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9780805241136

The Book of Legends/Sefer Ha-Aggadah Legends from the Talmud and Midrash

by ;
  • ISBN13:

    9780805241136

  • ISBN10:

    0805241132

  • Format: Hardcover
  • Copyright: 1992-11-10
  • Publisher: Schocken

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Summary

The first complete English translation of the Hebrew classic Sefer Ha-Aggadah brings to the English-speaking world the greatest and best-loved anthology of classical Rabbinic literature ever compiled. First published in Odessa in 1908-11, it was recognized immediately as a masterwork in its own right, and reprinted numerous times in Israel. The Hebrew poet Hayim Nahman Bialik and the renowned editor Yehoshua Hana Ravnitzky, the architects of this masterful compendium, selected hundreds of texts from the Talmud and midrashic literature and arranged them thematically, in order to provide their contemporaries with easy access to the national literary heritage of the Jewish people -- the texts of Rabbinic Judaism that remain at the heart of Jewish literacy today. Bialik and Ravnitzky chose Aggadah -- the non-legal portions of the Talmud and Midrash -- for their anthology. Loosely translated as "legends", Aggadah includes the genres of biblical exegesis, stories about biblical characters, the lives of the Talmudic era sages and their contemporary history, parables, proverbs, and folklore. A captivating melange of wisdom and piety, fantasy and satire, Aggadah is the expressive medium of the Jewish creative genius. The arrangement of this compendium reflects the theological concerns of the Rabbinic sages: the role of Israel and the nations; God, good and evil; human relations; the world of nature; and the art of healing. Here, the reader who wants to explore traditional Jewish views on a particular subject is treated to a selection of relevant texts at his fingertips but will soon become immersed in a way of thinking, exploring, and questioning that is the hallmark of Jewish inquiry. "Whatever the imagination can invent is found in the Aggadah," wrote the historian Leopold Zunz, "its purpose always being to teach man the ways of God." The Book of Legends/Sefer Ha-Aggadah, now available in william Braude's superbly annotated translation, enables modern Jews to experience firsthand the richness and excitement of their cultural inheritance.

Author Biography

HAYIM NAHMAN BIALIK (1873-1934) is the leading Hebrew poet of the twentieth century. Born in the Ukraine, he moved to Odessa in 1891 where he was drawn to the circle of Ahad Ha'am. In 1921, he left Soviet Russia for Berlin  and emigrated to the land of Israel in 1924.

YEHOSHUA HANA RAVNITZKY (1859-1944) was a pioneer of modern Hebrew journalism and publishing. A native of Odessa, he became Bialik's closest collaborator. Together they founded the publishing house of Moriah, which brought forth the first edition of Sefer Ha-Aggadah in 1908-11. Ravnitzky settled in Tel Aviv in 1921, where he and Bialik subsequently founded the Dvir Publishing House.

