In contrast to early Jewish and also Christian biblical commentaries, where interpreters struggle and sometimes argue over the one true understanding of the sacred text, rabbinic exegesis is based on a completely different premise: Since God has given the Torah to His people once and for all, it must be possible to derive as many interpretations as possible that provide answers for the respective time and different life circumstances. Each rabbi contributes to this thanks to his scholarly expertise; the diversity of interpretations is welcomed, as it demonstrates the richness of divine revelation. A rabbinic Midrash like the Mekhilta, which interprets the biblical text verse by verse and sometimes even word by word, therefore gathers a vast array of possible interpretations. In the Mekhilta de-Rabbi Jishma'el, over ninety rabbis come together.