Temple

2,692 texts · Page 47 of 57

The Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the Holy of Holies, the sacred vessels, and the spiritual heart of the Jewish world.

Solomon's Search for Meaning as King in Jerusalem

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Like everyone else is contributing, and you're just... there? Our sages grappled with this feeling, and their stories, preserved in texts like Kohelet Rabbah, offer surprising comf...

The Sages Almost Suppressed the Book of Ecclesiastes

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That question, that nagging feeling, is at the heart of the Book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet in Hebrew. And it’s a question the Rabbis grappled with deeply. The opening verse of Ko...

Teachings of Rabbi Akiva

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We look back with nostalgia, imagining that the giants of the past held all the answers. But Jewish tradition challenges that very notion. The idea that each generation has its own...

Rabbi Eliezer and the Heavenly Realms

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Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, suggests that "all matters are wearying" – especially matters of heresy. But what does that re...

Moses and the King of Rabbis

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"What was is what will be," it says, "and what was done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). But is that really true? Are we just doome...

Moses and the Torah of Elisheva

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Her story, found in Kohelet Rabbah, the commentary on Ecclesiastes, is a stark reminder that joy and sorrow can be two sides of the same coin. The verse we're looking at is from (E...

Divine Spirit and the Lawgiver

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Kohelet, the book of Ecclesiastes traditionally attributed to Solomon, wrestles with just that. And Kohelet Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, digs even deeper. Let's...

Rabbis — Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

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The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, wrestles with these very feelings. And Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of Ecclesiastes, dives...

The Wise and the Wicked Meet the Same End

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That fear, that nagging doubt, echoes in the ancient words of Kohelet Rabbah, a rabbinic commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes. It grapples with the seeming unfairness of life, th...

Abbahu — Solomon at the Dawn of Creation

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The ancient rabbis, in Kohelet Rabbah, that treasure trove of commentary on Ecclesiastes, dive deep into this verse. Rabbi Tanhuma suggests a simple, elegant idea: the world came i...

He Made Everything Beautiful in Its Time

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The book of Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, wrestles with these very questions. And Kohelet Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, digs even deeper. a fascinating passage from it....

Elijah — Adam and Eve in Eden

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The sun rises, the seasons turn... it all seems so fixed, so unchangeable. But is it, really? Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Ecclesiastes, ...

Elijah — Moses at the Dawn of Creation

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The ancient Rabbis, in their commentary called Kohelet Rabbah, dive deep into a specific verse that really makes you think: "What has been, already is, and what will be has already...

Zekharya in Heaven

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The verse from Ecclesiastes (3:16) sets the stage: “Moreover, I have seen, under the sun, in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of justice there is wickedn...

Better the Unborn Who Never Saw Evil Done

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(Ecclesiastes 4:3) dances with it: "Better than both of them is one who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil actions that are done under the sun." Now, Kohelet Rabbah, a col...

Why Abraham Never Felt Alone Despite Having No Son

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The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it’s known in Hebrew, dives right into that feeling. One particular verse, (Ecclesiastes 4:8), really hits home: "There is one and not anoth...

Guard Your Feet When You Enter God's House

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It all starts with a verse from Ecclesiastes (4:17): “Guard your feet when you go to the house of God, and draw near to heed. This is better than fools giving an offering, as they ...

A Fool's Voice Brings Nightmares Upon Himself

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In fact, the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), specifically Kohelet Rabbah, connects them to something much deeper: the consequences of our actions and, specifically, our...

Better Not to Vow Than to Vow and Not Pay

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It’s a topic explored further in the rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, Kohelet Rabbah, and it's a fascinating, and frankly, a little scary. The verse in question is (Ecclesiaste...

Fear God Instead of Chasing Vain Dreams and Empty Words

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It all starts with the verse from (Ecclesiastes 5:6): "So it is with a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words; rather, fear God.” The verse seems to be saying that too muc...

Who Is the King and Who Is the Field in Ecclesiastes

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Like that perfect cup of coffee, or maybe... mitzvot (commandments)? That’s the question bubbling up from Kohelet Rabbah, a fascinating exploration of the book of Ecclesiastes. In ...

Titus at the Dawn of Creation

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It's a reminder that divinity can work through anything. Kohelet Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, puts it this way: "The ad...

When the Smallest Creature Serves God's Purpose

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The ancient Rabbis certainly did. In Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, we find a series of stories, almost like little parables,...

How a Fetus Is Formed as a Three-Way Partnership

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Jewish tradition has some fascinating, layered answers. to one, found in Kohelet Rabbah, a midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) (interpretive) commentary on the Book of Ecc...

