All Questions
Tagged with midrash literalism
16
questions
1
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177
views
Is there a midrash that says all of the water in the world split at the time of the splitting of the reed sea?
Is there a midrash that states that all the bodies of water split during the splitting of the reed sea? If yes, I would think that such an event would be recorded in some secular history book? Are ...
12
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2
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619
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What causes a person to remain in this world as a ghost?
A baraita on Berakhot 18b relates a story where a pious man sleeps in a cemetery and hears two spirits talking. One of them suggests they wander the world, and the other says she can't because she ...
- 56.8k
2
votes
1
answer
271
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Can Angels "fall"?
According to this answer, the Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer (among other works) references an idea that angels "fell" -- were somehow separated from their holiness and "became" human.
This answer states ...
- 38.3k
1
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Moshe's Weapon Against Og
Is there anything particularly special about the weapon Moshe used against Og? The Gemara Brachos (54b) records
משה כמה הוה עשר אמות שקיל נרגא בר עשר אמין שוור עשר אמין ומחייה
בקרסוליה וקטליה.
...
- 14.5k
3
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0
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How tall was Chava?
Rashi here brings a Midrash that Adam Harishon's height was from earth until the Heavens. Based on the Midrash, was Chava that tall as well? Otherwise it would have been quite difficult to be married ...
- 853
1
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2
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374
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Origin of אין משיבין על ההגדה
What is the original source for the phrase: "אין משיבין על ההגדה" (or: "אין משיבין באגדה", "אין משיבין על דברי אגדה" etc. - which I believe is generally used to mean that it is inappropriate to derive ...
- 17.8k
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The Stones of Yaakov
the gemora in Chulin 91b comments on the pasuk in parsha vayetzei
Rabbi Yitzchak said: This tells us that all the stones gathered
themselves together into one place and each one said: 'Upon me ...
- 21.4k
0
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1
answer
325
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How was the world created through the even shesiya?
In Yoma 54, it says the world was created with the Even Shesiya (primordial rock).
Is this to be taken literally and if yes, do we have details into this process?
- 21.4k
2
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1
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361
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Is the Leviatan real?
I've heard that he is a giant fish that will be eaten by the tzadikim when the Messiah arrives. But I've also read that it may be just a metaphor. If it is real, what about the Behemoth and the Ziz? ...
- 4,636
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Why Pinchas = Eliyahu?
The Midrash says that Pinchas and Eliyahu are the same person. According to most of the Rishonim, I believe, this (as any other Midrash) should not be taken literally.
Which are some of the non-...
- 559
4
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0
answers
62
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Midrashic non-literalism in the Taz
The Taz writes in his Divrei David (Genesis 1:23) regarding a Midrash:
ואין לנו להפקיע דברי חכמים מפשטן
"We should not remove words of the Sages from their simple interpretations."
Does the Taz ...
- 35.8k
23
votes
3
answers
4k
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Is belief in Midrashim optional?
The Ramban in Sefer Havikuach (page 32, the bottom of the first column ) asserts with regard to Midrash:
מי שיאמין בו טוב. ומי שלא יאמין בו לא יזיק
Whoever believes in it, good, he who does not ...
- 267
5
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646
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Why did the angels object to the Torah being given to Moshe – what did the angels think?
The well-known Gemoro Shabbos 88b reports the angels protesting against HKB”H giving the Torah to Israel. HKB”H tells Moshe to answer the angels and Moshe shows that the Torah is only applicable to ...
- 47.9k
9
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Is the midrash about the moon and sun being the same size intended literally?
The Rambam in his introduction to perek Chelek discusses midrashic literalist, and classifies different approaches of different groups to midrash. He writes:
You should know that as to [...
- 21k
6
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Non-literal Midrashim [duplicate]
Sometimes I'll hear a Midrash and sometimes people might say, "Well, I don't know if it's meant to be taken literally."
When do we know when Midrashim are speaking metaphorically or when they are ...
- 16.7k