house of Biblical and national lore the name Mid rash=the exposition, ear' 4E0x7jp. This branch of public and popular exposition, in which the people at large naturally felt far more interest than in the dry disquisitions about legal enactments, being thus called by them The Midrash, the collection of works which contain this sacred and national lore, obtained the name Midraskinz (0'enin), Com mentaries, in the sense of Cwsar's Commentaries. Hence the term Midrashic or Hagadic exegesis so commonly used in Jewish writings, by which is meant an interpretation effected in the spirit of those national and traditional views. The follow ing are the principal Midrashim, or commentaries in the more restricted sense of the word,* which contain the ancient Hagadic expositions.
i. Midrash Rabboth (nin tr,-;), or simply Rabboth (f1in), which is ascribed to Oshaja b. Nach.mani (fl. 278, A.D.), and derives its name from the fact that this collection begins with a Hagada of Oshaja Rabba (Nrl, of which. 11117 is the pl.) It contains ten Midrashim, which bear the respective names of—s. Bereshith Rabba (N11 abbreviated from Bereshillt d'Rabbi Oshaja Rabba N11), on Genesis, divided into a hundred tions (111V110) ; 2. Shenzoth Rabba (7111 NOV), on Exodus, in fifty-two sections ; 3. Vajikra Rabba Nvii), on Leviticus, in thirty-seven sections ; 4- Banzidbar Rabba -Inn:), on Numbers, in twenty-three sections ; 5. Debarinz Rabba (crin rm), on Deuteronomy, in eleven sections ; 6. Shir Ha-Shirinz Rabba "rtV), also called Agadath Chasith (n+m maN), because the text begins with the word Clzasith, on the Song of Songs ; 7. Midrash Ruth Rabba CrIlD r111), on Ruth ; 8. lllidrash Eicha Rabbathi (11Z1 rIVN), on Lamentations ; 9. Midrash Coke leth 047p w-rm, on Ecclesiastes ; and so. Mid rash Megillath Esther (1f117t4VIM), also called Hagadath Megilla (-6= rriln), on Esther. This entire collection was first published in Venice, 1545, it has been reprinted many times since ; hut the best edition of it is that published by Schrentzel with the different commentaries, two vols., Stettin 1863. Excerpts of the Midrash on Ruth, Esther, and Lamentations, have been pub lished in Latin by Schnell, Altdorf. 165o. The age of the compilation of the separate Midrashim constituting this collection is critically and elabo rately discussed by Zunz, Die Gottesdienstlichen Vortrage der p. 174-184, 263, ii. Resikta (Nr1MCD), compiled by Cabana or Kahana b. Tachlifa, who was born about 33o A.D., and died in 411 [EnucAnoti. This Mid rash, which comprises a complete cycle of lectures on the Pericopes of the feasts and fasts [HAm-t TARA], and which was lost for several centuries, has been restored by an anonymous writer about the year 846 A. D., and edited under the name Pesikta Rabbathi (+n,n, intermixing it, however, with portions from the Midrash 7elamdenu. In this new form the Pesikta was first published by Isaac b. Chajim Ha-Cohen, Prague 1655. An excellent edition, entitled volnl Non DV Nripnz, with divisions into paragraphs, an emended text, extensive references, and a critical commentary and indices by Seeb (Wolf) b. Israel Isser, was pub lished in Breslau 183r. The nature and date of this Midrash are discussed in a most masterly manner by Zunz, Die Gotteedienstlichen Vortrage, 185-226, 239-251 ; Rapaport, Fran p. 171 ; see also the article CAHANA. B. TACFILIFA in this Cyclopmdia.
iii. Mz rash Talackzema (Nnl= rrtn), i.e., the Midrash, compiled by Tanchuma b. Abba (flour. circa 440 A.D.), also called Midrash yelant a'enu ty-rz), from the fact that eighty-two sections begin with the formula it teaches us, or we are taught. This Midrash extends over the whole Pentateuch, and consists of 140 sections.
