Sage Tales: Wisdom and Wonder from the Rabbis of the Talmud
These ancient stories whisper truth to your soul.
Great stories have the power to draw the heart. But certain stories have the power to draw the heart to God and awaken the better angels of our nature. Such are the tales of the rabbis of the Talmud, colorful, quirky yarns that tug at our heartstrings and test our values, ethics, morality—and our imaginations.
In this collection for people of all faiths and backgrounds, Rabbi Burton Visotzky draws on four decades of telling and teaching these legends in order to unlock their wisdom for the contemporary heart. He introduces you to the cast of characters, explains their motivations, and provides the historical background needed to penetrate the wise lessons often hidden within these unusual narratives.
In learning how and why these oft-told tales were spun, you discover how they continue to hold value for our lives.
We earn a commission for purchases made through the following links.
Book details
- Author
- Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky
- Imprint
- Jewish Lights, an imprint of Turner Publishing Company
- Published
- Pages
- 252
- Formats
- Hardcover, Paperback
- Subjects
- Religion › Judaism
Religion › Judaism › Talmud - Topics
- rabbinic stories · Jewish spirituality · Jewish wisdom · Jewish ethics · history of Judaism · interfaith appeal
- ISBN-13
- 9781580234566 (Hardcover)9781580237918 (Paperback)
About the author
RABBI BURTON L. VISOTZKY is Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and the author of nine other books, including Sage Tales: Wisdom and Wonder from the Rabbis of the Talmud and Reading the Book: Making the Bible a Timeless Text.
Visotzky was named one of Forward’s top fifty Jewish leaders in America. He serves as director of the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies and of the Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
When not writing, Visotzky consults with and appears as a featured participant in public media, including the PBS television series Genesis: A Living Conversation with Bill Moyers, and lectures as a scholar-in-residence in synagogues, churches, and mosques throughout North America.