Table of Contents

Publisher's Note xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Note on Transliteration xv
Introduction xvii
David Stern
PART I
Proem
The Meaning of Aggadah and of the Parable
3(1)
The Meaning of Aggadah and Halakhah
4(2)
The Work of Creation and the First Generations
The Creation of the World
6(1)
Heaven and Earth
7(2)
The Light
9(1)
The Water
10(1)
Grasses and Trees
11(1)
The Moon
11(1)
The Variety of Creatures
11(1)
Man
12(3)
The Upper Worlds and the Lower Worlds
15(1)
Things Created at Twilight on Sabbath Eve
16(1)
The Order of, and Changes in, the Work of Creation
16(1)
The Handiwork of the Holy One
17(1)
In the World's Praise
18(1)
Eve
19(1)
The Serpent and Sin
20(1)
The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge
21(1)
The Primeval Serpent
22(1)
Adam after the Sin
22(1)
Cain and Abel
23(2)
The Corruption of Succeeding Generations
25(1)
Noah
25(1)
The Generation of the Flood
25(2)
Noah and the Flood
27(2)
Nimrod and the Generation of the Dispersion of Mankind
29(2)
The Deeds of the Fathers
Our Father Abraham
31(4)
Abraham's Prayer and Sodom's Sins
35(2)
Abraham's Progeny
37(2)
The Binding of Isaac
39(3)
After the Death of Abraham
42(1)
Isaac, Rebekah, and Their Progeny
42(2)
Isaac's Blessing
44(1)
Our Father Jacob When He Left Beersheba
45(3)
Jacob, Esau, and the Angels
48(2)
The Portions of Jacob and Esau
50(1)
Rebekah's Death and Rachel's Burial
50(1)
The House of Jacob and the House of Esau
50(1)
Joseph and His Brothers
51(1)
The Going Down of Judah
51(1)
Joseph in Egypt
52(1)
Joseph before Pharaoh
52(1)
Joseph's Brothers in Egypt
53(2)
Joseph Makes Himself Known to His Brothers
55(1)
Jacob's Going Down to Egypt
56(1)
The Death and Burial of Jacob
56(2)
Israel in Egypt and the Departure From Egypt
The Servitude in Egypt
58(2)
The Birth and Growing Up of Moses
60(1)
Moses Goes Forth to His Brethren
61(1)
Moses in Midian
62(1)
The Groaning of the Children of Israel and the Mission of Moses
62(2)
Moses Returns to Egypt
64(1)
Moses before Pharaoh
64(1)
The Brutality of the Enslavement
65(1)
The Signs and the Plagues
66(4)
Events Preceding the Exodus
70(1)
The Spoils of Egypt
70(1)
Joseph's Coffin
70(1)
The Exodus from Egypt
71(1)
The Splitting of the Red Sea and the Plunder at the Sea
72(3)
Israel in the Wilderness
From Egypt into the Wilderness
75(1)
The Manna
75(1)
The Well
76(1)
Clouds of Glory
76(1)
Amalek's War
77(1)
The Giving of Torah
78(5)
Nadab and Abihu
83(1)
The Sin of the Golden Calf
83(3)
The Tabernacle and Its Vessels
86(2)
Israel's Journey and Encampment in the Wilderness
88(1)
The Scouts
89(2)
The Controversy of Korah and His Company
91(2)
The Waters of Meribah
93(1)
Litigious [Impertinent, and Suspicious] Persons
93(1)
Aaron
93(1)
Aaron's Death
94(1)
The Miracles in the Valley of Arnon
95(1)
Og, King of Bashan
96(1)
Balaam
96(1)
The Daughters of Zelophehad
97(1)
The War with Midian
98(1)
Israel's Provisioning in the Wilderness
99(1)
The End of the Forty Years in the Wilderness
99(1)
The Prophecy of Moses
100(1)
Eldad and Medad
100(1)
Moses and Joshua
101(1)
The Death of Moses
101(4)
Moses' Burial Place
105(1)
Judges, Kings, and Prophets
The Chosen Land
106(1)
Joshua
106(1)
In the Days When the Judges Judged
107(1)
The Prophetess Deborah
108(1)
Jephthah and His Daughter
109(1)
Samson
109(1)
