Smaller midrashim
Encyclopedia
A number of midrash
im exist which are smaller in size, and generally later in date, than those dealt with in the articles Midrash Haggadah and Midrash Halakah.
Despite their late date, some of these works preserve material from the Apocrypha
and Philo of Alexandria. These small works, were in turn used by later larger works, such as Sefer haYashar (midrash)
and Zohar
. Important editors and researchers of this material include Abraham ben Elijah of Vilna
, Adolf Jellinek
, and Solomon Aaron Wertheimer
.
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
im exist which are smaller in size, and generally later in date, than those dealt with in the articles Midrash Haggadah and Midrash Halakah.
Despite their late date, some of these works preserve material from the Apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
and Philo of Alexandria. These small works, were in turn used by later larger works, such as Sefer haYashar (midrash)
Sefer haYashar (midrash)
The Sefer haYashar is a Hebrew midrash also known as the Toledot Adam and Dibre ha-Yamim be-'Aruk. It is known in English translation mostly as The Book of Jasher...
and Zohar
Zohar
The Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...
. Important editors and researchers of this material include Abraham ben Elijah of Vilna
Abraham ben Elijah of Vilna
Abraham ben Elijah of Vilna was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Lithuania. There is some debate as to when he was born. Some place his birth as early as 1749, but more recent scholarship suggests he was actually born in 1766. He was born in Vilna and died there on December 14, 1808. He was the son...
, Adolf Jellinek
Adolf Jellinek
----Adolf Jellinek |Drslavice]], nearby Uherské Hradiště, Moravia - December 28, 1893, Vienna) was an Austrian rabbi and scholar...
, and Solomon Aaron Wertheimer
Solomon Aaron Wertheimer
Rabbi Solomon Aaron Wertheimer , was a Hungarian rabbi, scholar, and seller of rare books.-Life:He was born in Bösing in 1866. In 1871 he went with his parents to Jerusalem, where he was educated. By 1890, he was residing in Cairo, Egypt, where he made a living as a rare bookseller and a collector...
.
Principal works
The chief of these works are:- Midrash Abba GorionMidrash Abba GorionMidrash Abba Gorion is a late midrash to the Book of Esther, and may be considered one of the smaller midrashim. The name derives from that of the tanna Abba Gorion of Sidon, who is one of the authorities mentioned in this midrash.- External links :*...
, a late midrash to the Book of EstherBook of EstherThe Book of Esther is a book in the Ketuvim , the third section of the Jewish Tanakh and is part of the Christian Old Testament. The Book of Esther or the Megillah is the basis for the Jewish celebration of Purim... - Midrash AbkirMidrash AbkirMidrash Abkir is one of the smaller midrashim, the extant remains of which consist of more than 50 excerpts contained in the Yalḳuṭ and a number of citations in other works...
, on the first two books of the Torah. Only fragments survive. - Midrash Al YithallelMidrash Al YithallelMidrash Al Yithallel is a small midrash containing stories from the lives of the wise Solomon, the mighty David, and the rich Korah, illustrating Jer. ix. 23, whence comes the title:...
, stories about DavidDavidDavid was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
, SolomonSolomonSolomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
, and the rich KorahKorahKorah or Kórach Some older English translations, as well as the Douay Bible), spell the name Core, and many Eastern European translations have Korak... - Midrash Aseret ha-DibrotMidrash Aseret ha-DibrotMidrash Aseret ha-Dibrot or Midrash of the Ten Statements is one of the smaller midrashim which dates, according to A...
, a haggadah for ShavuotShavuotThe festival of is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan .... - Dibre ha-Yamim shel Mosheh, or the Chronicle of MosesChronicle of MosesThe Chronicle of Moses is one of the smaller midrashim. In this midrash, which is written in pure Hebrew, and which is in many portions only provides a mere hint of verses from the Bible in a close imitation of Biblical style, is presented a history of the life of Moses embellished with many...
- Midrash Eleh EzkerahMidrash Eleh EzkerahMidrash Eleh Ezkerah is an aggadic midrash, one of the smaller midrashim, which receives its name from the fact that a seliḥah for the Day of Atonement, which treats the same subject and begins with the words "Eleh ezkerah," recounts the execution of ten famous teachers of the Mishnah in the time...
, on the execution of the ten sages by the Roman emperor HadrianHadrianHadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
. - Midrash 'Eser Galiyyot, the ten exiles of the Jews up to the time of Hadrian.
- Midrash EsfahMidrash EsfahMidrash Esfah is one of the smaller midrashim, which as yet is known only from a few excerpts in Yalḳuṭ and two citations in Sefer Raziel and Ha-Roḳeaḥ. It receives its name from Num. xi. 16: "Gather unto me ["Esfah-li"] seventy men of the elders of Israel."In Yalḳ...
, on verses from the books of NumbersBook of NumbersThe Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
and DeuteronomyDeuteronomyThe Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch...
. Only fragments survive. - Midrash Hallel. See Midrash Psalms
- Midrash Leku NerannenaMidrash Leku NerannenaMidrash Leku Nerannena , is one of the smaller midrashim and is cited in the Maḥzor Vitry . A few fragments of the work are still preserved, from which the midrash appears to have been a homily for the Feast of Ḥanukkah.- External links :*...
, a collection for Hannukah. Only fragments survive. - Midrash Ma'aseh Torah, a compilation of doctrines and rules.
- Midrash Peṭirat AharonMidrash Petirat AharonMidrash Petirat Aharon or Midrash on the Death of Aaron is one of the smaller midrashim. It is based on Num. xx. 1 et seq., and describes the lack of water experienced by the children of Israel after the death of Miriam and the events at the rock from which water was obtained. It likewise treats...
