#midrashintro

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Where can I find Midrash?

Midrash is all over!

1. Oral tradition

If you’ve heard Tanach stories being told in Jewish school or in a Jewish context - you’ve almost surely heard a midrash

2. Children’s books

Jewish children’s books on Tanach or the sages are filled with midrash

3. Commentators on Tanach

Rashi in particular brings many midrash quotes

4. Targum

The Targum  is the Aramaic translation of Tanach.   When Aramaic was the popular spoken language, the Torah was read in Hebrew, then translated to Aramaic on the spot.  The translator would often explain the text and add explanatory stories, as well.  Hence, Midrash.

5. Talmud

Lots of midrash and stories of our sages

6. Hagaddah

On Pesach we read various midrash pieces.  The four sons is an example of a midrash

7. Midrash books

Over the centuries, Midrash was written down and collected in various anthologies.  The Sefaria site has some Midrash books in English (click on the language icon, and choose ‘midrash’).  

We’ve got ancient Midrash books, dating from almost two millenia ago, to midrash books published in recent centuries.

Tzeina U’reina, a 16th Yiddish book for women, is also a type of midrash book.   Me'am Lo'ez, written in Ladino in the 18th century, also brings a lot of midrash.   Both books have been translated into Hebrew/English.

And here’s the amazing part - there are still many midrash pieces in manuscript, and in long-lost 19th century academic articles. 

8. Prayer

We mention some midrash during prayers

For example, this piece, which also appears a few times in the Talmud:

Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Ḥanina said: Torah scholars increase peace in the world, as it is said: “And all your children [banayikh] shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children” (Isaiah 54:13). If all the children of Israel are taught of the Lord, there will be peace for all.

The Sages interpreted this verse homiletically: Do not read your children [banayikh], but your builders [bonayikh]. Torah scholars are those who build peace for their generation. As it is stated: “Those who love Your Torah have great peace; there is no stumbling block for them” (Psalms 119:165); and “May there be peace within your walls, prosperity within your palaces” (Psalms 122:7), because: “For the sake of my brothers and friends, I shall say: Peace be within you. For the sake of the House of the Lord, our God, I will seek your good” (Psalms 122:8–9), and “May the Lord give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11).

9. Piyyut

Piyyut is Jewish hymns.  They, as well, are filled with midrash.  

10. song

Some Midrash made it into song.  The most famous is Kuando el rey Nimrod, based on an 18th century piyyut.

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Intro to Midrash

Hi, I’m Ora and I hope to give a little “Intro to Midrash” in tumblr’s new beit midrash.   The plan is to write up short posts on different aspects of midrash.  All posts will be tagged #MidrashIntro

Main Topics:

* What is midrash?

* Halacha vs. Aggadah

* History of midrash

* Midrash books and genres

Questions are more than welcome!

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What is Midrash?

I think most people usually think of midrash as stories that fill in ‘missing parts’ of the original texts.  But midrash is far more than that.  Midrash is theology and philosophy; it’s history, it’s the present and it’s the future; it’s complaints and discussions; it teaches us the basic principles of our faith.

The narrow definition of ‘midrash’ is exegesis of the text.  Exegesis means “critical explanation or interpretation of a text”.

You take a verse and explain or interpret it, going deeper beyond the plain meaning of the verse

For example, a midrash from Bereishit Rabba, which explains a verse from Tehillim (Psalms):

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnin in the name of Rabbi Levi opened [with the verse (Tehillim 111:6),] "The power of His works he told to His people [Yisrael]." Why did Hashem reveal to Yisrael that which was created on the first day, and the second day [and so forth]? Because of the idolaters - so that they will not embitter Yisrael and say to them, "Are you not a nation of thieves?" And Yisrael would reply to them, saying, "Aren't your own lands stolen? Didn't (Devarim 2:23) 'The Caphtorim emerge from Caphtor and destroy [the Aviyim] and settle in their stead?' [Furthermore,] the entire world belongs to Hashem; thus, when it pleased Him, He gave it to you, and when it pleased Him, He took it from you and gave it to us." As it is written (Tehillim 111:6), "[In order] to give them an inheritance of the nations," He told [Yisrael] all of the generations. 

(Rashi brings a slight variant in his explanation of the verse)

The verse: “The power of His works he told to His people“

The explanation: God explained His works to His people in the book of Bereishit (Genesis), so that Jews will be able to answer non-Jews who claim that we stole the Land of Israel. 

In the background, let’s remember that this midrash was not theoretical even in the days when it was written.  