Micah's Idol
110(1)
The Scroll of Ruth
111(2)
Elkanah and Hannah
113(1)
The Sons of Eli
114(1)
Samuel
114(1)
The Destruction of Shiloh
114(1)
The Sons of Samuel
115(1)
King Saul
116(1)
The Death of Saul
117(1)
David the Shepherd
117(1)
David and the Works of the Lord
118(1)
David's Harp
118(1)
David's Sin and Repentance
119(1)
David's Humility
119(1)
David and Abner
120(1)
David and Israel's Enemies
120(1)
David and His Son Absalom
121(1)
David and Ishbi-benob
121(1)
David's Death
122(1)
The Wisdom and Greatness of King Solomon
123(1)
Solomon as Builder
124(2)
Solomon's Throne
126(1)
Solomon and the Queen of Sheba
127(2)
Solomon---King and Commoner
129(2)
Jeroboam
131(1)
Omri and Ahab
132(1)
Elijah and the Worshipers of Baal
133(1)
Jonah
133(1)
The Banishment of the Ten Tribes
134(1)
The Cutheans [Samaritans]
135(1)
Hezekiah and the Fall of Sennacherib
135(4)
Hezekiah and Isaiah
139(1)
The Reward for the Three Steps Merodach-baladan Took
139(1)
Manasseh
140(1)
King Zedekiah
140(1)
Nebuchadnezzar
141(1)
Jehoiakim and Jeconiah
141(1)
The Destruction of the First Temple
The Destruction of the Temple
142(1)
The Ninth of Av
143(1)
Upon the Ruins of Jersalem
143(2)
The Departure of the Presence
145(1)
The Holy One Weeping
145(1)
Mourning by the Fathers
146(2)
The Blood of Zechariah
148(1)
The Sufferings of the Exiles
148(1)
By the Rivers of Babylon
149(1)
Yearnings
150(1)
Comforting
150(1)
The Era Between the First and Second Temples
Daniel and the Dragon in Babylon
151(1)
The Dead whom Ezekiel Brought Back to Life
151(1)
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah
151(1)
Ezra
152(1)
Men of the Great Assembly
152(1)
In the Days of Mordecai and Esther
152(1)
Deborah and Esther
153(1)
The Feast of Ahasuerus
153(1)
Bigthan and Teresh
153(1)
The Promotion of Haman
154(1)
Haman's Intention
154(1)
Haman's Slander and Ahasuerus's Decree
154(3)
The Fall of Haman and the Exaltation of Mordecai
157(2)
The Hanging of Haman
159(1)
The Second Temple---Its Structure and Its Service
The Temple in Its Glory
160(1)
The Hiding of the Ark
161(1)
The Crown of Priesthood
162(1)
Simeon the Righteous
162(1)
The Temple of Onias
163(1)
Alexandria's Synagogue with the Double Colonnade
163(1)
Priestly Families
164(2)
Alexander of Macedon
166(2)
The Servitude under Greece and the Jews Who Betrayed the Covenant
168(1)
The Mother of Children
169(1)
The House of the Hasmoneans
169(2)
Herod's Temple
171(1)
The Service in the Temple
172(2)
The Miracles in the Temple
174(1)
Diligent Priests
175(1)
The Paschal Lamb
175(1)
The Sheaf of the Omer (Lev. 23:9-11)
176(1)
The Bringing of the Firstfruits
177(1)
The Service of Yom Kippur [the Day of Atonement]
178(4)
The Lulav Cluster
182(1)
The Water Libation
182(1)
The Rejoicing at the Place of the Water-drawing
183(1)
The King's Passage in Scripture
183(1)
The Eighth Day Festival [Shemini Atzeret] and the Night Following the Seventh Day of Sukkot
184(1)
Festival Pilgrimage to Jerusalem
184(1)
Pilgrimage to Jerusalem during the Time of an Adverse Decree
185(1)
The Cleverness of the People of Jerusalem
185(4)
The Destruction of the Second Temple and the Land
The Years before the Destruction
189(1)
Why the Land Was Destroyed
189(6)
The Wickedness of Hadrian
195(1)
Zion's Precious Children
195(2)
The Holy One Mourns
197(1)
Menahem the Comforter
