Questions tagged [midrash]
Exegetical interpretation, often of verses in Tanach. The term also refers to books based on these interpretations, e.g., Midrash Rabba, Midrash Tanchuma, et al.
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3 Moshiachs in Midrash Rabbah?
We all know, that besides for the main Moshiach - Moshiach Ben Dovid (from Yehudah), who will fight Hashem’s wars, gather the scattered Jews and build the Beis Hamikdosh - there is another Moshiach - ...
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Order of events in parashas Bereishis
BH
I am having a lot of trouble understanding the order of the following events:
The creation of Man
The births of Cain and Hevel
The death of Hevel
The snake
Eating from the ...
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Halachot learned from gematria
The Gemara in Nazir 5a learns that an unspecified nezirut is 30 days long from the pasuk "kadosh yihyeh"(Bamidbar 6,5) with יהיה- yihyeh having a gematria (Numerical value) of 30. Can anyone think of ...
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How does this Midrash Tanchuma relate to God guarding 'like the pupil of His eye'?
In the last Midrash Tanchuma in Parshas Haazinu is the following:
(Translation omitted; Source provided by Sefaria.org)
יצרנהו כאישון עינו. הקדוש ברוך הוא נוצר לבחוניו, כאדם הנוצר אישון עינו. ומעשה ...
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Hashem lamenting to Adam after he hid: "you used to delight talking to Me" - Source?
During learning recently I stumbled across a beautiful midrash where Hashem was crying about how He missed how Adam would delight in talking to Him, but now he is hiding etc.
I can't find it anymore. ...
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Who was/were the leaders during the Asarah Harugei Malchus?
I know that the Asarah Harugei Malchus took place over generations. Nonetheless, who is recognized as being the original antagonist? Who is the one who went to Chazal about the claim about Yosef's ...
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The Matrites and the midrash
In Shmuel 1:10:21 it says:
"Then Samuel brought forward the tribe of Benjamin by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was indicated; and then Saul son of Kish was indicated. But when they ...
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Midrash Tanchuma. Shoftim 12: Colour, or host? What's the explanation?
דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה יוֹרֵשׁ אוֹתָם אֶל מְעֹנֲנִים וְאֶל קֹסְמִים יִשְׁמָעוּ. אָמַר יִרְמְיָה הַנָּבִיא, כִּדְנָה תֵּימְרוּן לְהוֹם וְגוֹ' (ירמיה י, יא). אָמַר רַבִּי ...
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"land of the Chaldeans" or “fire of the Chaldeans.”?
According to midrash Pirkei De Rabbi Eliezer.26.2
"The second trial was when he was put into prison for ten years—three years in Kuthi, seven years in Budri. After ten years they sent and brought ...
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Drashos based on the doubled verb
In Menachos 17b, the gemara explains a drasha:
ור"א א"כ לכתוב רחמנא אם האכל האכל א"נ אם יאכל יאכל מאי האכל יאכל שמעת
מינה תרתי
And what would Rabbi Eliezer respond? He would say that ...
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The Luz Bone has the size of a kernel of barley?
It is said:
The Midrash in Bereishit Raba describes this bone as a minuscule bone
from the spine, about the size of a single barley grain, and almost
cubic in shape.
See also this article on ...
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If they hadn't eaten the fruit
I recall hearing (many years ago) a medrash that said that if Adam and Chava had not eaten of the Eitz Hada'at, and made it to Shabbat, Mashiach would have come. I have been unable to find it. I was ...
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Where are the midrashim about the Jews intermarrying during the Babylonian Exile?
Someone told me that there is an argument between different midrashim about how many Jews intermarried during the Babylonian Exile. I don't know where to look to find these midrashim. Does anyone know ...
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Canaanite wives of the Bnei Ya'akov (Sefer HaYashar)
Avraham was extremely careful that Yitzchak not marry a Canaanite and as we know, he married Rivkah bas Besuel ben Nachor. Yitzchak was very careful that Ya'akov not marry a Canaanite and as we know ...
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Understanding Midrash in a rational manner?
When it comes to non-metaphorical interpretation methods for midrashim and aggadah, there are two concepts for the purposes of this question:
Literal: the story presented by the midrash is factual. ...
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What was the process for acceptance of midrashim?
