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A Bride for One Night: Talmud Tales
Browse discussion questions Ruth Calderon has recently electrified the Jewish world with her teachings of talmudic texts. In this volume, her first to appear in English, she offers a fascinating window into some of the liveliest and most colorful stories in the Talmud. Calderon rewrites talmudic tales as richly imagined fictions, drawing us into the lives of such characters as the woman who risks her life for a sister suspected of adultery; a humble schoolteacher who rescues his village from drought; and a wife who dresses as a prostitute to seduce her pious husband in their garden. Breathing new life into an ancient text, A Bride for One Night offers a surprising and provocative read, both for anyone already intimate with the Talmud or for anyone interested in one of the most influential works of Jewish literature.
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
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569 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Calderon
6 books8 followersRuth Calderon (Hebrew: רות קלדרון, born 25 September 1961) is an Israeli academic and politician. She served as a member of Knesset for Yesh Atid between 2013 and 2015.
Ruth Calderon was born in Tel Aviv to a Sephardic father who emigrated to British controlled Mandatory Palestine from Bulgaria and an Ashkenazi mother originally from Germany. She grew up in what she describes as "a very Jewish, very Zionist, secular-traditional-religious home that combined Ashkenaz and Sepharad, Betar and Hashomer Hatzair," and attended public schools.[1]
She earned a BA at Oranim Academic College and the University of Haifa, and went on to earn her MA and Ph.D. degrees in Talmud from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1989, she established the first Israeli secular, pluralistic and egalitarian Beth Midrash for women and men.[2] In 1996 she founded ALMA, which seeks to acquaint secular Israelis with Hebrew culture. She hosted a TV show on Channel 2 that invited guests to discuss classic and modern Jewish texts.
Calderon has three children.
Ruth Calderon was born in Tel Aviv to a Sephardic father who emigrated to British controlled Mandatory Palestine from Bulgaria and an Ashkenazi mother originally from Germany. She grew up in what she describes as "a very Jewish, very Zionist, secular-traditional-religious home that combined Ashkenaz and Sepharad, Betar and Hashomer Hatzair," and attended public schools.[1]
She earned a BA at Oranim Academic College and the University of Haifa, and went on to earn her MA and Ph.D. degrees in Talmud from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1989, she established the first Israeli secular, pluralistic and egalitarian Beth Midrash for women and men.[2] In 1996 she founded ALMA, which seeks to acquaint secular Israelis with Hebrew culture. She hosted a TV show on Channel 2 that invited guests to discuss classic and modern Jewish texts.
Calderon has three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
January 11, 2018
The author re-tells ancient rabbinical stories according to her own unique interpretations, "Reflections on the Story". I did not enjoy the book, and I cannot say exactly why. Her interpretations just did not resonate with me.
January 2, 2015
Calderon, a feminist teacher of the Talmud to secular Israelis and a member of the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, selects 17 tales from the Talmud. For each, she first presents the actual story, which is usually just 6 to 12 lines; then she imaginatively retells the story in expanded form; finally, she offers commentary.
The Talmud may be an unlikely source, but Calderon skips over the legal parts and the Torah exegesis and extracts stories that are nuggets of intra- and interpersonal conflict. She guides us into looking deeply into each story for the implicit problem it conveys, for the implied critical message that we can read from it, or in some cases, for the critical message that we can read into it if, as Walter Benjamin once suggested, we read “against the grain”. Reading with this approach, we see that these stories can be seen as cautionary tales about the dangers of some rabbis’ overly ascetic lifestyle, about the conflict between being in the world or setting oneself apart from the world, about love and friendship, and other questions.
We have, in the title story, prominent rabbis who, when visiting a far away town for their judicial duties, take a temporary bride for one night; in other stories, a wife who dresses herself up as a harlot to seduce her husband; a kindergarten teacher whose devoted way of teaching gives him the power to stop a drought; a rabbi who enlists a disciple to seduce his wife to test her constancy; a touching tale about that same rabbi, Rabbi Meir’s, friendship with the apostate, Elisha be Abuyah; and so on.
