The Legends of the Jews Complete

by Louis Ginzberg, Henrietta Szold (Translator)

Louis Ginzberg's great compendium of Jewish legends, myths and ancient lore enliven and challenge readers to understand greatly the civilization behind the greatest prophecies and holy writings ever written.
A celebrated scholar of the Talmud, Torah and other holy texts, Louis Ginzberg distinguished himself as gifted in matters of holy lore from a young age. All four volumes of his rendition of the Judaic legends are contained in this excellent edition. They run as follows:
Volume One begins with the years of creation, detailing God's creation of the Earth and all the lands and creatures upon it. Man's creation, and the story of Adam and Eve, are duly related, as are the ten generations which separated Adam from Noah. The Great Flood, whereby Noah escaped the destruction by building his famous ark, is followed by the ten generation gap between Noah and Abraham, the patriach of Judaism. Finally we hear of the life of Jacob, who following drought would emigrate to Egypt with his family.
Volume Two, roughly corresponding with the Biblical Books of Exodus and Job, begins with the life and death of Joseph. His life and the lives of Jacob's sons - the founders of the Jewish tribes - are likewise told. The famous story of Job - a morally upstanding family man who suffers many misfortunes - is then related. Finally we hear the story of Moses and the conflict he arrives at with the Pharaoh.
Volume Three commences with Moses finally deciding to lead the Jews out of Egypt, the oppression of the Pharaoh having become too much to bear. After departing, the construction of the Tabernacle and the tumultuous events of the Year of Disfavor are detailed. The tale of the prophet Balaam, and his temptation with money from King Balak of Moab, is told. Finally, the volume concludes with the death of Moses.
Volume Four opens with the story of Joshua, who was the servant of Moses and one of the twelve spies who scouted the lands of Canaan at Moses' behest. Following the death of Joshua the tale of the Judges and of conflicts between the Israelites and Canaanites are told. The subsequent generations of Jewish society, including the great King Solomon, are hereafter related.
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As a young man, Louis Ginzberg emigrated from his native Russia to the United States. Initially aimless and unsure of his future, and deeply affected by the death of his pious father, it was after a few years as an emigre that study of Jewish history and the sacred texts proved a viable outlet. He proved a voracious and highly competent scholar and teacher, working at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and accepting an honorary doctorate from Harvard University.

Genres: History, Religion, Judaism, Judaica, Jewish, Reference, Mythology

512 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1909

About the author

Talmudist and leading figure in the Conservative Movement of Judaism of the twentieth century, professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS).

Reviews

[Zaeem Arshad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily one of the longest and most fascinating set of books I have ever read. There’s so much to unpack. As someone raised in the Islamic tradition, I was surprised by how much Islam, it’s traditions and events are inspired by Judaism and its legends. A mandatory reading for anyone who has an interest in the history of the abrahamic religions.

[RONWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing.

[Jon Corelis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Louis Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews: Complete Set, originally published in German in the early 20th century and translated into English by Henrietta Szold, is a huge collection of stories based on the Old Testament from oral, folk, legend, and other sources, which give fascinating new or alternative perspectives on the well known events recorded there. The whole big set is divided basically into three parts: the first four volumes give the tradition's stories about major Biblical characters from Adam and Eve to Esther, told in straightforward, clear prose, then come two volumes of extremely detailed and scholarly notes and commentary (in English with occasional quoted Hebrew, usually translated,) and a final volume with a very detailed index.

This work is a treasure trove of endlessly interesting lore which will be new to almost all readers, and is of huge and fundamental importance to anyone seriously interested in Judaism studies, folklore, Old Testament studies, or folk legend traditions.

My review is based on the complete seven volume edition published in 1966 (a reprint of the original 1937-1938 edition) by The Jewish Publication Society of America, and my five star rating is based on the work's appeal to the audience I've described. If your interest in the topics mentioned is less serious, you will still find the work interesting to read around in, though you may not want to invest in the whole set. There are various reprints and abridgements available, and even a Kindle edition, though I haven't seen any of those myself.

The original handsomely printed and bound Jewish Publication Society of America 1966 edition I've mentioned is available as a used book, and I actually managed to find a set in decent condition for a less than astronomical price. So if your interests justify getting the whole set, it's worth while looking around on the internet for the original. Otherwise, Amazon lists various other full and partial reprints, both in book and e-book form.

[Ayman Mohammed Ali Arbash · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a wonderful book give complete view of jew mentality.
I've spent most exciting hours in my reading life with book.