Recherche – Detailansicht

Ausgabe:

Juni/2022

Spalte:

547–549

Kategorie:

Judaistik

Autor/Hrsg.:

Balberg, Mira, and Haim Weiss

Titel/Untertitel:

When Near Becomes Far. Old Age in Rabbinic Literature.

Verlag:

Oxford u. a.: Oxford University Press 2021. X, 221 S. Geb. US$ 99,00. ISBN 9780197501481.

Rezensent:

Catherine Hezser

This excellent book provides the first proper study of old age in classical rabbinic literature, a topic that had been dealt with previously only in connection with the human life cycle and death and mourning. As an »excessive element« in mostly Babylonian Talmudic narratives of literary artistry (old) age provides a lens through which these texts can be read in innovative ways, revealing rabbis’ hopes and ideals as well as fears and prejudices. The authors – Mira Balberg and Haim Weis – show that »rabbinic texts in general and the Babylonian Talmud in particular offer some of the richest and most audacious observations on aging in ancient world literature« (3). Their cultural historical approach not only provides new perspectives on the ancient texts but also draws connections ...


Lesen sie als Abonnent weiter:

Recherche – Anmeldung