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.
Rava and the Queen Mother
Ifra Hormiz, the mother of King Shapur, sent blood before Rava. Rav Ovadiah was sitting in front of him. [Rava] smelled it. He said to her, “This is blood of desire.” She said to her son, “See how…
Alexander the Great and Simeon the Just
The hare: this refers to Greece; because it chews [lit., raises up] its cud (Leviticus 11:6): for it raises up righteous individuals. Alexander the Macedonian, when he saw Simeon the Just, rose up on…
The Story of Trajan, Lulianus, and Pappas
What is Trajan’s Day? They said: When Trajan tried to kill Lulianus and his [Lulianus’] brother Pappas in Laodicea, [Trajan] said to them, “If you are from the people of Ḥ ananiah, Mishael, and…
King Shapur I Performs a Jewish Practice
[With regard to] the knife, one must polish it and it is [rendered] pure. R. Ukva bar Ḥama says: And one must thrust it ten times into the ground. R. Huna ben R. Joshua says: And [this must be done]…
Lifestyle and Beliefs
The Jewish War 2.119–151
The Essenes, who are native Jews, are particularly known for their high-minded discipline, and they are a closer-knit community than the others. They reject the pleasures of…
Jesus’ Parables
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
As a Pharisee
[E]ven though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh.
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel…
Archisynagōgos Crispus of Corinth’s Conversion to Christianity
Crispus, the official of the synagogue [archisynagōgos], became a believer in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul became believers and were baptized.…
The Role of the Sanhedrin according to the Mishnah
A tribe, a false prophet, or the high priest may not be tried except by the court of seventy-one. They may not send forth the people to wage a battle of free choice save by the decision of the court…
Persian Authorization of the Law
“And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of God, appoint judges and justices to judge all those who know the law of your God, throughout all Syria and Phoenicia; and you shall teach it to those who…
Scribe of Righteousness
And I, Enoch, began to bless the Lord of the mighty ones and the King of the universe. At that moment the Watchers were calling me. And they said to me, “Enoch, scribe of righteousness…
Standing before the Torah
Rava said: How foolish [are] the rest of the people who stand before a Torah scroll [that passes before them,] and [yet] they do not stand before a great man, [when a sage passes before…