Sage Tales: Wisdom and Wonder from the Rabbis of the Talmud

These ancient stories whisper truth to your soul.

Great stories have the power to draw the heart. But certain stories have the power to draw the heart to God and awaken the better angels of our nature. Such are the tales of the rabbis of the Talmud, colorful, quirky yarns that tug at our heartstrings and test our values, ethics, morality―and our imaginations.

In this collection for people of all faiths and backgrounds, Rabbi Burton Visotzky draws on four decades of telling and teaching these legends in order to unlock their wisdom for the contemporary heart. He introduces you to the cast of characters, explains their motivations, and provides the historical background needed to penetrate the wise lessons often hidden within these unusual narratives.

In learning how and why these oft-told tales were spun, you discover how they continue to hold value for our lives.

Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky, named one of Forward's top fifty Jewish leaders in America, has been engaging spiritual seekers with the ancient wisdom of Judaism for over forty years. He is Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies and director of the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies and of the Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky consulted with Bill Moyers and was a featured participant in the PBS television series Genesis: A Living Conversation. He is a lecturer and scholar-in-residence in synagogues, churches and mosques throughout North America, and the author of nine other books, including Sage Tales: Wisdom and Wonder from the Rabbis of the Talmud and Reading the Book: Making the Bible a Timeless Text.

Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky is available to speak on the following topics:

• The Genesis of Ethics: Bible Study and Moral Development
• Reading the Book: Making the Bible a Timeless Text
• Sibling Rivalries: Judaism and Christianity in Their Formative Years
• In Preparation for Passover
• The Road to Redemption: Ancient and Modern Readings of Exodus