Midrash unbound : transformations and innovations / edited by Michael Fishbane and Joanna Weinberg.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Fishbane, Michael, 1943-

Weinberg, Joanna, 1949-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Midrash--History and criticism.

Midrash.

Genre:

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Physical Description:

vi, 472 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Portland, Oregon : The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, 2013.

Summary:

Haym Soloveitchik's principal concern is with stimuli to change in the unfolding of halakhic ideas. Basing himself here on studies of Rashi and the Tosafists, usury and moneylending, and the ban on Gentile wine, he shows how the line between adaptation and deviance is a fine one, and that where a society draws that line is revelatory of both its values and its self-perception. A fascinating study in the development of halakhic thought and Ashkenazi. Sa'adyah Gaon was an outstanding tenth-century Jewish thinker who was a pioneer in the fields in which he toiled and an inspiration for later Jewish writers. This study brings out the revolution aspects of his writing and its characteristic features while setting it in the context of his times, with each aspect of his work being considered in turn. An Epilogue Sums up his importance in medieval Jewish culture. The influence on Jewish thinking of Rashi's commentaries on the Bible and the Talmud remains unsurpassed. This biographical study presents a masterly survey of the social and cultural background of Rashi's work, his personality, his reputation, and his influence, while also considering his sources, his interpretative methods, his innovations, and his style and language. The central contribution, however, is the in-depth analysis of Rashi's world-view, which leads to conclusions that are likely to stimulate much debate. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I Origins and Sub Surface Traditions

1 Midrash and the Meaning of Scripture / Michael Fishbane Fishbane, Michael 13

2 The Hand upon the Lord's Throne: Targumic and Midrashic Perceptions of Exodus 17: 14-16 / Robert Hay Ward Ward, Robert Hay 25

3 Unwashed Hands: A Midrashic Controversy in the Gospel of Matthew / Piet Van Boxel Boxel, Piet Van 41

4 'Tradunt Hebraei': The Problem of the Function and Reception of Jewish Midrash in Jerome / Alison Salvesen Salvesen, Alison 57

5 Midrash in Syriac / Sebastian Brock Brock, Sebastian 83

Part II Later Midrashic Forms

6 Piyut and Midrash: Between Poetic Invention and Rabbinic Convention / Michael Fishbane Fishbane, Michael 99

7 The Mourners for Zion and the Suffering Messiah: Pesikta rabati 34-Structure, Theology, and Context / Philip Alexander Alexander, Philip 137

8 The Toledot yeshu as Midrash / William Horbury Horbury, William 159

9 Storytelling as Midrashic Discourse in the Middle Ages / Eli Yassif Yassif, Eli 169

10 Performative Midrash in the Memory of Ashkenazi Martyrs / Ivan G. Marcus Marcus, Ivan G. 197

Part III Medieval Transformations

11 Midrash in a Lexical Key: Nathan ben Yehiel's Arukh / Joanna Weinberg Weinberg, Joanna 213

12 Rashi's Choice: The Pentateuch Commentary as Rewritten Midrash / Ivan G. Marcus Marcus, Ivan G. 233

13 The Pendulum of Exegetical Methodology: From Peshat to Derash and Back / Sara Japhet Japhet, Sara 249

14 Midrashic Texts and Methods in Tosafist Torah Commentaries / Ephraim Kanarfogel Kanarfogel, Ephraim 267

15 Zoharic Literature and Midrashic Temporality / Elliot Wolfson Wolfson, Elliot 321

Part IV Early Modern and Modern Traditions

16 The Ingathering of Midrash Rabbah: A Moment of Creativity and Innovation / Benjamin Williams Williams, Benjamin 347

17 Midrash in Medieval and Early Modern Sermons / Marc Saperstein Saperstein, Marc 371

18 Rabbi Judah Loew of Prague and his Attitude to the Aggadah / Jacob Elbaum Elbaum, Jacob 389

19 The Destruction of the Temple: A Yiddish Booklet for the Ninth of Av / Jacob Elbaum Elbaum, Jacob, Chava Turniansky Turniansky, Chava 407

20 Midrash in Habad Hasidism / Naftali Loewenthal Loewenthal, Naftali 429.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781904113713

1904113710

OCLC:

176925629