For a scholarly work, Levirate Marriage and the Family in Ancient Judaism makes for easy reading. Weisberg keeps scholarly jargon to a minimum, which allows readers to grapple with the material, rather than the language. Anyone interested in the Jewish family in ancient times or in how rabbinic Judaism reconstructed the Bible will find this work of great interest.” —The Reporter (Vestal, NY)
“[Weisberg’s] line-by-line textual analysis is freshened and illuminated by insights from anthropologists who have studied similar institutions in other cultures, especially among African tribes. There are some interesting insights into what the rabbis thought about family, the tension between a married couple and their extended network of relatives, and the different interests and intrigues that can complicate that situation.”—Jewish Book World
“[Weisberg’s] book is accessible for general religion scholars and for scholars of anthropology. This book would be a good addition to a cross-cultural course on marriage, ancient to modern. . . . In combining an anthropological with a chronological approach, Weisberg’s book cautions us that when we examine how rabbinic interpretation transforms scriptural practice, we need to give attention to the ways in which a far-reaching comparative lens helps us to make sense of the cultural significance of those transformations.” —H-Net Reviews
“Weisberg put a great deal of labour and love into this work. The argument is nuanced, clear, and compelling. The prose is flowing, and the research is thorough. Levirate Marriage and the Family in Ancient Judaism was a pleasure to read and deserves a central place within the growing body of scholarly literature on the family in ancient Judaism.”—Women in Judaism: A Multidisciplinary Journal
“Weisberg’s book is a useful contribution to the study of levirate and rabbinic conceptions of family. The book is well researched and contains many valuable insights.”—Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies
“Weisberg's close analysis of the rabbinic texts gives us a fascinating view of how the rabbis looked at family structure, kinship, and inheritance.”—JOFA: Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance
“This is a well written, scholarly work that keeps academic jargon to a minimum. The book draws on rabbinic sources but it also incorporates insights from comparative anthropologists and sociologists. It is recommended for all academic and Jewish libraries.”—Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter
“Weisberg’s book . . . strikes a balance between a keen awareness and respect for the ancient text, on the one hand, and an ability to elucidate that text and come to significant conclusions, on the other, while breaking new ground in English-language scholarship. Too many scholarly works show a lack of patience for writing a good conclusion, but Weisberg ends the book with a superb concluding chapter, in which she draws together the main themes treated in the book in an elegant and convincing manner.”—Nashim: A Journal of Jewish Women’s Studies and Gender Issues
