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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War between Ten Tribes and Yehuda
There is a reference to Bereshis Rabba 65:20 and Vayikra Rabba 33:5 to 2 Chronicles 13:17 which says that 500,000 soldiers of the northern tribes killed by the army of Yehuda. The Midrash states that ...
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What happened during Matan Torah and when?
The Rebbe suggested that HaShem was pleased when He came to give them the Torah and saw everyone still sleeping in the early morning. Other sources indicated G-d's wrath: how dare Israelites make G-d ...
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Are there any compliations of ancient/medieval Jewish comments on Scripture?
Is there any book or website where I can look up ancient/medieval Jewish teaching on any given verse in the Tanach to see what the Talmud, Midrash, Rashi, etc. says about the verse? Something akin to ...
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Did Saul consult the Urim before his final battle?
Scripture tells us that on the eve of his final battle, Saul besought God but was answered with no dream, Urim or prophets (Samuel 1.28.6). The midrash says that Saul chose not to consult with the ...
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Looking for a Midrash about the point that one can learn from everybody
I’m looking for (the source of) a Midrash I once heard. It was about a Talmid Chacham who didn’t let himself be lectured by others except for his own Rabbi (or the Rabbi’s). Then he had this encounter ...
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Is there a medrash that says that foxes and fish lived together?
In Brachos 61b there is the famous parable of a fox trying to get the fish do go on the land.
As part of the trick, the fox says:
וְנָדוּר אֲנִי וְאַתֶּם, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁדָּרוּ אֲבוֹתַי עִם אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם
...
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Midrash talpiyot in english on the web?
I am looking for an English version of Midrash talpiyot. But the best I could do was just view these versions https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/011261779. The version with more pages (and I ...
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Does a person’s soul see through the navel when the person passes away (Ben Ish Hai)
I was studying with someone earlier today and he mentioned that he once read in the Sefer Ben Ish Hai that when a person passes away, his soul can ‘see’ (I don’t really know what that means) through ...
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Do any Jewish sources give a non-literal interpretation of the census in Bamidbar?
Are there any classical commentators that state that "elef" didn't literally mean 1 thousand, or something else to that effect, that would result in a smaller number? I am reading Ani Maamin ...
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Post-Flood Atmospheric Changes
Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld quotes his grandfather who brings a Midrash saying that the world before the Flood didn't feature decay, therefore Noah didn't realize his grape juice was going to turn into ...
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Two beginnings related to heavens and earth
IIRC, there is a medrash conecting the first letter of torah (beit) + the word reshit by saying that with 2 beginnings (meaning the heavens and earth) the world came into existence. Does anyone happen ...
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Where in the Talmud does it say, if it indeed does, that one who’s thoughts are heard lives a life not worth living?
In Chumash shiur in Yeshiva, I think I remember hearing that in the Gemara somewhere it says that “one who’s thoughts are heard lives a life not worth living”, or something like that. If it does say ...
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Derech g'dilasan: the requirement for mitzva objects to be used in the manner in which they grew
The mishna quotes Rabbi Yosi (Suka 3:14) saying that if one carried a lulav in the public domain without thinking on the first day of Sukos which was also shabas it would not count as a violation of ...
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What is the source for the midrash about Jewish soldiers escaping to Romania?
Specifically, looking for the midrash quoted by Radaq to Shoftim 20:15 as saying that the missing 1,000 Jewish soldiers "escaped to Romania."
Thanks!
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Rabbeinu Nissim's source in Rif Pesochim 23 apparent contradiction?
Rabbeinu Nissim ben Re'uven in Maseches Pesochim (page 23 in the Rif ד''ה דילמא see here) says that, whilst one has to eat the Pesach offering "על השובע" (an eating of satisfaction), when it comes to ...
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Cloud and pillar of fire to count seven days
Midrash Tehillim 105:9, brought in Yalkut Shimoni § 417 says:
חזקיה אמר למה היה משתנה להן מפני הזבין והמצורעין כדי שיהו יודעים אימתי יום ואימתי לילה.
Hezkiya said the reason Hashem put a cloud on the ...
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Why did Hashem change Adam’s creation specifically because Chiram declared himself a god?
Bava Basra 75a-b (translation mine, bracketed insertions follow Rashbam ad. loc.):
מאי (יחזקאל כח, יג) מלאכת תופיך ונקביך בך אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא לחירם מלך צור בך נסתכלתי ...
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Can the Midrash be included in "Talmud Yerushalmi"
When saying or writing "Talmud Yerushalmi" can this include (or refer to) the Midrash
For example.
In the Tanya (Chabad) chapter 37 it says
ובכל תלמוד ירושלמי היא נקראת בשם מצוה סתם
But it was ...
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Where can I find art that features the Midrash?
Many have the custom of keeping photos of tzadikim in their home for inspiration and focus. I have a love for the Midradsh. I'm looking for artist/art that has a generous focus on various midrashim ...
