Stories of the Babylonian Talmud
By: Jeffrey L. Rubenstein.
Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press
Published: 2010
Place of publication: Baltimore
Language: eng
Number of pages: 316
ISBN-13: 9780801894497
Subjects: Aggada -- History and criticism; Narration in rabbinical literature; Talmud -- Criticism, Textual; Rabbinical literature -- Translations into English
Genres: Translations into English
Description: "This is a mature work, in which the author invested much labor and thourht. The thoroughenss, methodical diversity, and Scholarly discretion can serve as a model of the demanding standards that are to be expected for serious research into rabbinic literature."--Journal of the American Academy of Raligion.

"A distinctive and nuanced analysis of six narratives from the Babylonian Talmud...Rubenstein's anlyses are careful and thorough, and he argues his points well. In addition, Talmudic Stories opens up a host of new challenges."--Hebrew Studies.

"A picture of the inner life of rabbinic academies in late-antique Babylonia (now Iraq) ... This book is important for all libraries with collections in Judaic or ancient religion."--Choice.

"[Rubenstein's] style of writing is remarkably clear and deserves special recognition ... His familiarity with the aggadot he analyzes, his precise translations, and his clear analysis make the book a pleasure to read. His historical conjectures and reconstructions make it a must."--Journal of Biblical Literature.

"Rubenstein remains a dynamic, productive scholar, whose future woks should be looked forward to with anticipation and interes."--Journal of jewish Studies.

Jeffrey L. Rubenstein continues his grand exploratin of the ancient rabbinic tradition of the Talmudic sages, offering deep and complex analysis of eight stories from the Babylonian Talmud to reconstruct the cultural and religious world of the Babylonian rabbinic academy.

Rubenstein combines a close textural and literary examination of each story with a careful comparison to earlier versions from other rabbinic cmpliations; This unique approach provids insight not only into the meaning and content of the current from of the stories but also into how redactors reworked those earlier verions to address contemporary moral and religions issues. Rubenstein's analysis uncovers the literary methods used to compose the Talmud and sheds light on the cultureal and theological perspectives of the Stammaim--the anonymous editor-redactors of teh Babylonian Talmud.

Rubensteing aso uses these storis as a window into understading more boradly the culture of the late Babylonian rabbinic academy, a hierarchically organized and competitive institution where sages studied the Torah. Several of the stories he studies here describe the dynamics of life in the academy: master-disciple relationships, collegiality and rivalry, and the struggle for leadership positions. Others elucidate the worldview of the Stammaim, including their perspectives on astrology, theodicy, and revelation.

The third installment of Rubenstein's trilogy of works on the subject, stories of the Babylonian Talmud is essential reading for all studnets of the Talmud and rabbinic Judiasm --Book Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: The shaming of Abdan: Yevamot 105b; title: Ilfa's desperate challenge: Taanit 21a; title: Honi's long sleep: Taanit 23a; title: R. Tsadoq's firstling: Genesis of a Talmudic story: Berakhot 27b-28a, Bekhorot 36a; title: A warning to disciples: manners and mutilation: Hagigah 3a-b; title: A warning to masters: rebuff and rejection: Sotah 47a; title: Stammaitic astrology: Shabbat 156b; title: Theodicy and Torah: Menahot 29b; title: Conclusion.