197(1)
The Mourners for Zion
198(1)
Since the Temple Was Destroyed
199(1)
Consolations
199(2)
PART II
The Deeds of the Sages
R. Simeon ben Shetah (fl. 1st century B.C.E.)
201(1)
Honi the Circle Maker and His Progeny (fl. 2d half of 1st century B.C.E.)
202(2)
Hillel the Elder (fl. end of 1st century B.C.E.)
204(3)
Akavia ben Mahalalel (fl. middle of 1st century C.E.)
207(1)
Rabban Gamaliel the Elder (fl. 20-50 C.E.)
207(1)
R. Zadok and His Son R. Eleazar (fl. 2d half of 1st century C.E.)
207(1)
The School of Shammai and the School of Hillel (middle of 1st century C.E.)
208(1)
Jonathan ben Uzziel (fl. middle of 1st century C.E.)
209(1)
Samuel the Little (fl. 1st century C.E.)
209(1)
Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai (1st century C.E.)
210(3)
R. Dosa ben Horkinas (fl. 1st century C.E.)
213(1)
R. Hanina ben Dosa (fl. 1st century C.E.)
214(2)
Rabban Gamaliel II (fl. 90-115 C.E.)
216(5)
R. Eliezer [the Elder] ben Hyrcanus (fl. 2d century C.E.)
221(5)
R. Joshua ben Hananiah (fl. ca. 90-130 C.E.)
226(4)
Nahum the Man of Gamzo (fl. ca. 90-130 C.E.)
230(1)
R. Tarfon (fl. ca. 110-35 C.E.)
231(1)
R. Akiva (fl. 95-135 C.E.)
232(6)
The Ten Martyrs
238(4)
R. Meir, Elisha ben Avuyah (Aher), Beruriah (fl. ca. 130-60 C.E.)
242(7)
R. Simeon ben Yohai (fl. ca. 130-60 C.E.) and His Son R. Eleazar (fl. end of 2d century C.E.)
249(5)
R. Yose ben Halafta (fl. 2d half of 2d century C.E.) and His Son R. Ishmael (fl. 1st half of 3d century C.E.)
254(2)
R. Judah bar Ilai (2d half of 2d century C.E.)
256(1)
R. Eleazar ben Shammua (fl. 2d half of 2d century C.E.) and His Son R. Simeon (1st third of 3d century C.E.)
257(2)
Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel II (2d half of 2d century C.E.)
259(1)
R. Phinehas ben Yair (1st third of 3d century C.E.)
260(1)
R. Judah I, the Patriarch (Rabbi, Our Holy Rabbi); R. Hiyya the Elder and His Sons (fl. last quarter of 2d century to beginning of 3d century C.E.)
261(9)
Bar Kappara (1st half of 3d century C.E.)
270(1)
R. Simeon ben Halafta (1st half of 3d century C.E.)
271(2)
R. Hanina bar Hama (fl. 1st half of 3d century C.E.)
273(2)
R. Oshaia the Elder ben R. Hama (fl. 1st half of 3d century C.E.)
275(1)
R. Joshua ben Levi (fl. 1st half of 3d century C.E.)
276(3)
R. Yohanan ben ha-Nappah (died ca. 279 C.E.) and R. Simeon ben Lakish [Resh Lakish] (2d half of 2d century C.E.)
279(6)
R. Judah [II] the Patriarch (R. Yudan the Patriarch) (fl. 225-53 C.E.)
285(2)
R. Eleazar ben Pedat (fl. 1st half of 4th century C.E.)
287(2)
R. Abbahu (fl. 1st half of 4th century C.E.)
289(3)
R. Zera (Ze'era) (fl. 1st half of 4th century C.E.)
292(3)
Rav (R. Abba bar Aibu) (fl. 219-47 C.E.)
295(4)
Samuel (fl. 219-54 C.E.)
299(2)
R. Judah (bar Ezekiel) (fl. 254-99 C.E.)
301(4)
R. Jeremiah (fl. middle of 4th century C.E.)
305(1)
R. Huna (fl. 257-97 C.E.)
306(2)
R. Hisda (died 300 C.E.)
308(2)
R. Sheshet (fl. 1st half of 4th century C.E.)
310(1)
R. Nahman [bar Jacob] (died 329 C.E.)
311(1)
Rabbah [bar Nahmani] (died 339 C.E.)
312(1)
R. Joseph (died 333 C.E.)
313(2)
Abbaye bar Kaylil (280-338/39 C.E.)
315(2)
Rava bar Joseph bar Hama (fl. 299-352 C.E.)
317(5)
R. Papa (died 375 C.E.)
322(2)
R. Ashi (fl. 352-427 C.E.)
324(1)
Patriarch and Exilarch
325(1)
The Merit of the Sages
326(1)
The Former and the Latter Generations
327(1)
