Questions tagged [agada-stories-legends]
Questions about the understanding and interpreting of the story-like content found in the Talmud and Midrash
235 questions
5
votes
1
answer
104
views
The sages quoting the word of Hashem outside of Tanach
There are so many examples of this but here is one, Jerusalem Talmud Sanhedrin 2:6 it says towards the end:
Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai stated: The book Deuteronomy ascended, bowed down before the Holy ...
- 69
5
votes
2
answers
377
views
Biographies of the Matriarchs
I am looking for a biography of Sarah Immenu, Rivka Immenu, Rachel Immenu and Leah Immenu. I want to give a Drasha dedicated to Sarah next week, an obituary, if you will, and then I might do the same ...
- 14.7k
1
vote
1
answer
51
views
Is there any explanation on whether Terach knew that Nimrod would kill the slave baby that he substituted for Avrohom [closed]
It seems that Nimrod changed drastically over time to become so narcissitic and murderous. I am not clear where Terach sits in the middle of that politically - Is there any explanation or discussions ...
- 55
2
votes
1
answer
81
views
Parable of the cedar and the reed
In masechet Taanit 20:1: the Gemara cites a parable about the cedar tree and the reed that when a southerly wind comes, it uproots the cedar, while the flexible reed will withstand this wind.
It is ...
- 1,659
3
votes
1
answer
134
views
Three things that women die for during childbirth
In the 2nd Perek of Shabbat, the Mishnah says that women die during childbirth on account of 3 things: not being careful with Niddah, Challah, and Candle Lighting.
Of course, many Jews nowadays don’t ...
- 3,271
4
votes
4
answers
185
views
Sources for Raba bar bar Hana legends explanations
Are there any sources and books that explains Raba bar bar Hana legends in Kabbalistic and Pshat perspective?
- 1,659
3
votes
1
answer
611
views
If prophecy ended, how come idol worship didn't?
The Vilna Gaon claims that the destruction of the yeitzer hara (evil inclination) for idol worship also removed prophecy.
I want to know, why? It seems there is a connection between the yeitzer hara ...
- 14.7k
2
votes
0
answers
75
views
Where is there a source where shomer negia extends to non-Jews as well
BH
Hi I saw an article that Shomer Negia comes from "None of you shall come near anyone of his own flesh to uncover nakedness: I am the Lord” (18:6), and “Do not come near a woman during her ...
- 1,527
1
vote
2
answers
134
views
Two crowns, one corresponding to na'aseh, one to nishmah?
B"H
It says in the Gemara (Shabbat 88a) that when the people of Yisroel said "we will do" (na'aseh) before "we will listen" (nishmah), 600,000 angels came and tied two crowns ...
- 780
3
votes
1
answer
776
views
Every Forbidden thing has a corresponding opposite
what is the source that every forbidden thing has a corresponding opposite good in the Torah?
For example, I heard correct me if I'm wrong there is a certain kosher fish that tastes like bacon ...
- 87
1
vote
1
answer
57
views
What were David's reasons for writing Psalms?
BH
What were David's reasons for writing the Book of Psalms?
Are they in chronological order to the events that happened in his life?
Did he write some of the psalms as the event was happening?
- 1,527
1
vote
1
answer
72
views
Is it true there was a sage on his death bed and said I wish I used up all my money?
BH
Is it true that there was a sage on his death bed who said I wish I used up all my money?
- 1,527
2
votes
1
answer
76
views
Hashem Cooing like a Dove
Hashem ("The Holy One blessed be He" -Chiddushei Aggadot) מְּנַהֶמֶת כְּיוֹנָה "coos like a dove" 3 times a day, lamenting the destruction of the Temple [Berachot 3a].
Oy vey, very ...
- 14.7k
0
votes
1
answer
87
views
Is there a mitzvah not to ignore a person?
BH
This probably very common sense question although what is the mitzvah that when your with a person you shouldn’t ignore them? What’s the source?
- 1,527
1
vote
0
answers
59
views
Interpreting and accepting contemporary reports of fantastic events
Are there any contemporary sources that discuss how to approach reports or stories in circulation among the Jewish public that stretch credulity? Is it incumbent upon us to find meaning in them?
I am ...
- 9,590
0
votes
0
answers
50
views
The kashrut of honey in Lion's belly in the parable of Samson [duplicate]
In the book of Judges, 14:18, וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, בְּטֶרֶם יָבֹא הַחַרְסָה, מַה-מָּתוֹק מִדְּבַשׁ, וּמֶה עַז מֵאֲרִי; וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם--לוּלֵא חֲרַשְׁתֶּם ...
