From Heb., darash, “inquire,” also meaning “interpretation” or “exposition.” These are works resulting from the elaboration on a biblical text in the form of legal, exegetical, or homiletical commentaries. The term is currently used to designate specifically the sort of exegesis practiced by the Rabbis of antiquity and contained in such works as the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds as well as various collections of rabbinic exegesis, such as the Mekhiltas, Sifrei Deuteronomy, Genesis Rabbah, Exodus Rabbah, Leviticus Rabbah, Numbers Rabbah, Deuteronomy Rabbah, and dozens of others. Midrash is also often used as the title of such collections of exegesis, such as Midrash ha-Gadol, Midrash Tanchuma, and so forth. Literary midrash may focus either on halakhah, concerning specific patterns of religious practice, or on aggadah, dealing with theological ideas, ethical teachings, popular philosophy, imaginative exposition, legend, allegory, animal fables, and so on—that is, whatever is not halakhah. (Midrashim, pl.).