The Sages of the Land of Israel and the Sages of Babylonia
328(1)
Sages at Their Going In and Their Coming Out of the House of Study
329(1)
The Death of Sages and Their Eulogies
330(3)
PART III
Israel and the Nations of the World
God's Love for Israel
333(2)
Between Israel and the Nations
335(3)
The Character of Israel
338(3)
Israel's Afflictions
341(1)
The Characteristics of Israel
342(1)
Transgressors in Israel
342(2)
Israel---One Cluster
344(1)
The Enemies and Friends of Israel
345(1)
Constellations Have No Power over Israel
346(1)
Israel Endure Forever
347(1)
The Purity of Families in Israel
348(1)
Proselytes in Israel
349(4)
Those Who Became Proselytes Because of Lions
353(1)
The Nations of the World
354(5)
The Land of Israel
The Land and Israel
359(1)
The Land and Its Settlement
359(3)
Love for the Land
362(1)
The Holiness of the Land
363(1)
Torah of the Land
363(1)
The Dimensions of the Land
364(1)
A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey
365(6)
Jersalem
371(3)
Language
The Sacred Tongue
374(1)
The Sacred Tongue and Other Languages
375(1)
Exactness in the Use of Language
376(1)
Exile
The Hardship of Exile and the Enslavement by Kingdoms
377(4)
Israel: An Object of Derision among the Nations
381(1)
The Holy One Is Partner in Israel's Travail
381(2)
The Guardian of Israel
383(1)
Watchman, What of the Night?
384(3)
Redemption and the Days of the Messiah
Archives of Travails and Archives of Deliverance
387(1)
The Merit of the Fathers
388(1)
The Time of Redemption
389(2)
The Footprints of the Messiah
391(2)
Redemption and the Ingathering of Exiles
393(1)
The Day of Darkness and Light
394(1)
The Messiah
395(4)
In the Time-To-Come
The Good That Is to Be
399(2)
Resurrection of the Dead
401(2)
Torah
On the Value and Study of Torah
403(6)
How Torah Is Acquired and in Whom It Maintains Itself
409(5)
Torah for Its Own Sake
414(1)
They Who Teach Torah and the Ways of Study
414(5)
They Who Study Torah and the Ways of Study
419(8)
Teacher and Companion: Attending upon [Sages in] Torah
427(2)
Honoring Torah and Those Who Study It
429(5)
The Disciple of the Wise and the Unlearned Person
434(6)
The Oral Torah
440(4)
Holy Writings and Other Books
444(5)
The Language of Torah and [the Aramaic] Targum
449(2)
Study and Practice
451(2)
The Precepts of Torah
453(11)
A Fence around the Torah
464(3)
Torah's Mysteries
467(2)
Wisdom, Prophecy, and Song
Wisdom
469(3)
Prophey and the Holy Spirit
472(9)
Song
481(5)
Sabbath, Feasts, and Fasts
Sabbath
486(7)
Hallowing the New Moon and Intercalating the Year
493(3)
New Year's Day and the Day of Atonement
496(2)
Pilgrimage Festivals
498(2)
Hanukkah and Purim
500(1)
The Scroll of Fasts
501(1)
Fasts
501(2)
PART IV
The Holy One, Blessed Be He, and Relations Between Human Beings and Him Who is Everywhere
The Holy One, Blessed Be He
503(8)
The Household Above
511(3)
Idolatry
514(3)
Heretics
517(4)
Between Man and Him Who Is Everywhere
521(2)
Prayer
523(10)
Benedictions
533(4)
Good and Evil
The Impulse to Good and the Impulse to Evil
537(6)
Precept and Transgression
543(3)
The Righteous and the Wicked
546(10)
Repentance
556(5)
Reward and Punishment
561(7)
The World-to-Come
568(1)
The Garden of Eden and Gehenna
569(6)
PART V
Man and His Needs
Man at His Birth, in His Old Age, and at His Death
575(9)
Man's Soul
584(1)
