"For Instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of the L-rd from Jerusalem." -- Isaiah 2:3

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Are you more of an "I'll dive right in and figure it out" person, or a "Show Me How This Thing Works" person?  If the former, go right ahead and try the excerpts browers on the right side of this page and/or scroll through the excerpts that start below the following information -- although we still suggest reading the information first.  If you are the latter, click here for a video demonstrating the Excerpts Browser. Either way (or both), enjoy! 

This page is recommended for searches limited to specific Torah books, weekly portions (parshiot), chapters, verses, and/or sources (authors). For keyword and/or for exact phrase (including verse and source) searches of the entire excerpts database, we recommend using the Search Engine page.  For broadest results, use both pages and alternative search strategies. 

This page displays the full text of all or "sorted" (filtered) excerpts in the database.  Use the "Torah Verses" and/or "Excerpt Sources" browsers at the right to locate the excerpts associated with your desired Torah book, portion, chapter. verse, or author.  Or, simply scroll through the excerpts, using the "boxes" at the bottom of any page displaying excerpts to "jump" ahead or back. 

Also note that immediately below the chapter, verse, and keyword of each excerpt is a highlighted line comprised of multiple links.  Clicking on any of the links will limit (filter) the excerpts display to the selected category.  

Transcription of excerpts is incomplete.  For current status, please see "Transcribed Sources" on the Search Engine page.  To assist with completion, please see "Contributors" page. 

GENESIS — 1:28 master

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Genesis, Bereishit (Genesis 1:1-6:8), Source Book Keys, AMEMEI
Page(s): (See end of excerpt)
GEN152 Man is charged with completing the task of creation that God began in the first commandment.  The world was intentionally made incomplete and was left up to man to complete.  That is why God did not create “bread trees,” even though every society needs and uses a form of bread.  It is man’s role to perform the creative activities necessary to make bread. Midrash, Tanchuma Tazria 5.  AMEMEI 267

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GENESIS — 1:28 rule

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Genesis, Bereishit (Genesis 1:1-6:8), Source Book Keys, AMEMEI
Page(s): (See end of excerpt)
GEN162 A few verses later Genesis 2:15 the Torah tempers this by telling us that God put man in the Garden (symbolic of the entire world) “to work it and to guard it.”  Since guarding something means preserving it, God essentially wants man to both use the world of his needs, but, at the same time, to preserve the world and not destroy it. AMEMEI 61

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GENESIS — 1:28 rule

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Genesis, Bereishit (Genesis 1:1-6:8), Source Book Keys, AMEMEI
Page(s): (See end of excerpt)
GEN168 The Torah clearly establishes the relationship between man and animal.  Man is to rule over and dominate the fish, birds, and all animals in the world.  Later on, after the flood, this relationship is spelled out even more clearly, as God tells man that the animals will fear man, and all creatures have been given over into man’s hands.  Genesis 9:2. AMEMEI 9 

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GENESIS — 2:3 holy

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Genesis, Bereishit (Genesis 1:1-6:8), Source Book Keys, AMEMEI
Page(s): (See end of excerpt)
GEN215 Holiness is first mentioned in the Torah with regard to Shabbat.  Besides the Kiddush, there are specific actions that man must take to make the Shabbat holy. All of these things have one thing in common: They are fulfillment of physical desires performed for making Shabbat holy.  In addition to the wine, man makes Shabbat holy by preparing and eating the best food of the week and by dressing up in the finest clothes of the week.  The Talmud says that it is a mitzvah to wash one’s body in preparation for Shabbat. Shabbat 25b.  This clearly shows that the Shabbat is made holy through actions that satisfy bodily needs for a spiritual purpose.  AMEMEI 100

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GENESIS — 2:3 holy

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Genesis, Bereishit (Genesis 1:1-6:8), Source Book Keys, AMEMEI
Page(s): (See end of excerpt)
GEN216 Most people, both Jews and non-Jews, associate the idea of the Sabbath with a day or rest from physical activity – R&R, rest and recreation – or taking a break from one’s job. But this definition can’t be based on the idea of the original Shabbat mentioned in the Torah. God made the Shabbat holy, which cannot mean rest and recreation.  AMEMEI 266

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GENESIS — 2:7 formed

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Genesis, Bereishit (Genesis 1:1-6:8), Source Book Keys, AMEMEI
Page(s): (See end of excerpt)
GEN234 It is basic to Jewish belief that man has within himself two conflicting desires.  At the beginning of Creation, the Torah alludes to this by describing the act of man’s creation, vayitzer, with two letters Yud, instead of one.  The Talmud Berachot 61a explains these double letters as the two conflicting drives within each man (the Hebrew word for drive, yetzer, begins with a Yud, and hence two drives).  AMEMEI 247 [Continued at [[DEUT209]] Deuteronomy 6:5 love AMEMEI 247].

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