Rabbinic Stories

Bys: Jeffrey L. Rubenstein and Shaye J. D. Cohen

Book Overview

In an appealing contribution to the Classics of Western Spirituality, Jeffrey Rubenstein has translated stories from the main works of classical rabbinic literature that were produced by Jewish sages between 200-600 C.E. The narratives include stories, legends, anecdotes and other traditions that relate to basic rabbinic values and practical concerns--charity, good deeds, marriage and children; and those that address important theological question,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0809140241
• ISBN13: 9780809140244
• Release Date: May 2002
• Publisher: Paulist Press
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.2" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

More than Stories

What is the Talmud? Who put it together, and why? If you are curious about those questions, this book is an excellent choice. Rubenstein takes a literary approach to a number of key stories in the Talmud and uses them to examine the Sages of the Babylonian Academies. The only quibble I have with this book is the title: "Rabbinic Stories." Perhaps the reason it was chosen had to do with the project of fitting the book into the "Classics of Western Spirituality" series -- and this book, is, admittedly, a rather odd fit into that series. It is not just a collection of well-translated stories -- it is a collection of essays as well, essays that make a difficult set of texts much more lucid. If you want a sense of the lives and intentions of the rabbis who created the Talmud, this is an excellent book.