- 1,659
0
votes
0
answers
35
views
Yonah and Leviathan midrash
Anyone know the source for some midrash about when Yonah is in the mouth of the fish and then they go to the Leviathan and Yonah shows him his bris and he runs away?
- 3,271
1
vote
0
answers
38
views
Is it stealing to eavesdrop? [duplicate]
According to bYoma 35b Hillel was denied entrance to a Beit Midrash which required students to pay for admission. Hillel instead climbed to the skylight and listened to the discussion for free. I ...
- 15.3k
3
votes
1
answer
45
views
Asking children Psukim in Tanach
I remember that chazal used to ask chidren what Pasuk the child is currently learning to know answers to certain questions. Does anybody have a source ?
2
votes
1
answer
109
views
Source of Story with smell from Gan Eden
I am trying to remember a talmudic Story where the Rabbi is selling parfume from Gan Eden or from a flower from Gan Eden? I think he did it to help his sons in law?
What Story is this ?
1
vote
0
answers
57
views
"Everything that you did, you did for your own needs." (Avodah Zara 2b) - Why do we need to know this now?
The gemara in Avodah Zara discusses the conversation between Hashem and the world, after Moshiach arrives. He invites everyone to come and get their reward for Torah. The various nations queue up and ...
- 14.7k
1
vote
0
answers
22
views
What does “the fetuses sang Az Yashir” midrash teach us
The Gemara in Sotah brings an opinion by Rabbi Meir that even unborn fetuses in the womb sang Az Yashir. What is the deeper explanation of this midrash? Artscroll in a note lists a bunch of ...
- 3,271
2
votes
0
answers
107
views
The Satan's rebellion in Rabbinic literature?
My understanding is that in most of Rabbinic literature, the Satan is viewed as simply the angel with the job of accusing mankind like in Iyov, and that the Christian notion of him as having rebelled ...
- 89
4
votes
1
answer
364
views
Midrash about 10 commandments
Looking for a midrash that says that after the Chet HaEgel, Moshe told Gd “the 10 commandments are in singular form. Bnei Yisrael thought they were directed solely to me and not to them”
- 3,271
0
votes
0
answers
179
views
Is it true Baal Shem Tov knew his zivug?
Is it true the Baal Shem Tov knew his zivug before he got married to her? If yes how did he know?
That is, in this story, we read:
Rav Efraim Kitover, the Av Beit din of Brody, was once involved in a ...
- 1,527
3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Story of a woman hitting a rabbi because husband said
BH
I heard there was a story from the Talmud, correct me if I’m wrong, that a man told his wife to hit a rabbi on the head or something and she went hit him and after she hit him he asked: "My ...
- 1,527
1
vote
0
answers
42
views
Source for Bloody Fruits Story
Recall reading a story when I was younger, pretty sure in a kid's book of Midrash/Aggadah, like Our Sages Showed The Way.
Trying to find the original source, could be have some details wrong.
Someone ...
- 363
1
vote
0
answers
57
views
Deeper meaning of Bat Shlomo midrash
Do any commentaries elucidate any deeper meaning into the story of Bat Shlomo in the tower (found here: The Medrash About Shlomo HaMelech's Daughter )
Obviously the Pashut message is that Gd runs ...
- 3,271
1
vote
0
answers
59
views
Meaning of this Og midrash
So what’s the meaning of this midrash exactly? Do any commentaries talk about what it could represent, what 60 represents, etc…
- 3,271
4
votes
1
answer
362
views
Are the stories from Chashukei Chemed real?
Is there any information about the anonymous stories from the series of seforim Chashukei Chemed from R' Yitzchok Silberstein if they are real or just made up?
One that was particularly bugging me ...
- 1,353
3
votes
1
answer
422
views
Legends of the Jews sources
I’ve come across some very interesting midrashim in Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg, but all the versions online I’ve seen of it aren’t sourced. Can anyone find a version online that contains ...
- 3,271
2
votes
0
answers
143
views
Do the Crimean Jews have stories about the Khazars?
It seems reasonable to say that the (Jewish) Khazars fleeing the destruction of their state by the Rus' could have joined the Crimean Jews. Do the Crimean Jews themselves have any info on the Khazars? ...
- 191
2
votes
2
answers
226
views
Book recommendation: commentaries on aggadah?
Shalom. Does anyone know of a good book/set that collects mefarshim on aggadic portions of the talmud? I am specifically looking for works that summarize or collect various opinions or commentaries, ...
- 1,681
1
vote
1
answer
79
views
Anyone know where I can find this book
Anyone know where I can find this book online either to buy or if it’s a pdf online or something? It’s a very skinny brown book
- 3,271
0
votes
1
answer
119
views
Midrash about eshet potifar
I heard in a shiur a midrash that the friends of Eshet Potiphar didn’t believe how beautiful a Jew like Joseph was, so she brought all her friends in a room, sat them in a circle and gave them knives ...
