Sample Sources
The sources below are those contained in our three curated collections—covering themes of Passover, Gender Roles, and Holocaust Resistance. They represent a fraction of the thousands of sources that will be available when the full site launches in 2024.
The Fate of Those Who Escape
Of those now deserting some had no choice but to move quickly and jump down from the wall: others sallied out with stones in their hands as if to do battle, and then fled to the Romans. But desertion…
Christian Interpretation of Bar Kokhba’s Defeat
[ . . . ] After the destruction which occurred under Vespasian and Titus, these Jews rebelled during the reign of Hadrian and tried to go back to the old commonwealth and way of life. What they failed…
Jewish Colonies in Babylonia and Its Environs
And not only are the mainlands full of Jewish colonies but also the most highly esteemed of the islands Euboea, Cyprus, Crete. I say nothing of the countries beyond the Euphrates, for except for a…
Torah Law versus Magian Law
R. Yoḥanan says, “Jerusalem was destroyed only because they adjudicated cases on the basis of Torah law.” Should they rather have adjudicated cases on the basis of magian law?!
The Rise of King Herod
Herod was a servant in the house of the Hasmoneans. He put his eyes upon a particular girl. One day, [Herod] heard a heavenly voice that said: Whatever servant rebels now will succeed! [Herod] got up…
The Power of the Exilarch in Commerce
R. Dimi brought figs from Nehardea on a ship. The exilarch said to Rava, “Go and see. If he is a sage, give him first right of sale in the market.” Rava said to R. Ada bar Abba, “Go appraise his…
The Heavenly Prince Melchizedek
[ . . . ] . . . [ . . . ] [ . . . ] And as for what he said: In [this] year of jubilee, [you shall return, each one, to his respective…
John’s Prediction of Jesus’ Coming
As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: …
Stephen’s Speech
Then the high priest asked him, “Are these things so?” And Stephen replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before…
Letter from Antiochus V to the Gerousia and the Jews
To the nation the king’s letter was as follows:
“King Antiochus to the senate [gerousia] of the Jews and to the other Jews, greetings.”
Jewish Community of Cyrene
And this same Strabo bears witness in another passage that at the time when Sulla crossed over into Greece in order to wage war against Mithridates, he sent Lucullus to put an end to a sedition that…
Twenty-Four Books
Then I answered and said, “Let me speak in your presence, Lord. For I will go, as you have commanded me, and I will reprove the people who are now living; but who will warn those who will be born…