Torah

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The Torah as cosmic blueprint: Jewish traditions about the creation, revelation, and infinite depth of the Five Books of Moses.

Moses — Jacob at the Dawn of Creation

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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...

God Reveals a Name Even the Patriarchs Never Knew

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Our sages explored this very human tendency in fascinating ways, especially when looking at the stories of Solomon and Moses. Our journey begins with a verse from Exodus (6:2-3): “...

Moses and Creation of Aviram

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Even Moses, the great lawgiver, felt that way. Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers us a fascinating glimpse into a moment where Mo...

God Sends Moses as a Go-Between for Israel

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This particular passage, Shemot Rabbah 6, uses a parable to illuminate a fascinating aspect of Moses' relationship with God. Rabbi Meir offers a vivid analogy. Imagine a king marry...

Isaac — Abraham's Transgression

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This very human experience echoes in the ancient texts, specifically in a powerful passage from Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. The ...

The Power of Words to Command and to Harm

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The ancient rabbis certainly thought words held immense power, for good and for ill. to a fascinating interpretation of a verse in Exodus, as explored in Shemot Rabbah, a compilati...

Four Rulers Who Claimed to Be God and Were Destroyed

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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...

Aaron's Staff Becomes a Serpent Before Pharaoh

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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 ...

Egypt's Fate Compared to the Fall of Tyre

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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 ...

Moses and Creation of Rabbis

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(Besides driving us crazy, of course!) Well, Jewish tradition has a fascinating answer, one that goes all the way back to the plagues in Egypt. The Book of Exodus recounts God's co...

God Reaches From Earth to Heaven to Send the Hail

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In the book of Exodus, we read, "The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand toward the heavens, and there will be hail throughout the land of Egypt…" (Exodus 9:22). It seems straight...

Passing Down the Story of the Plagues

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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...

The Song of Songs as an Allegory for the Exodus

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The ancient Rabbis felt that way about the Exodus, the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt. And they found echoes of that feeling in the most unexpected places, even in the Son...

Jeremiah in Joseph's Time

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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...

Happy Is the Nation Whose God Is the Lord

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The passage opens with a seemingly simple phrase: "This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2). But it's more than just a calendar note. It's a declaration. The text connects it to ...

Aaron — Moses at the Dawn of Creation

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Our starting point is the verse "This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2). But Shemot Rabbah, in its characteristic way, finds a connection to (Micah 6:4): "I sent Moses, Aaron, ...

Lord and the Ark

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The ancient rabbis certainly did! And they painted a vibrant picture, filled with light, healing, and unimaginable peace. Our starting point is a fascinating passage from Shemot Ra...

The Month of Nissan and God's Blueprint of Creation

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Jewish tradition is rich with answers to these questions, and Shemot Rabbah, a classical Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) text, offers a fascinating glimpse into the Di...

God Gave Israel Control Over the Calendar

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We find a powerful idea nestled within its verses, a radical claim about the relationship between God and the Jewish people. It all starts with the verse "This month shall be for y...

This Month Shall Be Yours and Why the Calendar Matters

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The book of Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Exodus, offers a stunning insight into just how crucial the calendar is. It all begins with the ...

Abraham — Moses at the Dawn of Creation

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We're looking at section 15, which delves into the very first commandment given to the Israelites as they stood on the cusp of freedom: "This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2)....

Moses Struggles to Understand the New Moon

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Shemot Rabbah, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Exodus, recounts a fascinating episode. It begins with the verse, "This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2), referri...

Three Things That Can Never Be Used to Heal

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The verse "Draw, and take for yourselves lambs" (Exodus 12:21) might seem straightforward, but the Rabbis saw layers of meaning. They connect it to the verse "With stillness and pl...

What Is So Special About Hyssop on Passover

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The ancient rabbis certainly did. to a fascinating interpretation from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Exodus. It all begins with a seemingly simple...

Akhish in Heaven

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It turns out this very human experience is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition. We find this idea beautifully explored in Shemot Rabbah, specifically in its interpretation of the ver...

