Hotties of the Tanach: Megila 15a

Our Rabbi's teach that the four most beautiful women were Sarah, Avigail (King David's wife, referred to as an ideal wife by the Mishnah), Rahav (a prostitute who saves Israel's spies during their conquest of Jericho), and Esther... Rabbi Issac said, 'Anyone who says "Rahav Rahav,' immediately ejaculates. Rav Nachman said to him, I once said, "Rahav Rahav" and nothing happened to me! Rabbi Issac replied, I was referring only to one who knew her and was acquainted with her.

What is True Sacrifice? Sotah 5b

I'd seen this midrash many times in the writings of the Netivot Shalom, my favorite biblical commentator. You can find information on him at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sholom_Noach_Berezovsky.

I was very excited to find it's original source, in the middle of a long discourse on the evil of excessive pride.

Come and see how great humility is before the Holy One, Praised be G-d. For while the Temple stood, if a person performed an 'Olah' sacrifice, they simply had the merit of the 'Olah,' and if they performed a grain sacrifice, they had the mere merit of that grain sacrifice. However, Scripture regards someone who is humble as if they performed all the sacrifices, as is written (Psalms 51:19) , 'A broken heart is sacrifices to G-d.' (The interpreter uses the plural nature of 'sacrifices' to make this connection.) Furthermore, such a person's prayers will never be despised, as it is written, (Ibid) 'A humble and broken heart, G-d, you shall not despise.'

Too Late Now!: Bereshit Raba 8:5

I went to a shuir today given by Gilah Kletenik, a student at YU. She presented the following midrash which I think is amazing. I thank her for inspiring me to return to this blog after too long a break. I'm mostly also using her translation.

Rabbi Simon said: When the Holy One, Blessed be He, came to create Adam, the ministering angels formed themselves into groups and parties, some of them saying, 'Let Adam be created,' and others saying, 'He should not be created.'

... Loving kindness said, 'Let Adam be created, for he will do acts of loving-kindness.'

Truth said, 'Adam should not be created, because he is full of lies.'

Justice said, 'Let Adam be created, because he will do acts of justice.'

Peace said, 'Adam should not be created, for he is full of strife.'

What did G-d do? G-d took truth and cast it to the ground... Rabbi Huna the Elder of Sephoris said, 'While the ministering angels were arguing and disputing with each other, the Holy One created the first human. G-d said to them, 'Why are you arguing? Man has already been made!.''.