Theology in Rabbinic Stories

This book is a delightful collection of rabbinic stories that cover a wide breadth of the Torah and related writings. Grouped by topic, the stories are easy to read and enjoyable to visualize. Written for the layman and largely anecdotal, I would recommend this book to anyone trying to get a flavor for the oral tradition in written form.

THEOLOGY IN RABBINIC STORIES is a compact volume of some of the great teachings and stories from the great Jewish rabbis with a short commentary on each buy the author. Each story is concise and the commentaries add light and understanding of these stories. Since I am not trained in the rabbinic tradition, I cannot say how helpful these commentaries would be to the Jewish reader, but I can attest that the basic explanations will be especially helpful for non-Jewish readers. I purchased this book when it was first published. I have used it as a resource for preaching and to illustrate Bible study lessons from the Hebrew scriptures. As a Catholic, I look at the entire Bible in terms of Jesus Christ, but I have found that I get a richer understanding oaf the Hebrew Scriptures if I try and read them and understand them the same way that Jesus, a practicing and faithful Jew, would have read and understood these stories. Since the rabbinic tradition was in its formative stages in Jesus' lifetime, at least a minimal understanding of this tradition is essential for understanding Jesus Christ. A minimal understanding is needed for the most basic of inter-religious dialogue as well. This book provides such an explanation. A word for anyone involved in preaching or teaching. At times we all feel as if we are saying the same thing over and over again, our congregations feel as if we're saying the same thing over and over again, and deep down we know that this can be true. I have found when I am getting repetitious I need to find something interesting and different to say. This is one of the volumes that I can turn to and find something different to say. I find a story and a commentary that can easily be applied to so much of scripture. This is definitely one of those volumes that provides great material again and again.

There is a tremendous pleasure in learning with this book. Rabbi Pearl tells stories of the sages, and through them teaches principles of Jewish thought. This work is written so clearly and the stories are told with such great vividness that the ideas come with particular force and conviction. This was Rabbi Pearl's final work. And it represents truly his legacy, a legacy that included deep love of Jewish learning, and a fundamental menschlichkeit ( human goodness) that pervaded everything he did. I believe this book should be in every Jewish library. And I believe that non- Jews who wish to understand Judaism truly should definitely read this work.