What can we take away from these stories, given that the rabbinic milieu and lifestyle are so far removed from ours today? First, pleasure, because Calderon, even in translation, is a beautiful writer and an eloquent, thoughtful interpreter. Second, for those of us who are into the Jewish tradition, an appreciation of the conflicts that emerge in the Talmud, not just about legal issues, as is so well known, but about life. I don’t know if these stories rank with the world’s greatest, but thanks to Calderon, they are provocative and enjoyable to read. I read them twice!
The Talmud may be an unlikely source, but Calderon skips over the legal parts and the Torah exegesis and extracts stories that are nuggets of intra- and interpersonal conflict. She guides us into looking deeply into each story for the implicit problem it conveys, for the implied critical message that we can read from it, or in some cases, for the critical message that we can read into it if, as Walter Benjamin once suggested, we read “against the grain”. Reading with this approach, we see that these stories can be seen as cautionary tales about the dangers of some rabbis’ overly ascetic lifestyle, about the conflict between being in the world or setting oneself apart from the world, about love and friendship, and other questions.
We have, in the title story, prominent rabbis who, when visiting a far away town for their judicial duties, take a temporary bride for one night; in other stories, a wife who dresses herself up as a harlot to seduce her husband; a kindergarten teacher whose devoted way of teaching gives him the power to stop a drought; a rabbi who enlists a disciple to seduce his wife to test her constancy; a touching tale about that same rabbi, Rabbi Meir’s, friendship with the apostate, Elisha be Abuyah; and so on.
What can we take away from these stories, given that the rabbinic milieu and lifestyle are so far removed from ours today? First, pleasure, because Calderon, even in translation, is a beautiful writer and an eloquent, thoughtful interpreter. Second, for those of us who are into the Jewish tradition, an appreciation of the conflicts that emerge in the Talmud, not just about legal issues, as is so well known, but about life. I don’t know if these stories rank with the world’s greatest, but thanks to Calderon, they are provocative and enjoyable to read. I read them twice!
January 29, 2016
Ruth Calderon is a living legend for me - a non-Orthodox woman Talmud scholar who wants other non-Orthodox Jews, and women, to study this canonical text that has been the basis of Jewish law and tradition for 1500 years. I read some of these tales on the internet years ago; they gave me the idea to turn what the Talmud said about Rav Hisda's daughter into my own historical novel, Rav Hisda's Daughter, Book I: Apprentice: A Novel of Love, the Talmud, and Sorcery. As I read this book, I found myself agreeing and disagreeing with how she expanded the various short Talmud passages to get to their meat, but always I was impressed at her scholarship and inventiveness. I was pleased, but not surprised, that one of her tales involves Rav Hisda's daughter, and I was fascinated that she interpreted the Talmud tale quite differently from how I did in Enchantress: A Novel of Rav Hisda's Daughter.
Why only 4 stars, not 5? Because there are so many more pieces of Talmud she could have, should have, included. In the end I was disappointed at all the good stuff that was still missing.
Maggie Anton
Why only 4 stars, not 5? Because there are so many more pieces of Talmud she could have, should have, included. In the end I was disappointed at all the good stuff that was still missing.
Maggie Anton
September 5, 2014
I trouble myself to sort through a lot of detritus talmud commentary to find exactly what I'm looking for. Uncovering the gems make it all worth it. I hit jackpot with this one. To think now, that my favorite commentary on the talmud thus far is now this book, written by a woman. It's a marvelous curation, laid out in a splendid manor, with excellent erudition. It also gave me historical-fiction ideas as possibilities for future projects. I enjoyed the Bavli out of it. I want more like her, I want more books like this. Everybody, help me find more great stuff like it. Thank you so much.
September 12, 2018
The original Talmudic stories are fascinating already. Calderon's additions and twists make them more real, more weighty, and ultimately more beautiful. I understand better the rabbis mentioned, the real protagonists who often go unnamed, and how to incorporate these often-opaque narratives into my all-too-modern Jewish worldview.
October 29, 2020
I did love her meditation on Lamp.
March 5, 2017
I loved how the fictionalized versions of the Talmudic stories served as their own form of commentary.