The Talmud tells us that the Sages had long discussions about which books should be included in the Tanach [Bava Batra 14b-15a]. Their decisions were important. First, the books they excluded do not ...
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Where is the midrash of Tobit?
A summarized account of the Apocryphal work Tobit (Tuvia in Hebrew) is supposed to appear in Bereishit Rabbah. (Source: Wikipedia) I have read that the midrashic account is connected to Jacob's vow (...
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Source on the life of Shlomo Hamelech
There are many Gemoras, Mirashim and Mifarshim explaining what Shlomo did or did not do wrong. Can anyone recommend a Sefer, dissertation or book on the life of King Shlomo which gives perspective on ...
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Death as a key flaw in existence -- where is this from?
I recall learning at one point the idea to effect: Death is the key imperfection in human existence
What are the sources under this?
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Malachim not to sing Shirah at the Yam Suf, and the verse proving it
The Baal Haturim brings on Shemos 14:20
וַיָּבֹ֞א בֵּ֣ין ׀ מַחֲנֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֗יִם וּבֵין֙ מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְהִ֤י הֶֽעָנָן֙ וְהַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ וַיָּ֖אֶר אֶת־הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְלֹא־קָרַ֥ב זֶ֛ה אֶל־זֶ֖ה כׇּל־...
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When is a Talmudic statement considerd aggadah?
When is a statement in the Talmud considerd aggadah (and thus not necessarily to be taken litteraly, but rather teaches us a lesson) and when is a statement in the Talmud acctually literal? (i.e that ...
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Does one have to take a Midrash/Aggadah literally?
Does one have to take a Midrash/Aggadah literally?
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Did any rabbis say that Adam and Eve did not have sexual intercourse in the garden? [closed]
Rashi as well as other rabbis said that Adam and Eve had intercourse in the garden. However, did any rabbis say that they did not have intercourse before they sinned?
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In Judaism, must נְבִיאִים Neviim feel happiness in order לְהִנָּבֵא to prophesy?
In Judaism, must נְבִיאִים Neviim feel happiness in order לְהִנָּבֵא to prophesy?
After we read 2 Kings 3:15,
Now then, get me a musician.” As the musician played, the hand of the LORD came upon him, ...
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Do we see anywhere that Og actually was a slave to Noach?
It says in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 23 that Og swore to be Noach and his descendant's slave forever.
וימח את כל היקום אשר על פני האדמה חוץ מנח וכל אשר אתו בתבה שנאמר וישאר אך נח ואשר אתו בתבה וחוץ מעוג ...
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Looking for medrash regarding briyas ha'adam
I've heard referenced a medrash that says at the time of brias ha'adam, the melachim were so taken aback by adam that they thought maybe it was a type of deity, or that they should be worshiping him ...
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Medrashim which seem to go against logic
I am giving a speech this week. I would like to include examples of Medrashim which seem implausible that it ever happened or could have ever happened.
Can any of you provide examples of medrashim ...
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New rivers that will spring during The World to Come?
Once in the past, I read an article online (Now I don't remember where exactly), that says that during the messianic age or the world to come, there will be a phenomenon of the appearance of new ...
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What is the significance of demanding that a Jew write on the horn of an ox that they have no portion in the G-d of Israel?
In reflecting over the concepts of Hanukkah there seem, at first glance, to be many contradictory and conflicting messages.
In the blessing related to Hanukkah we acknowledge, thank and praise G-d for ...
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List of Seforim that Collect Midrashim on the Parsha
I'm looking for a list of seforim that collect midrashim on the Parsha. In particular, I am looking for a sefer or seforim that can help me see what happens between the lines of the pesukim according ...
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What is Binyan HaMalchut?
The Kuntrus Umayan writes, in discourse 18 chapter 1, that the period between Rosh Hashanna and Yom Kippur is for the preparation for Binyan HaMalchut. What does that mean and how does this work? He ...
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My father is better than your father
Posting for someone else:
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 37a) writes that one reason that Adam was created alone was "so that one person will not say to another: My father, i.e., progenitor, is greater ...
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Did Avraham Avinu really have a daughter named Bakol?
I heard that Avraham Avinu had a daughter named Bakol. But in the Biblical narrative, there is no mention of a daughter to Avraham, only a son, Yitzchak, whom we all know well.