Bereishit Rabba is a book of midrash, compiled in the Land of Israel around the 5th-6th centuries.  Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnin lived in the early 4th century, and his teacher, Rabbi Levi, lived around the turn of the century.

The sages used the biblical verses to make an ideological statement and to encourage the people that their land was really theirs, despite what anybody else might say.

Another example, a midrash from the Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael, which explains a verse from Shemot (Exodus):

R. Shimon b. Elazar was wont to say (Devarim 27:6) "Of whole (shleimoth) stones shall you build the altar of the L rd" — stones which repose peace ("shalom"). Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If the stones of the altar, which do not see or hear or speak — because they repose peace between Israel and their Father in heaven, the Holy One Blessed be He says: Do not lift iron upon them, then one who reposes peace between a man and his wife, between one city and another, between one nation and another, between one government and another, between one family and another — how much more so will he not meet with adversity!

The verse: “Of whole stones shall you build the altar of the L-rd”

The explanation: Here we have a play on words. The altar was built of whole stones.  You were not allowed to cut it with iron implements.  “Whole” in Hebrew sounds like “Shalom” (peace).  The altar brings peace between Israel and God, and so you can’t threaten it by lifting an iron implement on it.  It is therefore obvious that if stones are given that protection, people who bring peace among men will be offered the same protection.

The Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael is a book of midrash, compiled in the Land of Israel around the 2nd-3rd centuries.  Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar is from the 2nd century. 

Here the sages used the Torah verses to teach us a lesson in morality.  Making peace is important, and whoever does so will be protected from harm.

In both of these cases, the sages started off with a verse and learned something new from it, beyond the plain meaning of the words.

But, of course, midrash is much more than just simple exegesis.  And on that, next week.

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What is Midrash?  (#3)

Midrash, in its narrow meaning, is exegesis of the text.

But the popular definition includes much more than that.   Various early texts that didn’t enter canon are often seen as midrash.  For example, Seder Olam, which reviews history.

Other works were lost in their original form, but were written up in later midrashic texts.  For example, the story of Shoshana (Susanna) and Yehudit (Judith).  

In a later period, we also find midrashic works that are not pure exegesis.

Such, for example, is Pirkei D’Rabi Eliezer (Chapters of Rabbi Eliezer), which was written around the 8th century, in the Land of Israel.  

How can we tell?  In many cases it describes Land of Israel traditions, as compared to the Babylonian tradition.  Additionally, while earlier midrash texts often argue with Christian theology, this midrash argues with Muslim theology.

The following story is one of my favorite midrash texts.  It tells how Adam was kicked out of the Garden of Eden on Shabbat.  As the sun set, fear set in.

At twilight on Saturday, Adam was meditating in his heart and saying : “Perhaps the serpent, which deceived me, will come in the evening, and he will bruise me in the heel.”

A pillar of fire was sent to him to give illumination about him and to guard him from all evil.

Adam saw the pillar of fire and rejoiced in his heart, and he put forth his hands to the light of the fire, and said: “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe,  who creates the flames of fire.”

And when he removed his hands from the light of the fire, he said : “Now I know that the holy day has been separated from the work day here below (on earth), for fire may not be kindled on the Sabbath day”; and in that hour he said : “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who divides the holy from the profane, the light from the darkness.”

Many polytheistic mythologies tell how Man stole fire from the Gods.  But in Judaism, fire is a gift to humanity. 

This gift wasn’t given to man for being good and obedient.  Man was just now punished after he disobeyed God’s one and only command.  God could have told Adam that he should deal with the consequences of his sins.  But he didn’t.  Instead, God gives man fire to protect him.

This gift was given to man because God cares about us.  Despite man’s sins, when man is afraid, God is there to comfort him and take care of him. 

Additionally, this midrash describes the Havdala tradition exactly as we do it today.  At Havdalah, we raise our hands to the flame as we make the blessing on fire.   In that, we continue an ancient tradition going back at least 1300 years.

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What is Midrash?  (#4)

Another literary genre which is often considered “midrash” is stories of our sages.  These stories are neither exegesis nor biblical.  There are many such stories all over Jewish literature.  They appear in midrash books as well, most often in the context of actual exegesis, but not necessarily.

For example, the following story appears in Kohelet Rabbah, for the verse “Send your bread forth upon the waters; for after many days you will find it” (Ecclesiastes/Kohelet 11:1).  But it is not exegesis of the verse.

