Midrash is the body of rabbinic literature that expands on the narratives, laws, and themes of the Torah through parable, homily, allegory, and legend, drawing out layers of meaning that lie beneath the surface of the biblical text. At Eichlers, we carry the major midrashic works including Midrash Rabbah, Tanchuma, Yalkut Shimoni, Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer, and others in Hebrew-only and Hebrew-English editions, for learners, teachers, maggidim, and anyone who prepares a d'var Torah or shiur and wants to go deeper than the plain text of the parsha.
The word midrash comes from the Hebrew root darash, meaning to seek or to inquire. Midrash refers to a specific method of Torah interpretation that goes beyond the plain meaning of the text, known as peshat, to explore the homiletical, ethical, and spiritual dimensions embedded within it. The midrashic literature was composed by the Tanna'im and Amora'im, the same generations of scholars who produced the Mishnah and Talmud, and it represents their attempt to convey the full depth of what the Torah is teaching through narrative elaboration, parable, word play, and careful attention to seemingly redundant or unusual phrases in the biblical text. Midrash is not merely legend or folklore. It is a form of rigorous Torah interpretation that follows its own precise methods and rules, and the Rishonim and Acharonim treat midrashic statements with the same seriousness they give to halachic literature. Learning midrash alongside the parsha gives a learner access to dimensions of the Torah's meaning that no amount of peshat study alone can provide.
Midrash Rabbah is the largest and most comprehensive collection of classical midrashim, covering all five books of the Torah and the five Megillot. It consists of ten individual midrashim, each bearing the name of the biblical book it covers, including Bereishis Rabbah, Shemos Rabbah, Vayikra Rabbah, Bamidbar Rabbah, Devarim Rabbah, and midrashim on Shir HaShirim, Rus, Eicha, Koheles, and Esther. Each volume was compiled in a different period and location and has its own distinct character and style, with Bereishis Rabbah and Vayikra Rabbah generally considered the most literarily sophisticated and the most frequently cited by the classical commentators. Midrash Rabbah is the standard starting point for anyone learning midrash on the parsha, and it is quoted extensively in the works of Rashi, Ramban, and virtually every major Torah commentary in the tradition. Quality Hebrew editions are available in single and multi-volume sets, and the Artscroll Hebrew-English edition makes the full Midrash Rabbah accessible to English readers as well.
Midrash Tanchuma is a collection of homiletical midrashim organized according to the weekly parsha, traditionally attributed to Rabbi Tanchuma bar Abba, a fourth-century Amora. It is one of the most frequently cited midrashic works by the Rishonim and is an essential resource for anyone preparing a d'var Torah or parsha shiur. The Tanchuma typically opens each parsha with a halachic question, proceeds through a series of aggadic teachings and parables, and concludes with a messianic theme of consolation and hope. Two versions of the Tanchuma exist, the standard version and the Tanchuma Yelamdenu, which represents an earlier and in some cases more complete text. Both versions are studied and quoted in the halachic and aggadic literature of the Rishonim.
The Yalkut Shimoni is an encyclopedic anthology of midrashic material covering the entire Tanach, compiled by Rabbi Shimon of Frankfurt and organized according to the order of the biblical text from Bereishis through the end of Divrei HaYamim. It draws from hundreds of midrashic sources, many of which are not found elsewhere in the printed literature, making it one of the most valuable resources for tracing midrashic traditions and for finding material on any specific passage of Tanach. The Yalkut Shimoni is indispensable for anyone who teaches Torah regularly, prepares shiurim, or writes divrei Torah, since it provides ready access to the broadest range of rabbinic comment on any given verse or topic in the entire Hebrew Bible.
Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer is one of the oldest and most distinctive works of midrashic literature, traditionally attributed to Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, one of the great Tanna'im of the first and second centuries. It covers the creation narrative, the lives of the Avos, and key events in Jewish history through a unique blend of midrash, targum, and early kabbalistic material. The Ramban, the Tur, and many other Rishonim quote it frequently, and it contains traditions that are not found in any other midrashic source. Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer is particularly studied in connection with the parshiyos of Bereishis and Shemos and is a fascinating window into the earliest layers of rabbinic biblical interpretation.
Beyond the major works, the midrashic corpus includes Midrash Tehillim on the Book of Psalms, Midrash Mishlei on Proverbs, Pesikta Rabbasi, Pesikta D'Rav Kahana, and dozens of smaller midrashim and aggadic collections that cover specific topics, books, or occasions. Pesikta Rabbasi and Pesikta D'Rav Kahana are organized around the special Torah portions read on Shabbos and Yom Tov and are widely used for preparing holiday and Shabbos divrei Torah. Many of these texts are available in quality Hebrew editions, and some have been translated into English as part of ongoing efforts to make the full breadth of midrashic literature accessible to the English-speaking world.
