Smaller midrashim


A number of midrashim exist which are smaller in size, and generally later in date, than those dealt with in the articles Midrash Haggadah and Midrash Halakah.
Despite their late date, some of these works preserve material from the Apocrypha and Philo of Alexandria. These small works, were in turn used by later larger works, such as Sefer haYashar. Important editors and researchers of this material include Abraham ben Elijah of Vilna, Adolf Jellinek, and Solomon Aaron Wertheimer.

Principal works

The chief of these works are:
  • Midrash Abba Gorion, a late midrash to the Book of Esther
  • Midrash Abkir, on the first two books of the Torah. Only fragments survive.
  • Midrash Al Yithallel, stories about David, Solomon, and the rich Korah
  • Midrash Aseret ha-Dibrot, a haggadah for Shavuot
  • Chronicle of Moses
  • Midrash Eleh Ezkerah, on the execution of the ten sages by the Roman emperor Hadrian.
  • Midrash Eser Galiyyot, the ten exiles of the Jews up to the time of Hadrian.
  • Midrash Esfah, on verses from the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy. Only fragments survive.
  • Midrash Hallel. See Midrash Tehillim
  • Midrash Leku Nerannena, a collection for Hanukkah. Only fragments survive.
  • Midrash Ma'aseh Torah, a compilation of doctrines and rules.
  • Midrash Petirat Aharon, a telling of the death of Aaron.
  • Midrash Petirat Mosheh, a telling of the death of Moses.
  • Midrash Taame Haserot ve-Yeterot, inferences from the presence or not of matres lectionis, and about qere and ketiv.
  • Midrash Tadshe, on the symbolism of the Tabernacle, and various symbolic numbers.
  • Midrash Temurah, on duality in the natural world.
  • Midrash Veyechulu, on several books of the Torah. Only citations survive.
  • Midrash Vayisau, a story of the sons of Jacob, warring against their enemies.
  • Midrash Vayosha, an aggadah for the seventh day of Passover.

    Survey of Collections

The more recent collections of small midrashim referred to above and in Midrash Haggadah are the following:
  • A. Jellinek, B. H. parts i.-iv., Leipsic, 1853–57; parts v.-vi., Vienna, 1873–78;
  • Ḥayyim M. Horowitz, Agadat Agadot, etc., Berlin, 1881;
  • idem, Bet 'Eḳed ha-Agadot: Bibliotheca Haggadica, 2 parts, Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1881;
  • idem, Kebod Ḥuppah, ib. 1888;
  • idem, Tosefta Attiḳta: Uralte Tosefta's, i.-v., ib. 1889–90;
  • S. A. Wertheimer, Batte Midrashot, i.-iv., Jerusalem, 1893–97;
  • idem, Leḳeṭ Midrashim, ib. 1903;
  • L. Grünhut, Sefer ha-Liḳḳuṭim, Sammlung Aelterer Midraschim. etc., i-vi., ib. 1898–1903; comp. also Abraham Wilna, Rab Pe'alim, ed. S. Chones, pp. 133 et seq., H. L. Strack, in Herzog-Hauck, Real-Encyc. s.v. "Midrasch."

    Other small midrashim and mystical literature

In these collections, especially in A. Jellinek's Bet ha-Midrash, there are many small midrashim, either edited there for the first time or reprinted, as well as a number of works under other names, a discussion of which belongs rather to an article on mystic literature. The following treatises, however, may be mentioned here, the titles being given for the most part according to Jellinek:
  • Agadat Mashiaḥ.
  • Baraita Ma'ase Bereshit ; also Seder Rabbah de-Bereshit.
  • Gan 'Eden we-Gehinnom.
  • Ma'aseh R. Yehoshua' b. Levi.
  • Midrash Konen ;
  • Be-Ḥokmah Yasad
  • Masseket Gehinnom
  • Milḥamot ha-Mashiaḥ
  • Misterot R. Shim'on b. Yoḥai.
  • Otiyot de-Rabbi Aḳiba
  • Hekalot Rabbati ;
  • Masseket Hekalot ;
  • Baraita Ma'ase Merkabah.
  • Otiyot Mashiaḥ.
  • Pirḳe Eliyahu.
  • Seder Gan 'Eden.
  • Sefer Eliyahu.
  • Sefer Zerubbabel.