My Morning Midrash: 2009-08-30

What is Midrash?

Well, it isn't this. Midrash is a method by which the Rabbinical sages demonstrated that the Torah speaks in universal truths that are as specific and as urgent today as they were a thousand years ago. The Rabbi's used ingenious, inspired and intellectually exhausting methods in their study and created a collection of commentaries and exegesis that remain a guidepost to any reader of monotheistic text. You can learn a great deal more about Midrash from the works of Jacob Neusner.

What you will find in these pages is "midrash" with a lower case m. These are stories, anecdotes, observations and rants that emerge from devoted study of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament passed through the filter of a housewife, a mother, a believer, a sinner and a narcissist: me.

And in keeping with Midrashic tradition, my intention is to show that Scripture is not locked in time: it contains truths and paradigms that are just as valid and can be just as instructive, as if they were written for us. This is because they were written for us.

My observations are not meant to be universal, authoritative or normative in any way. They are simply my experience of the Scripture in daily life. If they resonate with you, I hope you will take a moment to see how the Scripture comes alive in your life. If they affront you, I hope you will examine why that is and do the same. Either way, my work is done. Tolle lege.