One of my favorites was the story of Rabbi Akiva's son on his wedding night asking his new wife to hold a candle while he studied. I was bothered by it upon my first read, and she managed to craft a really beautiful message about intimacy and Torah learning that didn't feel apologetic.
Thanks to my roommate for the fabulous birthday gift :)
One of my favorites was the story of Rabbi Akiva's son on his wedding night asking his new wife to hold a candle while he studied. I was bothered by it upon my first read, and she managed to craft a really beautiful message about intimacy and Torah learning that didn't feel apologetic.
Thanks to my roommate for the fabulous birthday gift :)
July 8, 2017
I found Calderon's rendering of the Talmud's pithy little stories breathtaking in their texture and architecture.
I found Calderon's analysis sharp and insightful.
I would give worlds to spend a year learning from Ruth Calderon.
I found Calderon's analysis sharp and insightful.
I would give worlds to spend a year learning from Ruth Calderon.
April 20, 2015
Very interesting book that prompts a lot of thought. I feel as though I needed a study partner or the author available for questions to really comprehend this book.
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May 15, 2022Amazing choice of Talmud Tales. At least half of them I was unfamiliar with. Fantastic structure--each chapter has 3 sections. 1) A translation of the tale. 2) An embellishment of the tale, with the author's imaginings to give it more realism, help us imagine some background about how it could have gone down. 3) An analysis.
I was pretty blown away by the incredible scholarship in the 2nd section. So many halachos, historical facts, background from other gemaras. (I also read almost every footnote.)
The part that I disliked was the perception of misogyny and how the author attributes desire for honor and ego satisfaction as a major motivator in a lot of these stories. About half the time I felt that the author was choosing an interpretation that puts a scholar in an unnecessarily negative light when I think there could be an interpretation that could explain the behavior without assuming the guy is just a misogynistic egomaniac and would instead illustrate the great wisdom and depth of the Talmud. I found myself making a list of the stories where I found the interpretations very much not to my taste and not according to the standards I hold the Tannaim and Amoraim (the Rabbis in the Talmud) to. I'm not saying that some of the stories aren't being critical; I just found some of the interpretations lacking the type of wisdom that I expect from these types of stories. Some of the stories (eg R'S bar Yochai in the cave and Reish Lakish and R' Yochanan) I've studied in depth already, and have found the type of insight and wisdom that I seek. Therefore I found her analysis too quick to be critical/negative in the sense of "oh those Rabbis at the time were just unenlightened."
Some of the interpretations I found extremely insightful and on point.
Throughout, I was impressed with the concept of this project and with the execution. Even though she and i do not have the same worldview, and I think these stories have more insight to yield and more relevance to our time than she gives them credit for, I salute this project and deeply admire the author's scholarship. The introduction was fantastic, and some of the analysis was breathtaking.
I was pretty blown away by the incredible scholarship in the 2nd section. So many halachos, historical facts, background from other gemaras. (I also read almost every footnote.)
The part that I disliked was the perception of misogyny and how the author attributes desire for honor and ego satisfaction as a major motivator in a lot of these stories. About half the time I felt that the author was choosing an interpretation that puts a scholar in an unnecessarily negative light when I think there could be an interpretation that could explain the behavior without assuming the guy is just a misogynistic egomaniac and would instead illustrate the great wisdom and depth of the Talmud. I found myself making a list of the stories where I found the interpretations very much not to my taste and not according to the standards I hold the Tannaim and Amoraim (the Rabbis in the Talmud) to. I'm not saying that some of the stories aren't being critical; I just found some of the interpretations lacking the type of wisdom that I expect from these types of stories. Some of the stories (eg R'S bar Yochai in the cave and Reish Lakish and R' Yochanan) I've studied in depth already, and have found the type of insight and wisdom that I seek. Therefore I found her analysis too quick to be critical/negative in the sense of "oh those Rabbis at the time were just unenlightened."
Some of the interpretations I found extremely insightful and on point.
