Who led the way into the sea? The tribe of Judah and this is why the monarchy belongs to their tribe - so says a popular Midrash. And yet another Midrash offers a competing story. At the sea, first Moses instructed the oldest tribe of Reuben to jump but they refused. And so he turns
The law is that on the Seder night "even the poor of Israel recline as they eat (mesubin)." This demonstrates that on this night each Jew is relaxed and in a regal mood. In a play on Hebrew words, the Midrash connects this law to the verse And God turned the people round (vayasev) by
This shall be the teaching...on the day he becomes pure. He shall be brought to the priest... In this verse the Zohar hears an echo of another verse, And you shall make poles for the altar...and its poles shall be brought through the rings...on the two sides of the altar. The Mei HaShiloach explains the
And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. The Midrash connects this with a verse from Kohelet Give a share to seven and even to eight. Circumcision is part of a boy's Jewish journey but this is not the beginning and it is not enough. In order for a child