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Ten commandments for judges
The Ba'al HaTurim to Devarim 1:13 notes that the word ואשמם, "And I will place [the judges as your head]," is written without the י after the ש. (This is up to debate amongst the commentaries, and not ...
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Proofs that Hashem doesn't eat
The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 21:16-19) brings several proofs that Hashem doesn't need to eat, and therefore the passuk that states that the Karban Tamid is "my karban, my bread" (Bamidbar 28:2) is not ...
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How could the angel of the sea disobey?
The Midrash in Bamidbar Rabbah 18:22 expounds Iyov 26:12 that when HaShem created the world, he told Rahav, the angel in charge of the ocean, to "open his mouth and swallow all the waters of Creation" ...
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Why are these the examples of HaShem abrogating nature?
The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 14:1) presents several expositions of the following verses (Tehillim 60:9-10):
To Me is Gilead and to Me is Menasheh. Ephraim is the stronghold of My head, and Yehudah ...
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Who fasted with Ester?
The Bavli, M'gila, says that the seven servants that Ester had while in Hegay's harem were שהיתה מונה בהן ימי שבת, used by Ester to count the days of the week. Rashi explains שהיתה משרתת לה אחת באחד ...
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Understanding Avot D'Rav Natan 33:2 regarding spliting of the Sea of Reeds
I'm trying to reconcile Avot D'Rav Natan 33:2's description of what occurred on the bank of the Sea of Reeds. He seems to indicate that Moshe had to coax B'nai Yisra'el to enter the sea. Each time, ...
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Source that Lulav is a banner representing life
I am reading a Devar Torah by an esteemed Rosh Yeshiva which says "Furthermore, the Midrash explains that when we lift our lulavim and esrogim on Sukkos, it is essentially a celebration of life. The ...
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Implication of uncertain letters in the Torah
I learned that there are a number of uncertain letters in the written Torah
This article lists 12 (counts vary).
(1) Bereishit 4:13 "Mineso" (E&T w/o Vav) (2) Bereishit 7:11
"Ma'ayanos (E&...
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Did the ancient Rabbanim believe that the spirits of the dead walked the Earth?
In the Midrashim I noticed that Rabbanim keep mentioning events in which the Rabbi would be walking along and come across a man doing some task and it would turn out to be the spirit of a dead man who ...
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Looking for a midrash concerning aveirot that increase suspicions of oneself in others
Shalom.
I asked this question a few days ago, and quickly deleted it when I realised it was Yom Tov (I am a Noachide). I tried reinstating the question just now, but noticed that it did not go to the ...
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Torah only given to share with others?
Where do Chazal say that Hashem gave the Torah to Klal Yisroel not for ourselves as individuals to learn rather to understand and give over to others?
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Is there a story where the sages taught that Cain was the son of the Satan
Do the sages teach that Cain came from the union from Eve and The Satan?
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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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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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need help finding online midrash sources about the story of exodus?
I need to find online midrash sources (in English ,and can be searched using key words ) that explain the whole or most of the story of Moses and the pharaoh...
Thanx all.
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Why does Ruth Rabbah 5:6 quote Isaiah 53:5?
It seems that most meforshim (like Rashi, Radak, Ibn Ezra, Mahari Kara, Malbim) explain Isaiah 53 as referring to Klal Yisroel (or at least the righteous remnant of Klal Yisroel) and not the Moshiach. ...
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ציורים ממתנות כהונה לא, יא Page in Midrash Rabbah
I found a page at the back of Midrash Rabbah with that title and rows of boxes. Does anyone know what it is?
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English Exodus Rabbah
Is anyone aware of a full text of Shemos Rabbah in English available online? Sefaria has bits and pieces, but I'd like the full thing.
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What is the meaning of Psalms 118:5?
מִן־הַ֖מֵּצַֽר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ עָ֜נָ֗נִי בַּמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ
From the straits I called God; God answered me with a vast expanse.
I put הַ֖מֵּצַֽר into a contemporary Hebrew dictionary and it does ...
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Haman Hanged on Branch of Eitz HaDaas?
Rav Eytan Feiner mentioned in a shiur that the tree used to hang Haman was the Eitz HaDaas, based on a Midrash. Where is this Midrash located? (I found Esther Rabba 9:2 which discusses it, but can't ...
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What was the "precious stone" of Midrash Bereshis 60:6?
In parashas Chayei Sarah (Bereshis 24:22) Eliezer - upon realizing Rivkah is the one of his prayers - gives Rivkah three gifts. One of these gifts is a "golden nose ring weighing a beka". ...
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Does the Midrash imply that one should give up his life for "smaller" mitzvos?
The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 14:6) expounds the Pesukim in Koheles (8:2-3):
Based on several incidents, the Midrash interprets "ani" as indicating that one's awe should be over you. Thus, "Ani, the ...
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Was the world created for the sake of Bikkurim or Torah?
I was reading Let There Be Rain and on page 8 it says the following:
"The world was created for the sake of the mitzvah of bikkurim,..." (Shemos 34:26)
Yet the Tikkunei Zohar [78b] and Bereishis ...
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