Midrash serves multiple functions in Jewish learning and practice. For those preparing a weekly parsha shiur or a d'var Torah at a Shabbos table or simcha, midrash provides the most fertile source of storytelling, analogy, and deeper meaning that brings the Torah text alive for an audience at any level. For serious learners, midrash is a window into the worldview and values of the Tanna'im and Amora'im that complements and deepens the understanding of the Talmudic and halachic tradition. For teachers at all levels, from elementary school through adult education, midrash provides the parables, narratives, and ethical teachings that make Torah learning engaging and personally meaningful. Rashi's Torah commentary, the most widely studied commentary on the Chumash, is built almost entirely on selections from Midrash Rabbah and other classical midrashim, which means that anyone learning Rashi seriously is already engaged with the midrashic tradition whether they realize it or not.
Hebrew-only midrash editions are the choice for those who learn the text in the original and want access to the full range of commentary and variant readings that standard Hebrew editions provide. Hebrew midrash texts are typically printed with clear, well-spaced typography and include standard indices and cross-references that are essential for using the midrash as a research tool. Hebrew-English editions, particularly the Artscroll translations of Midrash Rabbah and selected other works, make the midrashic tradition fully accessible to English readers who lack the background to approach the original Hebrew independently. These editions include the Hebrew text alongside a clear English translation, explanatory notes, and introductions to each section that provide the historical and literary context needed to understand what the midrash is saying and why it matters.
A quality midrash set is a meaningful and lasting gift for any serious Torah learner, teacher, or scholar. A complete Midrash Rabbah in Hebrew or Hebrew-English is an exceptional bar mitzvah gift for a boy who is beginning serious Torah study, a meaningful wedding gift for a chassan setting up his Torah library, and a thoughtful appreciation gift for a rebbe, maggid, or darshan who uses midrash regularly in their teaching. Browse our full bar mitzvah gifts collection for more meaningful sefarim and Judaica to pair with a midrash gift.
Midrash sefarim belong at the heart of a serious Torah library alongside the full range of learning sefarim that Eichlers carries.
The Talmud is primarily a legal and analytical work that records the discussions of the Tanna'im and Amora'im on halachic matters, though it also contains significant aggadic material. Midrash is primarily homiletical and interpretive, focusing on the narrative, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of the biblical text through parable, allegory, and expanded storytelling. Both were composed by overlapping generations of rabbinic scholars and both are essential parts of the Oral Torah tradition.
Most classical authorities hold that midrash operates on multiple levels simultaneously and should not be read as straightforward historical narrative. The Rambam, Ramban, Maharal, and many other Rishonim and Acharonim address this question extensively. The consensus is that midrashic statements contain deep spiritual, ethical, and philosophical content that must be understood on its own terms rather than evaluated by the standards of literal historical reporting. This makes the study of midrash more demanding and more rewarding, not less.
Midrash Rabbah on Bereishis, Bereishis Rabbah, is the most widely recommended starting point for serious midrash learning. It is the most literarily sophisticated of the major midrashim, the most frequently cited by the classical commentators, and the most directly relevant to the parsha learning that most people do throughout the year. A Hebrew-English edition is the most accessible format for anyone new to midrash study.
Yes. The Yalkut Shimoni is one of the most practical tools for anyone preparing a d'var Torah or shiur because it covers the entire Tanach and draws from hundreds of midrashic sources organized by verse. It allows a teacher or speaker to find relevant midrashic material on any specific passage of the Torah or Nevi'im quickly and comprehensively, making it an invaluable reference for regular Torah teaching.
Yes. Hebrew-English editions of Midrash Rabbah and selected other midrashic works are available, including the Artscroll translation series which provides clear English alongside the Hebrew text with explanatory notes and introductions. These editions make midrash fully accessible to English readers who want to engage with the tradition without needing advanced Hebrew reading skills.
Midrash Tanchuma is most commonly used for parsha preparation and d'var Torah research. Its organization by weekly parsha makes it easy to find relevant material for any Shabbos, and its characteristic structure of opening with a halachic question and concluding with a messianic theme provides a natural framework that many maggidim and darshanim adopt in their own teaching. It is one of the most frequently cited midrashic works in classical Torah literature.
Yes. A complete Midrash Rabbah in Hebrew or Hebrew-English is a meaningful and lasting bar mitzvah gift for a boy beginning serious Torah study. It's a sefer set he will use throughout his learning life for parsha preparation, d'var Torah research, and deeper understanding of Rashi and the classical Torah commentators, all of which draw heavily from the midrashic tradition.