- 3,271
1
vote
0
answers
84
views
Is there a source for this story of the seven brothers?
This is part of the story:
"There were once seven brothers, the sons of one woman, in the city of Tzippori. They were wealthy, but one day they went to a certain city in the land of India. They ...
1
vote
0
answers
448
views
Who was Adina? (Lavan's wife)
In Sefer Hayashar it says:
ויזרע יצחק בארץ ההיא, וימצא בשנה ההיא מאה שערים ויברכו ה׳. ויגדל האיש ויהי לו ובשנת חמישים ושש שנים לחיי יעקב, באו אנשים מחרן ויגידו לרבקה על אודות לבן בן בתואל אחיה. כי ...
- 2,328
1
vote
1
answer
189
views
40 days before the formation of the fetus
I know chazel say 40 days before the formation of a fetus a bas Kol goes out and says "bas ploni lploni" I was wondering in the language of the bas Kol, why does it say "bas ploni ...
- 414
2
votes
0
answers
62
views
Sefer guidebook to Understanding Aggadata Perspectives
I'm on the lookout for a sefer (ideally that is on Otzer Hachochmo or Hebrewbooks) that delves into the diverse ways of interpreting Aggadata Gemaras, if such a resource exists. What I'm after is a ...
- 2,252
2
votes
0
answers
25
views
Did Benjamin know what happen to Yosef in real time? [duplicate]
It is mentioned in the sources that Benjamin named his sons after what Joseph went through when he was separated from his family: And the sons of Benjamin, Bela and Becher and Ashbel, Gera and Naaman, ...
- 1,659
0
votes
1
answer
87
views
How the Hachamim did not recognize Shalmai
The legend of the Talmud is known that Shalmai replaced Solomon in his kingdom for a period of time. After all, Solomon, by virtue of his position as king, had to pass judgments and discuss with the ...
- 1,659
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Why do Rabbis say that HaShem was mistaken and HaShem states that He was defeated and that He must obey the Rabbis?
I've been reading an article on an Islamic website called Muslim Skeptic and came accross the following:
The way that Jews depict God, they celebrate the notion of debating with God, winning ...
- 1,062
0
votes
0
answers
85
views
Difference between aggadah in gemara and midrash
Much of the non-halachic aggadah quoted in the gemara overlaps with aggadah from the midrash such as midrash tanchuma or midrash rabbah and others. Yet there are some aggadah that are only found in ...
- 71
1
vote
1
answer
239
views
Did the Jews burn the Temple?
In Meam Loez The Story of Tisha Bav by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, it is written that the Romans burned to Holy of Holies and then seeing this, the Jews burned the rest of the temple and all the wealthy ...
- 3,271
1
vote
1
answer
405
views
What kinds of vegetables did Adam eat in the Garden?
In Bereshit 1:29-30, Adam is told that vegetables were allocated for him to eat for food. However, is there any information as to what vegetables Adam was permitted to eat, specifically whether Adam ...
- 1,062
3
votes
3
answers
244
views
Is Aggada bad to learn?
In Masechet Soferim 16 (and I believe in the Yerushalmi too) it is written:
א"ר יהושע ב"ל הדא אגדתא כתוב בה הכותבה אין לו חלק לעולם הבא והדורשה מתברך והשומעה אינו מקבל שכר
Whoever writes ...
- 3,271
1
vote
0
answers
94
views
Why is Kamtza blamed?
The famous Gemara in Gittin says אקמצא ובר קמצא חרב ירושלים, that Jerusalem was destroyed because of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza. I understand why Bar Kamtza s getting some of the blame, but why is Kamtza ...
- 3,271
0
votes
1
answer
147
views
Midrash that Paul changed sabbath to sunday [duplicate]
I have heard a few times that there is a midrash (or other rabbinic source) that Paul, as some kind of "undercover pharisee" type situation, deliberately changed the sabbath to sunday in the ...
- 14.7k
3
votes
0
answers
115
views
Why couldn’t Rabbi Yochanan revive Reish Lakish?
We are told in Bava Kama 117b a story of how Rabbi Yochanan looked at Rav Kahana and killed him, and proceeded to then revive him.
We also know the story of how Rabbi Yochanan looked at Reish Lakish ...
- 3,271
2
votes
0
answers
76
views
Where can I find the indexes to Ein Yaakov online?
Ein Yaakov, a collection of aggadah from Shas, was originally published with a thematic index and an index according to the parshah, haftarah and megillos. They are described in this article
and this ...
- 435