David's Plea for Wholehearted Devotion to God

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The ancient rabbis grappled with that too. They understood the struggle to dedicate ourselves completely, especially when it comes to something as profound as connecting with the D...

Moses and the Dreamer of Meeting

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Our tradition suggests he did, and in a fascinating way: it reveals moments where Moses' own reasoning aligned perfectly with the divine will. The Shemot Rabbah, a collection of ra...

Akilas at the Dawn of Creation

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It's a feeling that Judaism, in its wisdom, addresses head-on. We find a fascinating exploration of this theme in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Boo...

The Overlooked Details of the Very First Passover

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The story starts with a seemingly simple commandment: "This is the statute of the paschal offering." Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta paints a vivid picture: God, blessed be He, instructs ...

Pharaoh Lets the People Go but God Has Other Plans

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To one of those fascinating connections, found within Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. The verse we're looking at is: "It was when Ph...

Ephraim at the Dawn of Creation

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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...

Written and Oral Law of Land

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It wasn't just about finding the best route to the Promised Land. It was about timing. The Book of Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, of...

God Knows Your Heart Before You Even Pray

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Jewish tradition offers a powerful and comforting perspective on this very human feeling. It suggests that God isn't just listening, but already knows what's in our hearts, even be...

Moses Raises His Staff and Splits the Sea

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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...

The First Song Ever Sung From Creation Until the Sea

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It all starts with the verse, "Then Moses…sang" (Exodus 15:1). The Rabbis connect this to (Proverbs 31:26), "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her...

Ten Songs From the Exodus to the Age of the Messiah

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It's more than just "Who Knows One?" around the Passover table, I promise you that. Our Sages understood that the Exodus wasn't just a one-time event; it was a template for all fut...

I Am Dark but Beautiful Says Israel After the Sea

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They found a surprising way to express it. In Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, we find a fascinating reading of the verse, "Then Moses...

The Song at the Sea as a Declaration of Purity

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Shemot Rabbah, a rich collection of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers a powerful reading of the verse "Then Moses…sang [thi...

Three Days Without Water in the Wilderness of Shur

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The Israelites, fresh from their miraculous escape from Egypt, certainly did. The book of Exodus tells us, "Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went out to the wilderness of...

The Wilderness of Shur and What Its Name Reveals

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We often gloss over place names, assuming they're just… well, places. But sometimes, they're so much more. Take, for example, the phrase "the wilderness of Shur," which pops up in ...

God Rains Down Bread From Heaven for Israel

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We often look around us, to the earth, to other people. But Jewish tradition suggests a different source, a higher source: the heavens. Think about the manna, that miraculous bread...

Manna as Bread from Heaven Earned Through Torah

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The passage begins by linking the manna, that miraculous bread from heaven, to a verse in Proverbs (9:5): "Come, partake of my bread, and drink of the wine I have mixed." What's th...

Jacob and Creation of Eden

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The ancient rabbis felt that way too, and they found profound hope in the story of the Exodus. In Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, we ...

Go Out and Gather Each Day's Portion of Manna

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It’s not just about receiving, but about the giving, the engagement, the doing. to a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of...

One Perfect Shabbat Could Bring the Messiah

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Rabbi Levi makes a staggering claim in Shemot Rabbah: a single, perfectly observed Shabbat (the Sabbath) could bring about the Messiah. He says, “If Israel observes Shabbat properl...

Jethro Hears About the Exodus and Comes to Moses

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This week, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, specifically Shemot Rabbah 27. It uses the s...

Wisdom of Yitro

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The Book of Exodus gives us a powerful example in the story of Yitro, Moses' father-in-law. And the midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), specifically Shemot Rabbah, offers u...

What Exactly Did Jethro Hear That Made Him Come

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A single event, a powerful moment, that resonates far beyond its origin. The Book of Exodus, or Shemot in Hebrew, tells us that "Yitro heard..." (Exodus 18:1). But what exactly did...