R Sholom,
In response to Matthew Millers query:
Recognizing that Midrash is part of our Torah ShBaal Peh, and one of the greatest sources of Maamarei Chazal, which we base our Jewish lives on, I find it difficult to categorize any Midrashim as Outlandish, Crazy or Insane. They may be difficult to understand, but they are not insane.
If insanity were part and parcel of Chazals messages to us, we would then have to employ our own litmus test to every halacha and Midrash, and determine sane or insane, creating our own pick and chose form of Judaism. Furthermore, my own rational understanding of one statement may be stark lunacy to another person, so that everyone follows their own personal Torah.
That being said, there are certainly many Midrashim that are eye-raising, and perhaps even outlandish. Many refer to these as Midrash Pliah, from the root peleh (wondrous). If you are seeking to show students that even these Midrashim and Aggadot are filled with deeper meaning, I would suggest Rabbi Aharon Feldmans The Juggler and the King and a fascinating Shiur by Rabbi Yakov Weinberg on the topic of understanding Midrashim literally (or not), accessible here: [
aishaudio.com] .
Kol Tuv,
Isaac Entin
Phoenix Hebrew Academy
