Torah Commentary & Midrash

The Commentators & Targumim

• Targum Onkelos

  Onkelos · d. 120

  The authoritative Aramaic translation of the Torah, printed alongside the text in traditional chumashim.

  TargumPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Targum Jonathan (Pseudo-Jonathan)

  attributed to Jonathan ben Uzziel

  An expansive Aramaic Targum rich in midrashic expansion.

  TargumPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Rashi's Commentary

  Rashi (Shlomo Yitzchaki) · d. 1105

  The foremost commentary on the Torah and the Talmud — concise, drawn from the midrash and plain sense, and the starting point of all later study.

  CommentaryPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Rashbam's Commentary

  Rashbam (Samuel ben Meir) · d. 1158

  Rashi's grandson, a champion of peshat (plain-sense) interpretation.

  CommentaryPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Ibn Ezra's Commentary

  Abraham ibn Ezra · d. 1167

  A grammatical, rationalist commentary on the Tanakh, learned in philology and astronomy.

  CommentaryPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Radak's Commentary

  Radak (David Kimhi) · d. 1235

  Grammarian and exegete whose commentary on the Prophets is a classic of the plain sense.

  CommentaryPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Ramban's Commentary

  Nachmanides (Moses ben Nahman) · d. 1270

  A profound commentary weaving peshat, philosophy, and Kabbalah, often in dialogue with Rashi and Ibn Ezra.

  CommentaryPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Sforno's Commentary

  Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno · d. 1550

  A Renaissance-era commentary, clear and philosophically attuned.

  CommentaryPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Or HaChaim

  Chaim ibn Attar · d. 1743

  A beloved commentary blending peshat with ethical and kabbalistic depth.

  CommentaryPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

Midrash

• Bereshit (Genesis) Rabbah

  The Sages (classical Midrash)

  The great aggadic midrash on Genesis — homiletic and narrative expansions of the book, compiled in the land of Israel.

  MidrashPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Midrash Rabbah

  The Sages (classical Midrash)

  The classic collection of aggadic midrash on the Five Books and the Five Scrolls.

  MidrashPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Midrash Tanchuma

  The Sages (classical Midrash)

  A homiletic midrash on the Torah, arranged by the weekly readings.

  MidrashPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael

  The Sages (Tannaitic Midrash)

  A halakhic midrash on Exodus from the school of Rabbi Ishmael.

  MidrashPublic domainRead at Sefaria →

• Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer

  attributed to Eliezer ben Hyrcanus

  A narrative midrash retelling creation and the patriarchal history.

  MidrashPublic domainRead at Sefaria →