Throughout, I was impressed with the concept of this project and with the execution. Even though she and i do not have the same worldview, and I think these stories have more insight to yield and more relevance to our time than she gives them credit for, I salute this project and deeply admire the author's scholarship. The introduction was fantastic, and some of the analysis was breathtaking.
July 7, 2025
Sadly, although it is one of the foundations of modern Judaism, many non-Orthodox Jews only have the vaguest notion of the contents of the Talmud. Not only are there rabbinic arguments over fine points of law that tend to freewheel into surprising tangents, but there are also many wonderful stories, seventeen of which have been collected by Israeli scholar Ruth Calderon in A Bride for One Night.
Since as with many biblical narratives, Talmudic discourse can be notoriously terse (only one of these stories is longer than a page), Calderon, after providing the original text, gives her own expanded version of the story, often from the point of view of a minor or marginalized character. She then includes a section called “Reflections,” which delves into the deeper meaning and context of the story. Along the way, not only do we (unsurprisingly) meet many rabbis, but also their wives and children, Roman matrons, the Angel of Death, and several humble Jews, including one teacher who, due to his care for his students, outranks one of the greatest rabbis of his generation in the eyes of God. Calderon is also not shy of tackling some of the stories that are most problematic for modern readers, such as those that seem to denigrate women, and is able to suggest fresh ways of looking at them. A Bride for One Night, while short, provides an excellent combination of classic commentary and modern interpretation, without doing violence to the original stories, that will hopefully inspire readers to explore more of this intriguing genre of Jewish literature.
A version of this review was originally published in Chai Notes, the monthly newsletter of Congregation Shir Shalom in Amherst, NY.
Since as with many biblical narratives, Talmudic discourse can be notoriously terse (only one of these stories is longer than a page), Calderon, after providing the original text, gives her own expanded version of the story, often from the point of view of a minor or marginalized character. She then includes a section called “Reflections,” which delves into the deeper meaning and context of the story. Along the way, not only do we (unsurprisingly) meet many rabbis, but also their wives and children, Roman matrons, the Angel of Death, and several humble Jews, including one teacher who, due to his care for his students, outranks one of the greatest rabbis of his generation in the eyes of God. Calderon is also not shy of tackling some of the stories that are most problematic for modern readers, such as those that seem to denigrate women, and is able to suggest fresh ways of looking at them. A Bride for One Night, while short, provides an excellent combination of classic commentary and modern interpretation, without doing violence to the original stories, that will hopefully inspire readers to explore more of this intriguing genre of Jewish literature.
A version of this review was originally published in Chai Notes, the monthly newsletter of Congregation Shir Shalom in Amherst, NY.
May 23, 2017
This is a wonderful book for introducing Talmudic stories to non-Talmud scholars. Talmud is a many layered tradition--the combination of Mishnah, Gemara and generations of rabbis' commentaries around the main text. This feels like that. Beginning with the simple text. Simple? Not so simple, Calderon then gives us her expanded text as story, much like midrash, that explains the hidden meaning behind the text. As such, it is like modern midrash in the style of Anita Diamant's Red Tent or Maggie Anton's Rav Hisda's Daughters. Calderon then goes the next step and gives us her insights as to why she wrote the "midrashic" level the way she did and she even provides sources for additional reading for each story.
It is also, seems to me, similar in intent to the American Girl dolls which were initially crafted to interest girls in American history, differently than how it is taught in public school. My one concern is the stories that were chosen are very "sexy" which may or may not be necessary to sell books. On the one hand it humanizes the rabbis (and the women) and on the other hand it may be gratuitous. I will be fascinated to see how the book plays with my Jewish book group and whether it sparks the interest in possible additional Talmud study.
It is also, seems to me, similar in intent to the American Girl dolls which were initially crafted to interest girls in American history, differently than how it is taught in public school. My one concern is the stories that were chosen are very "sexy" which may or may not be necessary to sell books. On the one hand it humanizes the rabbis (and the women) and on the other hand it may be gratuitous. I will be fascinated to see how the book plays with my Jewish book group and whether it sparks the interest in possible additional Talmud study.
