[Seph. Heb. mee-drahsh; Ashk. Heb. mi-drahsh] 
[Seph. Heb. mee-drah-sheem; Ashk. Heb. mi-draw-shim] , mid⋅ra⋅shoth, mid⋅ra⋅shot, mid⋅ra⋅shos [Seph. Heb. mee-drah-shawt; Ashk. Heb. mi-draw-shohs] . | 1. | an early Jewish interpretation of or commentary on a Biblical text, clarifying or expounding a point of law or developing or illustrating a moral principle. |
| 2. | (initial capital letter ) a collection of such interpretations or commentaries, esp. those written in the first ten centuries a.d. |
[mid-rash-ik] , adjective | Mid·rash (mĭd'räsh') n. pl. Mid·rash·im (mĭd-rô'shĭm, mĭd'rä-shēm') Any of a group of Jewish commentaries on the Hebrew Scriptures compiled between A.D. 400 and 1200 and based on exegesis, parable, and haggadic legend. [Hebrew midrāš, commentary, explanation, Midrash, from dāraš, to seek, study; see drš in Semitic roots.] |