. In the Torah scroll, every parashah begins on a new line or after a significant space from the last word of the previous parashah. Vayechi, however, the final parashah of Genesis, begins immediately after the last word of Vayigash. Our midrash offers three suggestions for what meaning we can make of such a &#8220;closed off&#8221; text.

13. Introduction to Vayikra Rabbah

Rabbi Jay Asher LeVine explores imaginative rabbinic readings of the Hebrew Bible. Each interpretation, called a "midrash", gives us insight into sacred stories from the Jewish tradition, and ultimately into the sacred story of our own lives.