October 22, 2020
** 3 stars **
In this collection, Calderon offers her own midrash on 17 stories from the Talmud. The structure of the book is itself Talmudic, which I appreciated: each section begins with the text of the Talmud (as a Talmud passage would begin with a passage of text from the Torah) followed by a story based on the text with additional details followed by reflections and commentary on the Talmud story and the midrash.
While the middle story parts work as a form of midrash, they don't really work as short stories (which is what I was expecting). The stories don't give a real sense of character development to the figures depicted, although there is certainly more depth than we get from the original text in the Talmud. I really liked the reflections/commentary parts, and often there were endnotes that went even more in-depth to various aspects of the text.
I would recommend this volume if you have an interest in the Talmud and its interpretation, but again, don't go into it expecting actual short stories based on these Talmud passages, because I don't think that's what Calderon was going for here. This book did pique my interest in reading more Talmud stories, so I think I will next try Jeffrey Rubenstein's Rabbinic Stories.
In this collection, Calderon offers her own midrash on 17 stories from the Talmud. The structure of the book is itself Talmudic, which I appreciated: each section begins with the text of the Talmud (as a Talmud passage would begin with a passage of text from the Torah) followed by a story based on the text with additional details followed by reflections and commentary on the Talmud story and the midrash.
While the middle story parts work as a form of midrash, they don't really work as short stories (which is what I was expecting). The stories don't give a real sense of character development to the figures depicted, although there is certainly more depth than we get from the original text in the Talmud. I really liked the reflections/commentary parts, and often there were endnotes that went even more in-depth to various aspects of the text.
I would recommend this volume if you have an interest in the Talmud and its interpretation, but again, don't go into it expecting actual short stories based on these Talmud passages, because I don't think that's what Calderon was going for here. This book did pique my interest in reading more Talmud stories, so I think I will next try Jeffrey Rubenstein's Rabbinic Stories.
January 19, 2020
Calderon has done a wonderful job here of selecting stories from the Talmud that illuminate human moments in the lives of the rabbis and their communities, bringing them to life through her prose, and then interrogating them more explicitly. It’s a lovely work of midrash (biblical and rabbinic fan fiction), and one that does the important work of welcoming into the conversation people who are unfamiliar with or have been excluded from Jewish text study, particularly women and marginalized people. Kurshan’s translation is also great, and brings the nuance and complexity of the original into the English version.
June 21, 2023
It feels fitting to have read this halfway through my Daf Yomi journey, to revisit stories from tractates past, and to see what stories are coming. Sort of like the Talmud itself, which is cyclical, rather than linear.
I loved how she reinterpreted stories, and included a reflection and explanation. Stories that on the surface seemed harsh, she reimagined them with compassion to what the rabbis and the others may have been feeling.
This book is perfect for anyone who is new or old to Talmud study - it's accessible, while also providing deep insight.
I loved how she reinterpreted stories, and included a reflection and explanation. Stories that on the surface seemed harsh, she reimagined them with compassion to what the rabbis and the others may have been feeling.
This book is perfect for anyone who is new or old to Talmud study - it's accessible, while also providing deep insight.
December 25, 2017
To be honest, I only sort of read this -- I loved Calderon's translations, and was interested in her commentaries, but I found her retellings of the stories to be almost unreadable due to the poor quality of the prose. In the end I skipped her stories and just read the translations and the commentaries, and while they were interesting, none of it caught fire for me. I would certainly try more work by Calderon, but I think I will stay away from anything where she is writing fiction.
January 3, 2020
Not what I expected, but worth reading
I'm not quite sure what I expected to get with this collection of short stories based on the Talmud, But I didn't get it.
Instead, I got some depressing short stories based on sorrow filled tragedy in the text, followed by deep reflections themselves deserving of a book.
It's 5 stars for literary quality, but 4 stars for being fairly dark and depressing, leaving me melancholy instead of inspired.
Still very worth the read.
I'm not quite sure what I expected to get with this collection of short stories based on the Talmud, But I didn't get it.
Instead, I got some depressing short stories based on sorrow filled tragedy in the text, followed by deep reflections themselves deserving of a book.
It's 5 stars for literary quality, but 4 stars for being fairly dark and depressing, leaving me melancholy instead of inspired.
