“Ancient Stories, Timeless Lessons: Talmudic Tales of Repentance”
With Dr. Jeffrey L. Rubenstein
To view the video recording of the lecture click HERE
The Talmud is rich with stories of rabbis and other figures who faltered, sinned, and sought repentance. Though these narratives emerge from distant times and unfamiliar cultural settings, they continue to speak to the human experience. What do these tales teach us about the nature of T’shuvah—repentance and return? Can we uncover enduring wisdom about moral growth, accountability, and the pursuit of atonement?
Join us as we explore these ancient texts to discover how their insights still resonate with our personal and communal journeys today.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Rubenstein is the Skirball Professor of Talmud and Rabbinic Literature at New York University. He received his B.A. in Religion from Oberlin College, his M.A. in Talmud from the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he also received rabbinic ordination, and his Ph.D. from the Department of Religion of Columbia University.
He has taught at Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Jewish Theological Seminary in addition to New York University. His books include, The History of Sukkot in the Second Temple and Rabbinic Periods (1995); Talmudic Stories: Narrative Art, Composition and Culture (1999), Rabbinic Stories (Classics of Western Spirituality Series, 2002), The Culture of the Babylonian Talmud (2003), Stories of the Babylonian Talmud (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010), and The Land of Truth: Talmud Tales, Timeless Teachings (Jewish Publication Society, 2018). Dr. Rubenstein has written numerous articles on the festival of Sukkot, Talmudic stories, the development of Jewish law, and topics in Jewish liturgy and ethics.