Genesis Rabbah in Text and Context

by Sarit Kattan Gribetz (Editor), David M Grossberg (Editor), Martha Himmelfarb (Editor), Peter Schafer (Editor)

Overview

Genesis Rabbah, the earliest rabbinic commentary on Genesis, was composed in Roman Palestine around the 5th century CE. In this volume, an international team of scholars explores the literary formation and textual transmission of this work in late antiquity, and the historical, cultural, religious, and political contexts from which it emerged. The collection aims to advance scholarly conversations about the classical rabbinic corpus; midrash; religions of late antiquity; interactions between Jews, Christians, and others in the Greco-Roman world; and the reception of Genesis Rabbah in medieval and modern times. Contributors: Carol Bakhos, Sarit Kattan Gribetz, David M. Grossberg, Martha Himmelfarb, Marc Hirshman, Laura Lieber, Joshua Levinson, Martin Lockshin, Chaim Milikowsky, Maren Niehoff, Peter Schafer, Michael Sokoloff

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783161547027
Publisher:	Mohr Siebeck
Publication date:	12/01/2016
Series:	Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism , #166
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.57(w) x 9.13(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Preface v

Abbreviations ix

Introduction: Genesis Rabbah, a Great Beginning Sarit Kattan Gribetz David M. Grossberg 1

The Major Manuscripts of Genesis Rabbah Michael Sokoloff 23

Between Narrative and Polemic: The Sabbath in Genesis Rabbah and the Babylonian Talmud Sarit Kattan Gribetz 33

Genesis Kabbah's Enoch Peter Schäfer 63

Into the Workshop of the Homilist: A Comparison of Genesis Rabbah 33:1 and Leviticus Rabbah 27:1 Chaim Milikowsky 81

Abraham and the Messianism of Genesis Rabbah Martha Himmelfarb 99

The Family of Abraham in Genesis Rabbah Carol Bakhos 115

Origen's Commentary on Genesis as a key to Genesis Rabbah Maren Nieboff 129

Stage Mothers: Performing the Matriarchs in Genesis Rabbah and Yannai Laura Lieber 155

Composition and Transmission of the Exegetical Narrative in Genesis Rabbah Joshua Levinson 175

On Plane Trees and the Palatine Hill: Rabbi Yishmael and the Samaritan in Genesis Rabbah and the later Palestinian Rabbinic Tradition David M. Grossberg 195

Peshat in Genesis Rabbah Martin Lockshin 213

The Final Chapters of Genesis Rabbah Marc Hirshman 233

Bibliography 243

Contributors 263

Index of Primary Sources 265

Index of Modern Authors 280

Index of Subjects 284