Sample Sources
The sources below are those contained in our three curated collections—covering themes of Passover, Gender Roles, and Holocaust Resistance. They represent a fraction of the thousands of sources that will be available when the full site launches in 2024.
Jews and the Sasanian Queen
At this time, it so happened that the queen fell ill. Since she was favorably inclined to the enemies of the cross, the Jews, they told her, making their customary false accusation: “The sisters of…
Alexander Bows to the High Priest
On the twenty-fifth day of [the month of Tevet], [known as] the day of Mount Gerizim [on which it is forbidden to eulogize], on that day the Samaritans asked Alexander the Macedonian [for permission]…
The Martyrdom of Hannah and Her Seven Sons
As for Your sake we are killed all the day long; we are reckoned as sheep for the slaughter (Psalm 44:23). And R. Judah said: This [verse applies to the] woman and her seven sons [who died as martyrs…
King Shapur II and Rav Ḥama Debate Jewish Burial Practices
King Shapur [once] said to R. Ḥama: From where in the Torah is there a hint to [the commandment of] burial? [What proof is there that the dead must be buried and not treated in some other manner? R…
The Essene Settlement West of the Dead Sea
On the west side of the Dead Sea, but out of range of the noxious exhalations of the coast, is the solitary tribe of the Essenes, which is remarkable beyond all the other tribes in the whole world, as…
The Son of Man and the Messianic Secret
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist…
Sabbath as a Time of Teaching
As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people urged them to speak about these things again the next sabbath. When the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism…
Simon as High Priest and Ethnarch
So Simon accepted and agreed to be high priest, to be commander and ethnarch of the Jews and priests, and to be protector of them all. And they gave orders to inscribe this decree on…
One Who Rebels against the Sanhedrin, “The Rebellious Elder”
An elder rebelling against the ruling of the court [is strangled], for it says: If a case is too baffling for you to decide [ . . . you shall promptly repair to the place that the Lord your God will…
Ezra Reads from the Law of Moses
The priests and the Levites and the Israelites settled in Jerusalem and in the country. On the new moon on the seventh month, when the people of Israel were in their settlements, the whole…
Scribes as Descendants of Levi
And they said to me, “Levi, your posterity shall be divided into three offices as a sign of the glory of the Lord who is coming. The first lot shall be great; no other shall be greater than it.
Synagogue Behavior
And [in a similar vein], R. Zeira says [that] R. Ḥisda says: The congregation is not permitted to answer amen [to the blessing recited over the Torah reading] until the blessing of the one reading…