Bereishit Rabbah 63:6. Rebecca becomes pregnant with twins. They struggle (va-yit-rotzetzu) within her, and she wonders why she exists. Can we learn from her quest for answers?
05. Sarah and Rebecca: Sunset, Sunrise
Bereishit Rabbah 58:2. This midrash from Bereishit Rabbah finds significance in the juxtoposition of the genealogical notice that Rebecca has been born with Sarah’s death.
04. Abraham, Isaac, and God: Promises and Partings
Bereishit Rabbah 56:11. Genesis 22, where Abraham nearly sacrifices Isaac, has perplexed people for thousands of years. This midrash, though, looks at a different set of problems.
03. Shem and Abraham: Between Fear and Friendship
Bereishit Rabbah 44:7. How old was Shem? How did Abraham feel about him? What can we learn from their relationship?
02. Noah: Man of the Earth
Bereishit Rabbah 36:3. After the Flood, Noah gains the title, “Man of the Earth.” How come? What might it mean?
01. Cain and Abel: The First Fight
Bereishit Rabbah 22:7. The first midrash of the season peeks into the dynamics behind why Cain killed Abel.