The story is about Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua

Rabi Elazar also had great compassion for every human being. Kohelet Rabbah 11:2 recounts the story of a Roman who was shipwrecked and washed up on shore with nothing more than his life. When he begged for help from some Jews who were passing by, they laughed at his naked state and refused to help. Why should they assist a member of the nation that had caused so much trouble and sorrow for the Jewish People? However, when the man pleaded with Rabi Elazar for help, in the name of human dignity, Rabi Elazar gave him food, clothing and money, and accompanied the man 14 parsangs to his home.

Later, this shipwrecked man became the emperor of Rome, and he enacted several harsh decrees against the Jews. The Jews of Eretz Yisrael entreated with Rabi Elazar to go to the emperor and offer him 4,000 dinars, hoping to convince the emperor to change his mind. When the emperor saw who had come to plead for the Jews, he annulled the decrees and showered Rabi Elazar with many gifts.  (x)

Though it’s not mentioned in the midrash, Rabbi Elazar ben Padua was later executed by the Romans, and is considered one of the Ten Martyrs.

The story is therefore fascinating, on so many levels. 

Was Rabbi Elazar ben Padua right to help out that Roman?   What can we learn from this story for our lives today?

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What is Midrash (#2)

Continuing on with exegesis.  Two more examples of Midrash from this week’s parsha (Ekev).  Both of these come from the Sifrei Midrash.  Sifrei literally means “the books”.  These are two early books of Midrash on Bamidbar (Numbers) and Devarim (Deuteronomy).

Deuteronomy 11, verses 10-12 say as follows: "For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou didst sow thy seed ... (it is) a land which the LORD thy God careth for; the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it"

In the Sifrei Midrash on these verses, the sages discuss the virtues of the Land of Israel, a land in which agriculture is dependent on rainwater, and from here, they get to a discussion of God's virtues.

To teach that not as the ways of flesh and blood are the ways of the Holy One Blessed be He. (A man of) flesh and blood acquires servants to feed and sustain him. But He who spoke and brought the world into being — He acquires servants for Himself, whom He Himself feeds and sustains.

And once it happened that R. Eliezer and R. Yehoshua and R. Tzaddok were seated at the (wedding) feast of R. Gamliel's son, when R. Gamliel poured a cup (of wine) for R. Elazar, who declined taking it, and for R. Yehoshua, who took it — whereupon R. Elazar said to him: What is this, Yohoshua? We are seated and R. Gamliel stands over us and serves us?

R. Yehoshua: Let him serve. Abraham, the greatest man in the world served the ministering angels, (who came to visit him), thinking them to be Arab idolators, and R. Gamliel should not serve us?

R. Tzaddok: You have forsaken the honor of the L-rd, and you occupy yourselves with the honor of flesh and blood! He who spoke and brought the world into being causes the winds to blow, and raises vapors and clouds and brings down rains and nurtures growths and sets a table for each and every man — and Gamliel should not serve us?

Note how the discussion is underscored by a story from the sages’ daily life.   This is not just a theological discussion but one which has immediate application to our lives. 

God serves us, his servants, and provides us with our needs, so how does this apply to the leaders of the nation?   How should we treat the people under us?

Verse 22 of the same chapter says: “For if ye shall diligently keep all this commandment which I command you"

Also in Sifrei, the sages discuss what it means to “keep” the commandments.  They define it as “protecting” the Torah.  That is, studying it and keeping the study of Torah alive.

Lest you say: There are the sons of the elders, there are the sons of the great ones, there are the sons of the prophets (i.e., Let them study the Torah!) It is, therefore, written "For if keep, you (plural [i.e., all of you]) shall keep all of this mitzvah."

We are hereby taught that all are equal in (the mitzvah of studying) Torah.

And thus is it written (Devarim 33:4) "Torah was commanded to us by Moses, the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob": It is not written "Cohanim, Levites, and Israelites," but "the congregation of Jacob."

And thus is it written (Ibid. 29:9) "You are standing this day, all of you, before the L-rd your G-d, your heads of your tribes, your elders and your officers, all the men of Israel." If not for (all of) these, who stood and fulfilled Torah in Israel, would Torah not have been forgotten in Israel?

Once again, the midrash expects us to apply its teachings to our everyday life.  Israel are expected to "keep” the Torah, and therefore each and every one of us should learn Torah, and not expect somebody else to do it.   If everybody assumed somebody else would do it, the Torah would be forgotten. 

[As a side note, this midrash is apparently extremely old, possibly going back to First Temple times, as it was composed at a time when there were still prophets]

The topis in both cases are completely different, but in both cases the midrash teaches us personal responsibility and a view towards equality.   A superior must serve his underlings, but the underlings should not assume the superior would do everything.