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, including suffering, theodicy, atonement and story of Torah.
Each story is accompanied by a brief analysis of the story's principal themes, meaning and literary character, while accompanying notes explain technical terms and references. In addition, to underscore the oral nature of the stories, the author offers translations of several versions of the same story, showing how later versions are more embellished and elaborate. The book treats the rabbinic stories not as accurate history, but as didactic fictions that model character, teach virtue and provide lessons.
There is no standard corpus of rabbinic stories available, says Rubenstein, and therefore this volume is a unique resource for courses on Judaism and rabbinic culture, comparative religions and religious narrative. Anyone interested in Jewish culture, early Christianity, folklore and Late Antique culture will find it to be fascinating reading as well.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
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... more info
Great Stories, Disappointing Book:
Despite the superb quality of the rabbinic stories themselves, I found this book a tremendous disappointment. The first problem is with the selection of stories for this volume. Rubenstein would like to provide a "standard corpus" of rabbinic stories, yet he states at the outset that he has selected only stories about the sages themselves and has excluded stories that expand on biblical narratives (p.4). Maybe this decision can be justified, but Rubenstein makes no attempt to do so, and as a result leaves... more info
