths of Jewish tradition, and Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of Rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs, offers some fascinatin...

Black From Sin but Lovely Through Repentance

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Our tradition understands that duality intimately. Take the verse from the Song of Songs, Shir HaShirim, "I am black, but lovely." It seems paradoxical. But Shir HaShirim Rabbah, t...

Moses Asks God Where He Should Lead the Flock

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I can't possibly do that!" Well, Moses felt that way too. to a fascinating interpretation of the Song of Songs that reveals Moses's very human anxieties. The verse we're looking at...

Moses Asks God Who Will Lead After He Dies

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Moses knew that feeling all too well. As he approached the end of his time, he had one burning question for God: "Who will lead Your people after I'm gone?" This question forms the...

Rabbi Akiva Rebukes the Sages Over Psalm Interpretation

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We all know the story from Exodus, but the Rabbis in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the collection of rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs, really dig into the depths of that betrayal. ...

Songs — Mikhael at the Dawn of Creation

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Today, we’re diving into a fascinating interpretation of a verse from the Song of Songs – Shir HaShirim – that explores just this idea: the contrast between foul odor and sweet fra...

Betzalel Before the Flood

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That’s the feeling at the heart of a beautiful passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs. It starts with the line, "I am a rose of Sharon, a l...

Moses and Joseph of Songs

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It pops up in unexpected places, carrying layers of meaning far beyond just a tasty fruit. Take the Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs. It uses the ...

He Brought Me to the Wine House and His Banner Is Love

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That’s what we’re diving into today, exploring a fascinating passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs. Specifically, we're l...

Death of Hadrian

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That’s how I feel diving into the pages of Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of Rabbinic interpretations of the Song of Songs. Today, we're looking at a fascinating passage from s...

Elijah and the Messianic King Hidden in Song of Songs

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It's not just about romance; they saw layers of hidden meaning, particularly about the coming of the Messiah. to one fascinating passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a rabbinic comme...

The Dove in the Rock That Represents All of Israel

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Jewish tradition grapples with it too, and beautifully so. In the Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs, we find a fascinating explora...

The Unsung Heroes Who Organized the Temple Tribes

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We often think of the priests, the Kohanim, but the story is so much richer than that. to a fascinating passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on the Song of Songs, wher...

Divine Presence and the Heavenly Realms

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The mystics of old certainly did. And they found echoes of that very quest in the most unexpected places, even in the sensuous poetry of the Song of Songs. Today we’re diving into ...

Israel Won Against Midian Through Moses and Pinchas

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That's the magic of rabbinic interpretation, where seemingly disparate threads of the Torah are woven together to reveal deeper truths. Rabbi Yitzḥak, as quoted in Shir HaShirim Ra...

Jacob and Creation of Jordan

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Sometimes, the answer lies not in the present, but in the deep echoes of the past, in the merit of our ancestors. to a fascinating exploration of this idea, as seen through the len...

The Goat Flock That Symbolizes the Temple Service

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Song of Songs is already pretty heady stuff – love, longing, metaphor piled upon metaphor. But the Rabbah, the commentary, takes it to a whole new level, interpreting the poem as a...

The Scarlet Thread That Turned White on Yom Kippur

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That feeling is something our ancestors grappled with intensely after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. And in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the ancient commentary on Song of Son...

Abraham as the Mountain of Myrrh in Song of Songs

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The ancient Rabbis did. They poured over the verses, searching for clues. And in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs, we find some fascinating answer...

Divine Presence at the Dawn of Creation

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The Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, saw layers upon layers of meaning in these words. The phrase “I came to my garden” is especially rich. Rabbi Menaḥem, son-in-law of Rabbi Elaz...

What Makes God Different From All Other Beloved Ones

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How is your beloved more than another beloved, that you administer an oath to us so?" (Song of Songs 5:9-10). Essentially, they're asking, "What makes God so special? What makes Hi...

Reish Lakish and Creation of Songs

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The verse we’re unpacking is (Song of Songs 5:11): "His head is the finest gold; his locks are curls, black as a raven." Seems straightforward. But in the world of Jewish interpret...

True Beauty Is Wholeheartedly Fulfilling God's Will

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Today, we're diving deep into Shir HaShirim Rabbah, specifically section 4, to uncover some fascinating insights about intention, reward, and the enduring nature of good deeds. The...

Sixty Queens Eighty Concubines and the Nations in Song

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I know I do! Take the Song of Songs, or Shir HaShirim, that beautiful, sensual poem often interpreted as an allegory for the relationship between God and Israel. Right smack in the...

Daughter of Abraham and the Power of Brit Milah

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Today, we're diving into Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on the Song of Songs, and unpacking just such a verse. Get ready for a journey through noble lineage, the power of bri...

Temple and the Heavenly Realms

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It's filled with metaphors, and some of them are truly striking. Take this one: "Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon." What does that even mean? Well, the Rabbis of Shir HaShiri...

Carmel — Elijah at the Dawn of Creation

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Even your weaknesses, your struggles, they are seen and cherished. to a beautiful passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Song of Songs. ...

Climbing the Date Palm Into Nebuchadnezzar's Furnace

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Today, we're diving into a story from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs, that tackles just that feeling. It’s a story of courage, ...

Five Things Missing From the Second Temple

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Our Rabbis certainly did. They grappled with this very question, especially when comparing the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. In Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the Rabbis delve into...

The Sanhedrin Arranged Like a Vineyard at Yavne

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A beautiful analogy, connecting the "vineyard" mentioned in Song of Songs to the Sanhedrin, the ancient Jewish high court. Why a vineyard? Because, as we learned in Mishna Eduyot, ...

A King Listens at Prison Walls as Servants Praise Him

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It all starts with a verse from (Song of Songs 8:13): “The one who dwells in the gardens, companions listen to your voice; let me hear it.” Rabbi Natan, quoting Rabbi Aḥa, uses a p...

Why Angels Perform God's Word With Mighty Strength

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The Torah starts the book of Leviticus—Vayikra in Hebrew—with just that kind of a call. "He called to Moses, and the Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying…" (Leviticus...