Fine — Abraham at the Dawn of Creation

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Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, throws us a curveball right from the start: "A good name is better than fine oil, and the day of death than the day of one's birth" (Ecclesiastes 7:1). Whoa....

A Good Name Travels Farther Than the Ark of God

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Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, a prominent figure in the Zohar (the foundational text of Jewish mysticism), puts it this way: a good name is more beloved than the Ark of the Covenant itse...

The Living Will Take the Reality of Death to Heart

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Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, offers a fascinating perspective, connecting our actions in life with the inevitable reality o...

Elisha — Rabbi Meir at the Dawn of Creation

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The verse in question is (Ecclesiastes 7:8): "The end of a matter is better than its beginning; one of patient spirit is better than one of proud spirit." The rabbis, as they often...

Wisdom Is Good With Inheritance Says Ecclesiastes

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Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, tackles this very question, and it does it in such a wonderfully human way. It all starts with...

Solomon — Adam at the Dawn of Creation

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King Solomon, wisest of all men, apparently felt that too. (Ecclesiastes 7:23) reads, "All this I attempted with wisdom; I said: I will become wise, but it is far from me." What do...

There Is One Fate for the Righteous and the Wicked

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The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet in Hebrew, certainly does. And the rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), in Kohelet Rabbah, wrestled with it too. Specifica...

A Living Dog Is Better Than a Dead Lion and What It Means

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It all starts with a verse from Ecclesiastes (9:4): "For anyone who is joined to any of the living there is hope, as a living dog is better than a dead lion.” Now, that seems prett...

God Has Already Accepted Your Actions

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It tells us: “Go, eat your bread joyfully, and drink your wine goodheartedly, as God has already accepted your actions” (Ecclesiastes 9:7). But what does that mean? Kohelet Rabbah,...

The Dream Where Two Sages Debated the Afterlife

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Jewish tradition certainly has opinions, and some intriguing stories to tell. to one found in Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes. ...

Bar Kappara and the Heavenly Realms

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The grief is so intense that the townspeople declare a ban: anyone who dares announce the Rabbi's death will face dire consequences. Can you imagine the tension? The air thick with...

How Hezekiah's Wisdom Defeated Sennacherib's Army

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Sometimes, the answer isn’t just in swords and shields. Sometimes, it's in something far more powerful: wisdom. Our story comes from Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interp...

Do Not Forsake Your Place When the Ruler's Spirit Rises

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Kohelet Rabbah, a Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes, tackles this idea head-on with the verse: "If the spirit of the ruler comes u...

The Error That Emerges From Before the Ruler

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Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of Rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, explores this very human experience with the verse, "There is an evil that I have seen under t...

Wisdom of Cyrus

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A blessing, a curse, a promise kept, a promise broken... it all hangs on the power of speech. Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes, understood this deeply. In Kohelet Rabbah, a midrash (interp...

Kingdom of Cyrus

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We find one such sentence in (Ecclesiastes 10:13): "The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his mouth is evil debauchery." Ouch. But who is this vers...

The Fool's Toil Exhausts Him Because He Cannot Find the Way

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We find ourselves in Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Ecclesiastes. The verse in question is (Ecclesiastes 10:15): “The toil of the fools wil...

Mount Sinai and the Lawgiver of Israelites

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The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet, is part of the Ketuvim ("Writings") section of the Hebrew Bible. Kohelet Rabbah, a Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) commentary on ...

Rabbi Eliezer and the Patriarchs

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"Distribute a portion to seven, and also to eight, as you do not know what evil will be upon the earth" (Ecclesiastes 11:2). Simple enough. But what does it mean? That’s where Kohe...

When the Spirit Returns to the God Who Gave It

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The Rabbis in Kohelet Rabbah delve deep into this verse, unpacking its layers of meaning. Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiya, in the name of Rabbi Simon, pose a crucial question: When ...

Rabbi Eliezer and the Lawgiver

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It all starts with a verse from Ecclesiastes (12:11): "The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails well fastened are the collectors of wisdom; they are given from one shep...

Rabbi in Paradise

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The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet, as it’s known in Hebrew, ends with this rather stark line: "For every action God will bring to judgment, for every unknown, whether good or ev...

Gilgal Before the Altar

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The story of Ruth is all about that, about choosing a people, a faith, a destiny. And it begins with those famous words: "Your people shall be my people, and your God my God." (Rut...

Leah — Reuben at the Dawn of Creation

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The ancient rabbis certainly did. They saw layers of meaning, hidden connections, and prophecies woven into the very fabric of the Torah. Take the beginning of the Book of Exodus, ...