Handbook 1996 : Faculty of Arts (Volume 3 page 109)
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131-448 "The Rabbinic Imagination" appears differently in several places - choose the one you want:

  1. 131-448 History, Faculty of Arts.
  2. 131-448 Jewish Studies, Faculty of Arts.

1. History, Faculty of Arts (v3, p109) : Next:131-449 | Prev:131-447

131-448 The Rabbinic Imagination

Year 4 History.

Availability: Not offered in 1996.

Credit points: 16.7 4th year

Coordinator: Dr M Baker.

Contact: A 2-hour seminar per week.

Objectives:

To understand the narrative strategies adopted by rabbis over the ages to interpret their sacred texts; to study Jewish views of the text and how they have evolved within particular historical contexts.

Content:

A study of Jewish literacy and rabbinic culture from post-biblical times to the present. Beyond the cliché about Jews being the People of the Book, why are Jewish texts so central to the rabbinic imagination? This subject will consider the impact of social change on the interpretation of canonical literature and the impact on Jewish society of different types of writing, including law, homilies, philosophy, mysticism, hasidic parables, folk-tales and ethical literature. The genre of midrash - rabbinic hermeneutics - will also be studied in light of post-modernist theories about the text.

Assessment:

Written work of no more than 6,000 words.

1. History, Faculty of Arts (v3, p109) : Next:131-449 | Prev:131-447


2. Jewish Studies, Faculty of Arts (v3, p124) : Next:131-449 | Prev:131-248

131-448 The Rabbinic Imagination

Availability: Not offered in 1996.

Credit points: 16.7 4th year

Coordinator: Dr M Baker.

Contact: A 2-hour seminar per week.

Objectives:

To understand the narrative strategies adopted by rabbis over the ages to interpret their sacred texts; to study Jewish views of the text and how they have evolved within particular historical contexts.

Content:

A study of Jewish literacy and rabbinic culture from post-biblical times to the present. Beyond the cliche about Jews being the People of the Book, why are Jewish texts so central to the rabbinic imagination? This subject will consider the impact of social change on the interpretation of canonical literature and the impact on Jewish society of different types of writing, including law, homilies, philosophy, mysticism, hasidic parables, folk-tales and ethical literature. The genre of midrash - rabbinic hermeneutics - will also be studied in light of post-modernist theories about the text.

Assessment:

Written work of no more than 6,000 words.

* Note that CONTENT differs from the maintainer's version above. A log of variations is available.

2. Jewish Studies, Faculty of Arts (v3, p124) : Next:131-449 | Prev:131-248


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Status:          Official 1996
Date created:    Oct  9 1995
Last modified:   Oct  9 1995
Authorised by:   Academic Registrar
Email enquiries: Course_Information@registrar.unimelb.edu.au
Maintained by: Dept. of History, Faculty of Arts.

Copyright © University of Melbourne 1995,1996.