Midrash Rabbah, Volume 1, Genesis I.

The definitive English translation of Midrash Rabbah

Midrash Rabbah, one of the monumental productions of Rabbinic literature, is the most striking testimony to the joy and reverence with which the Jews have cherished the Bible. It is an essential commentary on the Torah, containing a treasury of homiletic, ethical, and moral interpretations of the Scriptures as expounded by the Rabbis during Talmudic times.

The Midrash represents, in a unique form, the essence of Judaism, its ethical standards, and its insight into the human heart. It spans the gamut of human knowledge, with passages about astronomy, medicine, metaphysics, and much more. For centuries the Midrash has been the staple that nourishes the Jewish imagination. Jews have always sought and found comfort and inspiration in the Midrash by understanding Biblical history in the light of their own experiences.

The modern reader will find much in the Midrash that is both fascinating and inspiring. This elegant ten-volume set includes the complete English translation of Midrash Rabbah on the Five Books of the Torah and on the Five Megilloth.