Still very worth the read.
December 25, 2017
I liked how accessible these stories were and how well the author expanded upon them and (further) fictionalized them. They provided a taste of the Talmud that most would never be exposed to. It took me a while to get into the book because the format takes a bit of adjustment and the first story wasn't my favorite. However, I loved the others.
December 18, 2018
Interesting. I liked the way Calderon quoted the Talmud, gave a traditional explanation and then her modern interpretation. The three levels created context. This would be a good book to learn together with a partner (chevruta) or small group of people. It would be interesting and fun to use each of these stories as a springboard to look up the interpretations of additional commentators.
February 2, 2019
A really engaging way to read some Talmudic texts, especially if you're new to the Talmud scene. It takes aggaditah stories that might seem weird, unrelatable, fantastical and impossible, feminist, etc and shines a light on them, showing a different approach to the story.
A fun and quick read, definitely worth picking up.
A fun and quick read, definitely worth picking up.
June 20, 2019
Using a friend's methodology I give it 3.5 stars rounded down for the failure to use gender-neutral language for G-d. Some stories I enjoyed and found interesting/challenging, others fell a little flat or I found difficult to discern the message. I did appreciate the feminist perspective and choices - that influence is sorely needed today - but I actually didn't think it went far enough.
July 21, 2019
Valuable for me as a reader lacking real background in Talmud study; equally important as a resource for me as a teacher planning a Jewish-literature course that will feature a unit of newer literary explorations of traditional texts.
October 19, 2021
A solid "meh" from me.
I was hoping there would be more interpretation and expansion on the talmud excerpts, not just a literal retelling in slightly more detail. It wasn't very engaging and I didn't really find myself invested in any of the stories because of this.
I was hoping there would be more interpretation and expansion on the talmud excerpts, not just a literal retelling in slightly more detail. It wasn't very engaging and I didn't really find myself invested in any of the stories because of this.
December 21, 2020
There were some entertaining stories, but it was hit and miss, and the book was very disjointed.
May 4, 2023
I’d rather be studying the Daf Yomi.
January 7, 2024
This beautiful set of Jewish short stories was inspiring, and beautifully written.
November 20, 2025
3.5 stars, a good book just not my cup of tea
October 1, 2014
One of my favorite quotes about religion comes from an article by Tara Isabella Burton for The Atlantic about why you should study theology even if you don't believe in God:
But A Bride for One Night is hardly a simple collection of translated stories. In addition, Calderon offers history lessons on the emotional climate of the times. Some of these stories are bitter critiques of historical norms while others are beautiful expressions of love that seem familiar to our modern emotional sensibilities. Furthermore Calderon has a strong message in mind: throughout A Bride for One Night, she infuses a majority of the stories with feminist perspectives that can feel dangerous, glaring, & above all enlightening. There are too many stories to recount that have feminist bends to them, but the ones that stick out the most are the twin sisters who sacrifice for each other & the Beruria incident. Even the story of the wild Torah student happening upon his future rabbi teacher in the Jordan River has a refreshingly feminine quality to it. This book is a wonderful example & reminder of a colorful tradition in which Jewish scholars have continued to this day to contemplate the spectacular nuances of an ancient civilization. Not only did they have the same existential questions & fears of their place in the universe, they also had the same romantic dreams, the same social anxieties, & the same fidelity to duty that we all understand today.
As you can tell, I really enjoyed this book for what it intends to do, which is follow in those same rabbinic literary footsteps. While it's not a masterpiece, it is still sweetly written with lots of sympathy & judgment in all of the right places. It took me a really long time to read this book mainly because I was preoccupied with some other personal activities (please don't laugh, but I was playing a video game of all things). Once I sat down to read the latter half of this book though, I felt like I was enjoying a pleasant afternoon re-reading a favorite novel while eating some pastries to my heart's content. Like I said, it's a very nice book for what it seeks to achieve.
