What's the Point of the Midrash? - Rabbi Josh Yuter

In which we discuss Bamidbar Rabbah 2:23 and Bamidbar Rabbah 2:24 and God's grief over the deaths of Aharon's sons Nadav and Avihu. The post Bamidbar 2022 – God's Grief appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In which we discuss Vayikra Rabbah 35:7 and the importance of Torah being a religion of praxis. The post Bechukotai 2022 – Practical Judaism appeared first on YUTOPIA.

Vayikra Rabba 34:14 provides lessons about charity from how to treat one's ex-spouse. The post Behar 2022 – Ex-emplary Charity appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In which we turn to Vayikra Rabba 27:8 for a counterintuitive take on the ramifications of sin of the Golden Calf The post Emor 2022 – Finding Substance appeared first on YUTOPIA.

After a long and unintended hiatus, the podcast returns with a discussion of Vayikra Rabba 24:5 and how Leviticus 19 parallels the 10 Commandments. The post Kedoshim 2022 – The Ten Commandments Plus appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In which Bereishit Rabbah 91:10 may provide an insight for how to respond to distressing situations The post Miketz 2021 – Hidden Ways appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In which Genesis Rabbah 84:9 teaches the importance of speaking from the heart. Bonus: A disagreement with Rashi The post Vayeshev 2021 – Speak from the Heart appeared first on YUTOPIA.

We take a look at Bereishit Rabbah 75:3 to consider the benefits of picking our battles. The post Vayishlach 2021 – Pick Your Battles appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In which we use Genesis Rabbah 71:6 (with a little help from The Simpsons) to learn about the nuances of jealousy. The post Vayeitzei 2021 – Hey Jealousy appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In Genesis Rabbah 65:4 we learn why simply noticing our surroundings can be so important The post Toledot 2021 – On Notice appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In which we compare opinions in Bereishit Rabbah 59:8 and Bava Batra 16b regarding what it means to be blessed with “everything” The post Chayei Sarah 2021 – Blessed with Everything appeared first on YUTOPIA.

The post Vayeira 2021 – The Evils of Sodom appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In Genesis Rabba 38:14 we learn the difference between giving birth and making a person The post Lech Lecha 2021 – How to Make a Life appeared first on YUTOPIA.

Gen. Rabbah 32:3 discusses testing the righteous and praising people to their faces. Is there a connection? The post Noah 2021 – Of Tests and Praises appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In Gen. Rabba 1:15 Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel debate if heaven or earth was created first, but does it even matter? The post Bereishit 2021 – Which Came First: Heaven or Earth? appeared first on YUTOPIA.

We conclude our first complete year of midrash study with Devarim Rabba 9:3, in which we find Moses facing off against Biblical heroes for supremacy The post VeZot Haberacha 2021 – Moses vs. Everyone appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In which Kohelet / Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:25 warns about being more righteous than God The post Sukkot 2021 – Frummer than God appeared first on YUTOPIA.

If Torah seems “empty” to us, does the fault lie with the Torah or ourselves? The post Ha'azinu 2021 – Empty Things appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In which we find an variant of “original sin” in rabbinic literature The post Vayeilech 2021 – Original Sin appeared first on YUTOPIA.

In one of the most important midrashim relating to learning and development, we see how fools remain foolish and how the insightful can overcome. The post Nitzavim 2021 – Foolish Pride appeared first on YUTOPIA.