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.
Esther
5. He fostered Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother, and the girl was fair and beautiful; and with the…
Moses’ Prayer after the Sin of the Golden Calf
And then Moses went up to the mountain and prayed to the Lord, saying, “Behold now, you O God, who have planted this vine and set its roots into the abyss and stretched out its shoots to your most…
Isaac Blesses Levi and Judah
He turned to Levi first and began to bless him first. He said to him, “May the Lord of everything—he is the Lord of all ages—bless you and your sons throughout all ages.
May the Lord give you and…
In the Lion’s Throat
In the days of R. Joshua ben Ḥananiah, the wicked empire [i.e., Rome] decreed that the Temple should be built. Pappas and Lulianus set up tables from Akko to Antioch and provided for those coming from…
Matrona
4:6. Matrona asked Rabbi Yose: Why is it not written “that it was good” for the second day? He said to her: Nevertheless, in the end he . . . included them all, for it is said: And God saw everything…
Mishnah Demai
He who purchases produce from one who is not [deemed] trustworthy in the matter of tithing, and forgot to tithe it, [and—Ed.] inquires of him [of the vendor] on the Sabbath, may eat at his [the vendor…
Bavli Ḥagigah
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are those that are composed in collections; they are given from one shepherd (Ecclesiastes 12:11).
Why are matters…
Leviticus Rabbah on Care for the Soul and the Poor
A merciful person does good for his soul [ . . . ] (Proverbs 11:17). This refers to Hillel the Elder. When he would take leave of his disciples, he would go out walking. His disciples asked him,…
Octavian Confirms Herod’s Claim to Kingship
“Caesar,” he said, “I was made king by Antony, and I acknowledge that I have throughout served Antony’s interests. I will not conceal from you either that, if I had not been occupied with the Arabs…
Titus Marches toward Jerusalem
Titus was now on the march from Caesarea, having concentrated part of his forces there…