If history and comparative religion alike offer us perspective on world events from the “outside,” the study of theology offers us a chance to study those same events “from within”: an opportunity to get inside the heads of those whose beliefs and choices shaped so much of our history, and who—in the world outside the ivory tower—still shape plenty of the world today.This quote echoes a sentiment from Wilfred Cantwell Smith's seminal book, The Meaning and End of Religion, in which he more clearly articulates that "art is an expression of...faith" (Smith 173), the tradition of which has likewise shaped much of our socio-cultural world today, too. Ruth Calderon—to name-drop again for good measure—has her doctorate in Talmudic study, so while she may be a secular scholar of religious subject matter, she strikes me as being highly aware of the need to access the Jewish culture "from within" by expressing their deep faith through artistic means, hence her book A Bride for One Night in which she translates a select few Talmudic stories into richly envisioned fables full of passion, adventure, & complexity. The difference in Calderon's fiction is that, when compared to other seasoned scholars on a mission to fictionalize their subject matter—at the moment only Rebecca Newberger Goldstein's Plato at the Googleplex comes to mind—her skill is believable & remarkable.
But A Bride for One Night is hardly a simple collection of translated stories. In addition, Calderon offers history lessons on the emotional climate of the times. Some of these stories are bitter critiques of historical norms while others are beautiful expressions of love that seem familiar to our modern emotional sensibilities. Furthermore Calderon has a strong message in mind: throughout A Bride for One Night, she infuses a majority of the stories with feminist perspectives that can feel dangerous, glaring, & above all enlightening. There are too many stories to recount that have feminist bends to them, but the ones that stick out the most are the twin sisters who sacrifice for each other & the Beruria incident. Even the story of the wild Torah student happening upon his future rabbi teacher in the Jordan River has a refreshingly feminine quality to it. This book is a wonderful example & reminder of a colorful tradition in which Jewish scholars have continued to this day to contemplate the spectacular nuances of an ancient civilization. Not only did they have the same existential questions & fears of their place in the universe, they also had the same romantic dreams, the same social anxieties, & the same fidelity to duty that we all understand today.
As you can tell, I really enjoyed this book for what it intends to do, which is follow in those same rabbinic literary footsteps. While it's not a masterpiece, it is still sweetly written with lots of sympathy & judgment in all of the right places. It took me a really long time to read this book mainly because I was preoccupied with some other personal activities (please don't laugh, but I was playing a video game of all things). Once I sat down to read the latter half of this book though, I felt like I was enjoying a pleasant afternoon re-reading a favorite novel while eating some pastries to my heart's content. Like I said, it's a very nice book for what it seeks to achieve.
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April 6, 2015Calderon (a secular Israeli scholar of the Talmud, and a former Knesset member) expands on stories from the Rabbinic literature, re-framing and re-telling them from alternative perspectives. In so doing, she illuminates the humanity of the various players in Talmudic aggada -- some famous, some not, many unnamed. This is a refreshing approach that provides a more personal and in many ways more "feminine" counter-weight to the traditional dry or legalistic approach to learning Talmud.
Calderon's erudition is clearly an advantage here, as she is able to seamlessly weave the historical and legal context of the Talmudic aggada into her retellings. I'm not sure that someone without her background could do so in such an effective way.
Calderon's erudition is clearly an advantage here, as she is able to seamlessly weave the historical and legal context of the Talmudic aggada into her retellings. I'm not sure that someone without her background could do so in such an effective way.
March 2, 2015
Calderon, a scholar and MK (Member of Knesset, the Israeli parliament), brings a fresh look to classic tales from the Talmud. This translated volume focuses especially on women and the roles they played--seductress, wife, sister, scholar and more.
Calderon's volume is thought-provoking and enlightening. It helps readers of all religious backgrounds gain a deeper understanding of how the Talmud covered every aspect of Jewish life and why the learning and knowledge continues to shape Judaism today.
I look forward to more of Calderon's writing being translated into English for a broader audience.
Calderon's volume is thought-provoking and enlightening. It helps readers of all religious backgrounds gain a deeper understanding of how the Talmud covered every aspect of Jewish life and why the learning and knowledge continues to shape Judaism today.
I look forward to more of Calderon's writing being translated into English for a broader audience.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews