Jewish Legends

A clear and well-illustrated guide to the main characters and legends of Judaism This book captures the richness and vitality of traditional Jewish culture: a web of legend, folklore and superstition that is crucial to understanding Judaism. Topics include Jewish law, literature and poetry; the festivals of the Jewish year; the languages and sub-groups within the Jewish community; and the many countries that Jews have lived in. The book also reveals another side of Judaism, a world populated by angels and demons, sages and Kabbalists, and creatures unknown to zoologists.

Bible Legends explores the rich crop of legends that occur in the Old Testament, many of which are the key to the richest literary and artistic traditions of the western world. Real people emerge from these familiar (and not so familiar) stories: Adam's ascent into Heaven in a chariot; Abraham's trial by fire; Jonah's adventure in the whale; Solomon as a beggar; the wooing of Rebekah; the life of Moses; David and Goliath; Cain and Abel. In this fascinating book, Louis Ginzberg presents the Bible's spiritual values in new colours and dimensions. This is storytelling with a grain of salt and a lot of wit. These tales sprang from the ancient oral tradition and changed the daily thoughts and deeds of a hundred generations; here, their power and truth is examined

Never Before Available in Paperback, Louis Ginzberg's landmark seven-volume The Legends of the Jews assembles the many elaborations and embellishments of Biblical stories that flourished in the centuries following the Bible's own creation. Ginzberg devoted most of his life to gathering these legends from their original sources - written in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Syrian, Aramaic, Ethiopic, Arabic, Persian, and Old Slavic - and reproducing them completely, accurately, and vividly. He presents them in their traditional Biblical sequence and reconciles the sometimes contradictory versions of the same stories found in different sources. In addition to four volumes of the legends themselves, The Legends of the Jews includes two indispensable volumes of notes, which provide the sources for every legend, as well as a comprehensive index to the people, places, and motifs found in the legends and their sources.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Louis Ginzberg's "The Legends of the Jews — Vol. 2" is a thorough and influential study. Some stories are brutal and weird, while others creep up on you and draw you in slowly. Because the title character is so indulgent, readers are forced to keep reading to find out what happens next. This historical book is a wonderful compilation of concepts that have been condensed into a single draft for readers of all ages to read. This multi-volume series contains a plethora of Jewish folklore, myths, and stories spanning the centuries from the beginning of recorded history to the conclusion of the biblical era. Vol. 2, "Bible Times and Characters from Creation to Jacob," goes into the oldest stories in the Hebrew Bible. This edition of "The Legends of the Jews — Vol. 2" is both current and legible, with an eye-catching new cover and professionally typeset copy. Ginzberg meticulously weaves together a diverse range of materials, including Talmudic and Midrashic literature, to recreate and build on Old Testament episodes. His literature provides readers with a strong understanding of the cultural and religious roots of Jewish traditions, as well as insights into the moral, ethical, and theological components of these stories.