Midrash

Midrash refers both to a way of interpreting scripture and to collections of writings produced using that method. It treats the biblical text as rich and open to continued explanation, asking why words are used, what is left unsaid, and how passages relate to one another. Midrash may clarify meaning, resolve problems, draw moral lessons, or expand stories through imaginative interpretation. Rather than replacing the biblical text, midrash works alongside it, showing how interpretation became a central practice in Jewish textual tradition. Midrash preserves how communities read, taught, and applied scripture across changing historical settings.