Midrash

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Mid·rash

M0286200 (mĭd′räsh′)n. pl. Mid·rash·im (mĭd-rô′shĭm, mĭd′rä-shēm′) Any of a group of Jewish commentaries on the Hebrew Scriptures compiled between ad 200 and 1200 and based on exegesis, parable, and haggadic legend.

[Hebrew midrāš, commentary, explanation, Midrash, from dāraš, to seek, study; see drš in Semitic roots.]

midrash

(ˈmɪdræʃ; Hebrew miˈdraʃ) n, pl midrashim (mɪˈdrɔʃɪm; Hebrew midraˈʃim) 1. (Judaism) a homily on a scriptural passage derived by traditional Jewish exegetical methods and consisting usually of embellishment of the scriptural narrative2. (Judaism) one of a number of collections of such homilies composed between 400 and 1200 ad[C17: from Hebrew: commentary, from darash to search] midrashic adj

mid•rash

(miˈdrɑʃ)

n., pl. mid•ra•shim (ˌmi drɑˈʃim)
mid•ra•shoth, mid•ra•shot (ˌmi drɑˈʃɔt) 1. an early Jewish interpretation of or commentary on a Biblical text. 2. (cap.) a collection of such commentaries, esp. those written in the first ten centuries A.D. [1605–15; < Hebrew midrāsh literally, exposition] mid•rash•ic (mɪdˈræʃ ɪk) adj.

Thesaurus

Noun

Midrash - (Judaism) an ancient commentary on part of the Hebrew scriptures that is based on Jewish methods of interpretation and attached to the biblical textJudaism - the monotheistic religion of the Jews having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefly in the Torah and in the Talmudcommentary, comment - a written explanation or criticism or illustration that is added to a book or other textual material; "he wrote an extended comment on the proposal"

Midrash

enUK

Midrash

(mĭd`räsh) [Heb.,=to examine, to investigate], verse by verse interpretation of Hebrew Scriptures, consisting of homily and exegesis, by Jewish teachers since about 400 B.C. Distinction is made between Midrash halakahhalakah
or halacha
[Heb.,=law], in Judaism, the body of law regulating all aspects of life, including religious ritual, familial and personal status, civil relations, criminal law, and relations with non-Jews.
..... Click the link for more information. , dealing with the legal portions of Scripture, and Midrash haggada, dealing with biblical lore. Midrashic exposition of both kinds appears throughout the TalmudTalmud
[Aramaic from Heb.,=learning], in Judaism, vast compilation of the Oral Law with rabbinical elucidations, elaborations, and commentaries, in contradistinction to the Scriptures or Written Laws. The Talmud is the accepted authority for Orthodox Jews everywhere.
..... Click the link for more information. . Individual midrashic commentaries were composed by rabbis after the 2d cent. A.D. up to the Middle Ages, and they were mostly of an aggadic nature, following the order of the scriptural text. Important among them are the Midrash Rabbah, a collection of commentaries on the Torah and the Five Scrolls (the Song of Songs, Esther, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes), and the Pesikta Midrashim, concerning the festivals. This body of rabbinic literature contains the earliest speculative thought in the Jewish tradition.

Bibliography

See H. L. Strack, Introduction to the Talmud and Midrash (1931, repr. 1969); L. Ginzberg, Legends of the Bible (1956); N. N. Glatzer, Hammer on the Rock (1962).

Midrash

Mid·rash

midrash

mid•rash

Midrash

Midrash

Bibliography

Midrash

Words related to Midrash

noun (Judaism) an ancient commentary on part of the Hebrew scriptures that is based on Jewish methods of interpretation and attached to the biblical text

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