HEJS 5397 The Talmud, the Rabbis, and History is being offered Fall 2020 on Wednesdays 3:30-6:30 PM by Professor Stuart S. Miller. Undergraduates may register with permission of instructor.
About the Course:
This course addresses the nature of the ancient rabbis “historical” observations and the hermeneutical challenges they pose. Although the rabbis were primarily interested in articulating their program for sanctifying daily life, they have much to tell us about their times, their predicament, and especially about their perspectives towards other Jews and non-Jews among whom they lived. Seminar meetings will be devoted to discussion of diverse Talmudic passages. Students will gain knowledge of the overall rabbinic corpus and the problems and methods associated with its study. Special discussion will be devoted to the historical perception of the rabbis, their attitude towards history, and their relations to others, including, Romans/pagans, heretics and Christians. The importance of archaeological discoveries for the understanding of Talmudic narratives and vice versa will be explored along the way.
For more information, contact: Stuart Miller, Judaic Studies, at stuart.miller@uconn.edu