This book reviews, organizes and categorizes the humor of the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud and the Midrash, and presents it to the reader in a clear, readable, accessible manner. These works, replete with many types of humor and wit, have influenced the Jewish people in a major way over the...

Humor is the lingua franca of the Jewish people. Even outside the world of the professional comic, we find ordinary folk answering a question with a question, employing a sarcastic retort, offering self-deprecating witticisms. For Jews, this special brand of humor has become a defining...

There is a great deal of interest in the Talmud today, especially in much of Asia. South Koreans, in particular, have developed a fascination with the Talmud and have made it part of their curriculum. Many Korean homes have a version of the Talmud and call it the “Light of Knowledge.” The...

Talmudic stories are a method used by the ancient sages to teach us about ethics and morality. The stories in this paper deal with penitent (baalei teshuva) who returned to God. It is clear from these stories that it is vital for people to help others repent. One great sage even offered his...

The Talmud is one of the most influential books of Late Antiquity. A crucial pedagogical tool of the Talmud is the use of divine reward and punishment. This paper reveals ten behaviors whose reward, according to the sages, is wealth. These include being charitable, conducting business in an...