Stories of the Babylonian Talmud

by Jeffrey L. Rubenstein

"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 reconst