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.
Sha‘ar ma’amare Rashbi (The Gate of the Sayings of R. Simeon bar Yohai)
Human prayer that is properly intended is above, in the supernal depths, according to the secret of the point of Zion; and there is the secret place of the holy…
Approbation for a Printing House
“That which is well known needs no proof,” and the root cause is the skilled operating of the printing shop in the holy community of Żółkiew [Zhovkva], may the Rock preserve it, which was established…
Las alabanças de santidad (Praises of Holiness): Spanish Translation of Psalms
Having with fervent desire sought to reflect on the meaning of our sacred scriptures according to their original and true meaning—since, being the word of God, in this lies all of…
Discourses on the Ecclesiastical and Civil Polity of the Jews
We have already said, that wheresoever a competent Number of those of our Nation, were settled into a standing Community, the first thing they took care of, was the Erection of a publick School. Now…
Respuesta a un tratado que escrivio un docto predicante de la religion reformada (Response to a Treatise Written by an Erudite Preacher of the Reformed Religion)
The main foundation that you propose for your doctrine consists of the sin of Adam, in which you believe sin was perpetrated by all of the human species, which was contained in Adam, and of the sole…
I was sleeping, but my heart was awake
Hark! My beloved! Here he comes,
Thousands, myriads at his side,
And over me, his banner of love!
I was sleeping, but my heart
was awake within me.
I could hear but…
I hope in the Lord at all times
I hope in the Lord at all times,
And to the fearsome, awful One,
I cry: Grant redemption, Thou
Who dost not slumber, dost not sleep.
My soul, all weary and exhausted,
Longs and yearns,
For it…
All Those Who Love You
I left his house
Of my own volition.
In order to build him a house
Of my own volition.
But it seems my father
Remained solitary
And neglected
Not of his own volition.
I was moving towards my…
Russia, Russia Fragments
Oh, Father of great mercy
In sunset’s flame there fades
My cradle land
That was once nearer to me than my salt-crusted shirt
Where with my brother Russian
I shared more than once
A measly bite of…
Inscribed Weights
Inscribed weights, late 8th or 7th century BCE. These weights, used on a balance scale, correspond, from lightest to heaviest, to (a) payim, (b) netsef, (c) one shekel, and (d) two shekels. (The…
Burial Chamber from Ketef Hinnom Cemetery
Shown here is a reconstructed burial chamber from Ketef Hinnom, on exhibit at the Israel Museum. There are ledges along the side and back walls, with low parapets visible along two of the ledges. A…