Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg)

2,650 texts · Page 137 of 295

Selections from Louis Ginzberg's monumental Legends of the Jews, a seven-volume compilation that weaves together aggadic material from the Talmud, Midrash, and other rabbinic literature into a continuous narrative.

Kikanos's Transgression

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 4:99

It involves Kikanos, a conquering hero returning home, only to find… the gates barred against him. Imagine this: Kikanos, fresh from quelling rebellious nations, leads his victorio...

Holy Land

Moses: The Burning Bush

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 4:101

We often think of the burning bush, the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea. But what about the years before all that? Ginzberg, in his Legends of the Jews, paints a fascinating pi...

JosephMosesSabbathEgypt

Death of Kikanos

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 4:102

That’s the situation the warriors found themselves in after the death of their leader, Kikanos. The Legends of the Jews recounts their despair, and it’s palpable. Imagine: nine lon...

Death

Giving of the Torah

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 4:105

Not for your strength, but for your character. That's the story of Moses, as he became king of Ethiopia. It's a wild tale, isn’t it? We often think of Moses leading the Israelites ...

MosesElijah

Giving of the Torah and Ethiopia

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 4:106

Not just the Moses who led the Israelites out of Egypt, received the Torah, and spoke to God face-to-face. But a Moses who was also a conquering king in Ethiopia? It sounds wild, d...

MosesSabbathShabbat

Teachings of Moses and the Serpent

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 4:108

According to Legends of the Jews, as retold by Ginzberg, Moses was the one who devised the plan to rid the city of the snakes. It all hinged on the clever use of... storks. Yes, yo...

Moses

Balaam and Noah

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 4:110

We often think of Balaam as the sorcerer hired to curse the Israelites, and Jannes and Jambres as the magicians who opposed Moses in Pharaoh’s court, but they had lives, families, ...

Noah & FloodPatriarchsJosephMoses

Ethiopia: Giving of the Torah

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 4:113

We know the story of the Exodus, the parting of the Red Sea, and the giving of the Torah at Sinai. But what about those missing years? Jewish tradition is filled with fascinating s...

JosephMosesEgyptJudgment

Legend of Moses and Israelites

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 4:114

Loyalty to a leader you trust, versus the allure of the familiar. That's exactly where the Israelites found themselves in this little-known story about Moses. We all know Moses led...

MosesCovenant