More Midrash

26. Assorted Ideas on Death and the Afterlife

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Sat, 18 Dec 2021 17:11:27 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 96. Shadows, true kindness, and bones rolling to the Holy Land.

25. Expanding ‘Approach’

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 03:38:15 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 93:3-4. Two takes on what it means that Judah approached Joseph to ask for mercy.

24. Decoding Pharaoh’s Dream

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 03:36:53 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 89:4. Who needs Joseph? The midrash offers its own take on Pharaoh's dreams.

23. Joseph’s Coat (feat. Rabbi Laura Rumpf)

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 03:03:22 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 88:4. The midrash discusses the meaning of ben zekunim "son of old age"; favoritism; and various meanings of ketonet passim "coat of passim".

22. Jacob Prays

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 05:54:27 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 75:13 Jacob prays to God as he fearfully anticipates meeting his estranged brother Esau after decades apart.

21. Place and Prayer (feat. Rabbi Laura Rumpf)

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 20:29:16 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 68:9. Jacob encounters The Place. Also three opinions on where the daily prayers come from. We welcome guest Rabbi Laura Rumpf (and our son Ami giggles in the background.)

20. A Fair Enough Reward

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 00:57:10 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 64:10 This midrash begins with a problem in the biblical text, solves it with a technical maneuver, and then illustrates the broader point with a story that is summed up by a parable.

19. One Who Pursues Righteousness

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 18:23:21 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 58:9 The midrash applies a proverb to Abraham.

18. Sitting Under the Shekhinah

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 17:53:52 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 48:7 God visits Abraham while the patriarch sits. Should he have stood up in order to acknowledge the Divine Presence?

17. Fame and Fortune

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 14:05:31 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 39:11. Four biblical figures circulate coinage, according to the midrash.

16. The Wisdom of “Was”

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Sun, 03 Oct 2021 20:48:32 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 30:8 Noah was perfect in his generation. What's the most interesting word in this sentence? Well, this midrash opts for "was", leading us to surprising wisdom.

15. Genesis in Every Generation (Bereishit Rabbah 2:3)

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Sat, 25 Sep 2021 18:39:24 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 2:3 "The earth was formless and void…" (Genesis 1:2-5). Rabbi Yehudah bar Simone interpreted this reading as applying to [future] generations. This midrash explores references to later generations within the first few lines of Genesis.

14. The Merit of Meager Offerings

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 20:25:33 +0000

Vayikra Rabbah 3:5. The sacrifice of those with little means takes precedence over the sacrifice of the wealthy. Three stories teach the theme, include dream messages, and leave us wondering how to offer our souls in the world today.

13. Introduction to Vayikra Rabbah

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 20:13:56 +0000

Hi. I’m Jay. Welcome to More Midrash. I started this podcast as a new way to explore midrash, to read these ancient Jewish texts closely with anyone no matter how far away we may be from each other. I believe that close reading is an act of love, attention to detail is an act of devotion, and opening to imagination is a spiritual practice. In this first episode of Season 2, I want to introduce you to me, to midrash, and to our specific focus for the season – folktales in the midrashic collection Vayikra Rabbah.

If you’d like to read a transcript of the episode, go to https://moremidrash.com/introduction-season-2-vayikra-rabbah/.

12. Jacob: The End Draws Close

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 17:20:58 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 96:1. In the Torah scroll, every parashah begins on a new line or after a significant space from the last word of the previous parashah. Vayechi, however, the final parashah of Genesis, begins immediately after the last word of Vayigash. Our midrash offers three suggestions for what meaning we can make of such a “closed off” text.

11. Judah and Joseph: The Meaning of Approach

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 20:47:00 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 93:4. Judah approaches Joseph, in defense of Benjamin. How does Judah’s approach transcend the danger and become a spiritual model for human connection? Read more: https://moremidrash.com/judah-and-joseph-the-meaning-of-approach/

10. Joseph and His Brothers: Sparking the Holy Spirit

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 05:15:00 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 91:7. Joseph and his brothers meet after many years. He recognizes them, but they don’t recognize him. Yet maybe they know more than they realize…

09. Joseph and the Cupbearer: Memory and Hope

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 17:48:00 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 88:7. Joseph interprets the cupbearer’s dream in prison. But when the cupbearer is restored to his position he forgets about Joseph. But God does not forget. Read more: https://moremidrash.com/joseph-and-the-cupbearer-memory-and-hope/

08. Jacob and Job: Seeking Wholeness

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Thu, 22 Nov 2018 02:13:00 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 79:3. Job suffered, and gained wholeness. Jacob arrived home in wholeness.

07. Jacob and Naomi: People Over Place

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 01:46:00 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 68:6. Jacob and Noami both leave their homes. The midrash sees their departure as a great loss. What can we learn from their departure about how we want to live? Read more: https://moremidrash.com/jacob-and-naomi-people-over-place/

06. Rebecca: In Search of Answers

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 17:26:00 +0000

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? Read more: https://moremidrash.com/rebecca-in-search-of-answers/

05. Sarah and Rebecca: Sunset, Sunrise

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 21:57:00 +0000

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. Read more: https://moremidrash.com/sarah-and-rebecca-sunset-sunrise/

04. Abraham, Isaac, and God: Promises and Partings

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 21:50:00 +0000

Genesis 22, where Abraham nearly sacrifices Isaac, has perplexed people for thousands of years. This midrash, though, looks at a different set of problems. Read more: https://moremidrash.com/abraham-isaac-and-god-promises-and-partings/

03. Shem and Abraham: Between Fear and Friendship

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 20:02:00 +0000

How old was Shem? How did Abraham feel about him? What can we learn from their relationship? Read more: https://moremidrash.com/shem-and-abraham-between-fear-and-friendship/

02. Noah: Man of the Earth

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 16:42:00 +0000

After the Flood, Noah gains the title, “Man of the Earth.” How come? What might it mean? Read more: https://moremidrash.com/noah-man-of-the-earth/

01. Cain and Abel: The First Fight

Rabbi Jay LeVine — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 21:03:00 +0000

Bereishit Rabbah 22:7. In Season 1 of More Midrash, Rabbi Jay Asher LeVine explores the midrashic collection on the book of Genesis, Bereishit Rabbah. The first midrash of the season peeks into the dynamics behind why Cain killed Abel. Read more: https://moremidrash.com/cain-and-abel-the-first-fight/