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Midrash

Midrash

2 9.9
A traditional Jewish book that tells stories and explains parts of the Hebrew Bible
  • noun
  • /ˈmɪdræʃ/
  • Specialized
: Midrash
  • Scholars often refer to the Midrash to understand the historical context of Jewish laws.
  • rabbinic Midrash
  • According to Midrash
  • Midrash comments

And again in in Midrash, you are not sticking with the ordinary meaning of the text.

Examples

  • According to our new midrash, Miriam gave her first teaching at this decisive time.

    Academic text (1995)
  • "What we mean by Midrash is having a dialogue with the text.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • We even have Midrash to support that claim.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • " Before we begin, I want to say a few words about Midrash."

    Fiction book (1997)
  • And again in in Midrash, you are not sticking with the ordinary meaning of the text.

  • I quoted to myself that passage from the Midrash that says God created and destroyed many worlds before He created this one.

    Academic text (1995)
  • A rabbinic midrash comments on the verse in Psalms, "My heart shall rejoice in Your God's salvation."

    Academic text (1995)
  • From the midrash, we learn that when David slew Goliath, Uriah the Hittite, not yet converted, came forward.

    Academic text (1995)
  • According to the Midrash, Vashti was the great-granddaughter of King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon, the destroyer of Jerusalem.

    Academic text (2010)
  • The Midrash offers deep insights into the meanings of the biblical texts.

Surface Forms

Midrash singular
Midrashim plural

Etymology

Midrash comes from the Hebrew root darash meaning 'to seek' or 'to search'. A Midrash is like a search for deeper meaning in the Bible, so it adds stories and explanations to help understand difficult parts of the text.