, a telling of the death of AaronAaronIn the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, Aaron : Ααρών ), who is often called "'Aaron the Priest"' and once Aaron the Levite , was the older brother of Moses, and a prophet of God. He represented the priestly functions of his tribe, becoming the first High Priest of the Israelites...
. - Midrash Peṭirat Mosheh, a telling of the death of MosesMosesMoses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
. - Midrash Ṭa'ame Ḥaserot we-Yeterot, inferences from the presence or not of matres lectionis, and about qere and ketiv.
- Midrash TadsheMidrash TadsheMidrash Tadshe is a small midrash which begins with an interpretation of Gen. i. 11:The name of the author occurs twice , and the midrash closes with the words "'ad kan me-dibre R. Pineḥas ben Ya'ir." No other authors are named...
(called also Baraita de-Rabbi Pineḥas b. Ya'ir), on the symbolism of the TabernacleTabernacleThe Tabernacle , according to the Hebrew Torah/Old Testament, was the portable dwelling place for the divine presence from the time of the Exodus from Egypt through the conquering of the land of Canaan. Built to specifications revealed by God to Moses at Mount Sinai, it accompanied the Israelites...
, and various symbolic numbers. - Midrash TemurahMidrash TemurahMidrash Temurah is one of the smaller midrashim, consisting of three chapters. It develops the view that God in His wisdom and might has created all things on earth as contrasted pairs which mutually supplement each other. Life is known only as opposed to death, and death as opposed to life...
(called by Me'iri Midrash Temurot), on duality in the natural world. - Midrash Wa-Yekullu, on several books of the Torah. Only citations survive.
- Midrash Wayissa'u, a story of the sons of JacobJacobJacob "heel" or "leg-puller"), also later known as Israel , as described in the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the New Testament and the Qur'an was the third patriarch of the Hebrew people with whom God made a covenant, and ancestor of the tribes of Israel, which were named after his descendants.In the...
, warring against their enemies. - Midrash Wayosha', a haggadah for the seventh day of PassoverPassoverPassover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
.
Survey of Collections
The more recent (circa 1900) collections of small midrashim referred to above and in Midrash Haggadah are the following:- A. Jellinek, B. H. parts i.-iv., Leipsic, 1853–57; parts v.-vi., Vienna, 1873–78;
- Ḥayyim M. Horowitz, Agadat Agadot, etc., Berlin, 1881;
- idem, Bet 'Eḳed ha-Agadot: Bibliotheca Haggadica, 2 parts, Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1881;
- idem, Kebod Ḥuppah, ib. 1888;
- idem, Tosefta Attiḳta: Uralte Tosefta's, i.-v., ib. 1889-90;
- S. A. Wertheimer, Batte Midrashot, i.-iv., Jerusalem, 1893–97;
- idem, Leḳeṭ Midrashim, ib. 1903;
- L. Grünhut, Sefer ha-Liḳḳuṭim, Sammlung Aelterer Midraschim. etc., i-vi., ib. 1898-1903; comp. also Abraham Wilna, Rab Pe'alim, ed. S. Chones, pp. 133 et seq., H. L. Strack, in Herzog-Hauck, Real-Encyc. s.v. "Midrasch."
Other small midrashim and mystical literature
In these collections, especially in A. Jellinek's Bet ha-Midrash, there are many small midrashim, either edited there for the first time or reprinted, as well as a number of works under other names, a discussion of which belongs rather to an article on mystic literature. The following treatises, however, may be mentioned here, the titles being given for the most part according to Jellinek:- Agadat Mashiaḥ (Haggadah of the Messiah; ib. iii. 141 et seq.).
- Baraita Ma'ase Bereshit (in S. Chones' addenda to Abraham Wilna's Rab Pe'alim, pp. 47 et seq.); also Seder Rabbah de-Bereshit (in Wertheimer, l.c. i. 1-31).
- Gan 'Eden we-Gehinnom (Paradise and Hell; ib. v. 42 et seq.).
- Ma'aseh R. Yehoshua' b. Levi (History of R. Joshua b. Levi; ib. ii. 48 et seq.).
- Midrash Konen (in B. H. ii. 23-39);
- Be-Ḥokmah Yasad (Divine Wisdom; ib. v. 63-69)
- Masseket Gehinnom (Tractate of Gehenna; ib. i. 147-149)
- Milḥamot ha-Mashiaḥ (War of the Messiah; ib. vi. 117 et seq.)
- Misterot R. Shim'on b. Yoḥai (Mysteries of R. Simeon b. Yoḥai; ib. iii. 78 et seq.).
- Otiyot de-Rabbi Aḳiba (Alphabetical Midrash of R. Akiba; first and second recensions in B. H. iii. 12-64; comp. ib. v. 31-33; vi., p. xl.; Wertheimer, l.c. ii. 23 et seq.)
- Hekalot Rabbati (Great Hekalot; in B. H. iii. 83-108);
- Masseket Hekalot (Tractate Hekalot; ib. ii. 40-47; comp. also ib. i. 58 et seq., iii. 161 et seq., vi. 109 et seq.);
- Baraita Ma'ase Merkabah (in Wertheimer, l.c. ii. 15-25).
- Otiyot Mashiaḥ (Signs of the Messiah; ib. ii. 58-63).
- Pirḳe Eliyahu (Sections Concerning the Messiah; ib. iii. 68 et seq.).
- Seder Gan 'Eden (Description of Paradise; ib. ii. 52 et seq.; second recension, ib. iii. 131-140; additions, ib. 194-198).
- Sefer Eliyahu (Apocalypse of Elijah; ib. iii. 65 et seq.).
- Sefer Zerubbabel (Book of Zerubbabel; ib. ii. 54-57; comp. also Wertheimer, l.c. ii. 25 et seq., 29 et seq.).