Bible Stories and Midrash

 

SACRED TEXTS

Throughout the Hebrew Bible are stories that provide a narrative for the establishment of a unified Jewish people. Oftentimes, though, there are questions about these stories that remain. Whether it be explanations for the actions or behaviors of our biblical heroes, background information for some of the stories themselves, or even insights into God’s thought and reasoning behind events, the Hebrew Bible requires commentary to fill in the gaps. In the case of Torah, the rabbis wrote stories called midrashim that built upon the stories found in the Torah. Some of these midrashim are literary, expounding upon the narratives themselves, while others offer reasoning for particular halakhot, laws that had been established in Rabbinic Judaism. With these midrashim, we are able to enhance our understanding of the stories found in our ancient text.