Rabbah

Rabbah is a term used in the titles of major rabbinic interpretive collections on biblical books. The word Rabbah means “great” or “large,” pointing to their expansive scope. These works use midrash as their primary method, interpreting scripture through close reading, explanation, and imaginative expansion. Rabbah texts often proceed verse by verse, drawing meaning from wording, structure, and repetition, while also filling narrative gaps and exploring ethical or thematic questions. Through midrash, Rabbah collections treat the biblical text as open to continued interpretation, shaping how scripture was taught, remembered, and understood within Rabbinic Judaism.