About the Book

The first of two known to us aggadic collections of midrashim the primary purpose of which is not homiletic, but ethical (the other one Tanna Debbe Eliahu is available in similarly excellent English translation from eBookShuk.com as well). Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer, or P.R.E., contains midrashim on Genesis, part of Exodus, and a few sentences of Numbers. Ascribed to R. Eliezer b. Hyrcanus, (l...

About the Author

Gerald Friedlander, (Translator and editor) ---

 

Contents

Chapters I-II, attempts to justify books attribution to R Eliezer
Chapters III–XI deal with the work of the Creation
Chapters XII–XX refer to Adam and Eve
Chapters XXI and XXII give the story of Cain, Abel, and the other descendants of Adam and Eve
Chapters XXIII and XXIV contain the history of Noah and his sons and the narrative of the Flood
Chapter XXV sets forth the sin and doom of Sodom
Chapters XXVI–XXXI cover the life story of Abraham, including the story of the ‘Akedah (or the binding of Isaac)
Chapters XXXII and XXXIII deal with the life of Isaac
Chapter XXXIV is devoted to an account of the resurrection of the dead
Chapters XXXV–XXXVII present the story of Jacob's life
Chapters XXXVIII and XXXIX refer to Joseph
Chapter XL discusses the signs given by God to Moses
Chapter XLI is concerned with the revelation on Sinai
Chapters XLII and XLIII (which are evidently out of place) contain the narrative of the Exodus (which should precede the story of the revelation on Sinai)
Chapter XLIV unfolds the history of Amalek
Chapters XLV–XLVII set forth the story of the Golden Calf
Chapter XLVIII resumes the subject of the Exodus
Chapters XLIX and L give the story of Haman and Mordecai
Chapter LI is eschatological
Chapter LII describes the wonders of old
Chapter LIII reverts to the history of Israel in the wilderness, e.g. the “Brazen” Serpent and Miriam

The second half of the book contains fragment of the Midrash on the Shemoneh ‘Esreh.

 

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