Did Avraham really ...
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Midrash Pertaining to the Rekindling of the Menorah Commemorated by Chanukah
The predominant traditional explanation for the eight days of Chanukah is the miracle of the oil: there was only enough pure oil to keep the Menorah fueled for a single day but it miraculously lasted ...
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Books on understanding Midrash
Anyone know any books or websites or just commentators who delve into and actually try to figure out the deep meaning behind crazy midrashim?
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Between Sanhedrin 108b & Sanhedrin.38b
According to Sanhedrin 108b:
Rav Ḥana bar Leva’ei says that Shem the Great said to Eliezer, servant of Abraham: When the four great kings of the east and the west
came upon you to wage war with ...
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Why was Yaacov punished for hiding Dinah?
Why was Yaacov punished for hiding Dinah from Esav? Isn't this an expected attitude from a loving and protective father?
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Why did Batya stretch out her hand?
See Why does Rashi cite the Midrash of Pharaoh's daughter stretching out her arm? for sources, the midrash says she stretched out her arm to reach for Moshe, and it miraculously grew.
The (...
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Language of midrash?
What Hebrew did Louis Ginzberg learn to translate the midrashim? In his famous book, is there a dictionary for midrashic words and a midrashic grammar, or is modern Hebrew enough?
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Is the Medrashic understanding at the Akeidah applied elsewhere?
In Bereisheet 22:2, Hashem commanded Avraham וְהַעֲלֵ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה to "raise [his son] up as a sacrifice." Rashi explains that the language was never that Hashem demanded an actual ...
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Who is Matrona which asked Reb Yossi many questions?
The Medrash in last week Parsha says מטרונא שאלה את רבי יוסי בן חלפתא אמרה ליה למה יצא עשו תחלה if we search for Reb Yossi with maternya there are a number of questions which she asked. Jastrow says ...
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Why did Rachel steal her father's gods? [duplicate]
When the righteous have the opportunity to dispose of gods they do so. For example:
Jacob buried alien gods under the terebinth in Shechem (Gen 35.4).
Moses burned the golden calf, ground up its ...
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R' Eliezer's midnight deadline for the paschal lamb
Rabbi Akiva's view is that the Torah permits the consumption of the paschal lamb until morning. R' Eliezer, however, argues that the lamb must be eaten before midnight:
ר' אליעזר אומר נאמר כאן לילה ...
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Source: King Returns From War And Hangs Weapons On Wall
There is a Midrash that says a king returned victoriously from war and hung his weapons on the wall, which is apparently related to Sukkos. Where is this Midrash?
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What's the spiritual difference between the Temple vessels and the utensils?
For ease of reference, I'll refer to the main ten kli hamikdash as the vessels and the 93 klei sharet as the utensils. Per the Zohar, the ten vessels represent the ten sefirot:
The Menorah - chesed
...
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Why is channukah not mentioned in Medrash chazal?
In Medrash chazal, (including medrash raba, tanchuma, toras kohanim etc…) there is no mention of the Yom Tov of channukah. This took place 100-200 years before Medrash was written. Although it is ...
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Did the Jews share some of the oral Torah's teachings and stories with the gentiles before the the 7th century?
I have found out that some Christians before the 7th century knew and borrowed concepts that are not found in the Tanakh but are found in the midrash, e.g., the story of Abraham and Nimrod, the story ...
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The meaning of Ezekiel 20:25?
Ezekiel 20:24-26
Because they did not perform My ordinances, and they rejected My statutes and desecrated My Sabbaths, and their eyes were after the idols of their fathers. (25) I, too, gave them ...
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Published Ladino version of Meam Lo'ez?
The Me'am Lo'ez (מעם לועז), begun by Rabbi Yaakov Culi in 1730, is a commentary to Tanakh written in Ladino. It was subsequently translated to Hebrew and translated from the Hebrew to English in a ...
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Yehoshua 5:15 - Why is the ground considered holy?
"וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ שַׂר־צְבָ֨א יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ שַׁל־נַֽעַלְךָ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֔ךָ כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה עֹמֵ֥ד עָלָ֖יו קֹ֣דֶשׁ ה֑וּא וַיַּ֥עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ כֵּֽן:"
"And the ...
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