The Midrash Va-Yosha belongs to the rabbinic literature of the Middle Ages, providing a commentary to the Bible passages Genesis 22 (Binding of Isaac) and Exodus 15 (Song by the Red Sea). It also includes folkloristic traditions and historical events. The different variations of the text are based on the compilation and comparison of several hand-written manuscripts. The result is a picture of mediaeval life in central Europe with roots that stretch beyond the world of the synagogue.