Man's Delight
585(2)
Food and Drink
587(3)
Proper Order and Manners at a Feast
590(2)
A Man's Clothing
592(1)
Bathing and Anointing
593(1)
Healing the Body
594(1)
Care of the Body
595(5)
Man's Sustenance---Poverty and Riches
600(5)
The Labor of Man's Hands
605(4)
Work on the Land and the Give-and-Take of Business
609(5)
A Man's Household
Marriage
614(10)
A Woman's Character
624(4)
Matters between Husband and Wife
628(4)
Children and the Rearing of Children
632(6)
Honoring Father and Mother
638(4)
Between Man and Man
The Right Course and a Good Name
642(1)
The Honor to Be Accorded to One's Fellow Man
643(3)
Love of Fellow Man and Hatred of Fellow Man
646(1)
A Companion
647(1)
Rules of Conduct and Good Manners Required between a Man and His Fellow
648(3)
Theft, Robbery, and Bloodshed
651(4)
Wronging [Overreaching] and Deception
655(3)
Returning a Lost Article
658(2)
Workmen and Slaves
660(3)
Compassion for God's Creatures
663(1)
Charity
664(7)
The Ways of Charity
671(4)
Collectors for Charity
675(1)
Bringing Up Orphans and Redeeming Captives
676(1)
Deeds of Loving-Kindness
677(2)
Hospitality to Wayfarers
679(3)
Saving an Endangered Life
682(1)
Visiting the Sick
683(1)
Burying the Dead and Comforting the Mourners
684(6)
Traits and Attitudes
Peace and Strife
690(2)
Charitable Judgment and Suspicion
692(1)
Reproof, Flattery, and Hypocrisy
693(3)
Slander and Disclosing Another's Secret
696(4)
Truth and Falsehood, Vows and Oaths
700(2)
Refined Speech and Lascivious Talk
702(2)
Silence and Speech
704(2)
Anger
706(1)
Humility and Pride
707(5)
Shamefacedness and Brazenness
712(1)
Joy and Sadness, Frivolity and Levity
712(3)
Resignation to Suffering
715(4)
Analysis of Human Traits
719(3)
The Community, the State and Their Requirements
The Individual and the Community
722(1)
They Who Labor for the Community and Endeavor to Benefit Its People
722(1)
The Leader of a Community
723(6)
The King
729(4)
Judgment and Judges
733(4)
Taking Bribes and Showing Favor
737(4)
Compromise [Arbitration] and Going Beyond the Letter of the Law
741(1)
Courts and Judicial Procedure
742(4)
Cities of Refuge
746(1)
For the Public Weal
747(2)
Widespread Trouble and the Community's Fast
749(8)
Warfare
757(2)
PART VI
The World and All That it Holds
The World
759(2)
Heaven and the Luminaries
761(3)
The Earth
764(1)
Lightnings and Thunders, Clouds and Rains, Rainbows and Earthquakes
765(2)
Fire and Wind
767(2)
Seas and Rivers
769(2)
Gold and Precious Stones
771(1)
Grasses and Trees
771(2)
Various Kinds of Creatures
773(2)
Fowl
775(1)
Reptiles and Creeping Things
776(4)
Domesticated and Wild Animals
780(4)
Travelers' Tales
784(2)
Human Beings
786(3)
Matters Pertaining to Divination and Healing
The Influence of Constellations
789(1)
Dreams
790(2)
Destructive Forces That Afflict Mankind
792(2)
Sorceries and Optical Illusion
794(2)
Whispered Charms and Sundry Kinds of Healing
796(7)
The Ways of the Amorites and Omens
803(2)
The Evil Eye
805(2)
Parables, Proverbs, And Sayings
Parables
807(4)
A Miscellany
Series of Matters Set Forth by Number
811(4)
Sundry Matters
815(4)
Glossary 819(3)
References 822(5)
Abbreviations of Tractates
822(1)
Other Sources
822(5)
Index of Names and Subjects 827(58)
Index of Biblical References 885

Supplemental Materials

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