It contains extracts from the Mechilta, Siphre, Va Ikra Rabba, Pesikta, and Boraitha de Rabbi Eliezer, and was first published after a redaction of the first Geonim period, when a great deal of it was lost, altered, and interpolated, by Joseph b. Shoshan, Constantinople 152o (not 1528 as is stated by Etheridge, Yerusalem and Tiberias, p. 233) ; then Venice 1545 ; Mantua 1563 ; Salo nica 1578; with corrections after two MSS. and additions, Verona 1595 ; and at different other places ; but the best edition is that with the two fold commentary by Chan. Sandel b. Joseph, Vilna 1833. For a thorough analysis of this Mid rash we must refer to Zunz, Die Gottesdienstlichen Vortrage, p. 226-238.
iv. Pirke Rabbi Eliezer 'tpniz), also called Boraitha or Agada de Rabbi Eliezer 1iv4N son.; t.z711+12 IN), because Eliezer b. Hyr canus (flour. circa 70 A.D.) is its reputed author. This Midrash, which discusses the principal events recorded in the Pentateuch, consists of fifty-four sections, treating respectively on the following iinf ortant subjects :—the life of R. Eliezer (secs. i. and ii.) ; the creation ; new moon (vii.) ; intercalary year (viii.) ; the fifth day's creation (ix.) ; the flight of Jonah, and his abode in the fish (x.) ; the sixth day's creation (xi.) ; Adam, para dise, and the creation of the plants (xii.) ; the fall (xiii.) ; the curse (xiv.) ; paradise and hell (xv.) ; Isaac and Rebecca .(xvi.) ; the offices to be performed to bridal pairs and mourners (xvii.) ; the creation (xviii.) ; the ten things created on the eve of the sixth creation day (xix.) ; the expulsion from paradise (xx.) ; Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel (xxi.) ; the degeneracy of Cain's descendants and the Flood (xxii.) ; the ark and its occupants (xxiii.) ; the descendants of Noah, the tower of Babel (xxiv.) ; Sodom, Lot, and his wife (xxv.) ; the ten temptations of Abraham (xxvi.) ; his rescuing Lot (xxvii.) ; God's covenant with Abra ham (xxviii.) ; his circumcision (xxix.) ; the send ing away of Hagar and Ishmael, the condition of the Jews in the days of Messiah (xxx.) ; Abraharn about to sacrifice Isaac (xxxi.) ; Isaac bestowing the blessing on Jacob (xxxii.) ; the resurrection (xxxiii.) ; future state (xxxiv.) ; Jacob's dream (xxxv.) ; his sojourn with Laban (xxxvi.) ; his wrestling with the angel (xxxvii.) ; the selling of Joseph (xxxviii.) ; Jacob's sojourn in Egypt (xxxix.) ; God's manifestation in the bush (xl.) ; the giving of the Law (xli.) ; the exodus (xlii.) ; the power of repentance (xliii.) ; the conflict of Moses with Amalek (xliv.) ; the golden calf (xlv.) ; the tables of stone and the atonement (xlvi.) ; the exploit of Phineas (xlvii.) ; the birth of Moses and the redemption from Egypt (xlviii.) • Samuel, Saul, Agag, Haman, Mordecai, Titus, Nebuchad nezzar, Ahasuerus, Vashti, and Esther (xlix.-l.) • the new creation (li.) ; the seven wonders of the world (lii.) ; the punishment of calumny, Absalom and David (liii.) ; and the leprosy of Miriam (liv.) This Midrash, which is chiefly written in pure and easy Hebrew, was first published in Constantinople 1514, and has since been reprinted numerous times, but the best edition is with the critical commentary called the Great Edce 611n emended text and references to Talmud and Midrashim by Broda, Vilna 1838. A convenient edition of it has appeared in Lemberg 1858, and a Latin trans lation by Vorst has been published under the title Capitula R. Elkzeris continentia imprimis succinc lam historice recensionem, etc., cum vett. Rabb. Commeutariis, Leyden 1644. The composition and age of this Midrash are discussed by Zunz, Die Gottesdienstlichen Vorfrdge, p. 271-278.