Editing Midrash (section)

=== Aggadic midrashim ===
{{main|Aggadah}}
Midrashim that seek to explain the non-legal portions of the Hebrew Bible are sometimes referred to as {{transliteration|he|aggadah}} or {{transliteration|he|Haggadah}}.<ref>ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 14, pg 183</ref>

Aggadic discussions of the non-legal parts of scripture are characterized by a much greater freedom of exposition than the halakhic midrashim (midrashim on Jewish law). Aggadic expositors availed themselves of various techniques, including sayings of prominent rabbis. These aggadic explanations could be philosophical or mystical disquisitions concerning [[angel]]s, [[demon]]s, [[paradise]], [[Hell]], the [[messiah]], [[Satan]], feasts and fasts, [[parable]]s, legends, satirical assaults on those who practice [[idolatry]], etc.

Some of these midrashim entail mystical teachings. The presentation is such that the midrash is a simple lesson to the uninitiated and a direct allusion, or analogy, to a mystical teaching for those educated in this area.

{{Rabbinical eras timeline|0|220|Era_of_the_Tannaim}}