{"product_id":"tales-in-context-sefer-ha-maasim-in-medieval-northern-france-hardcover","title":"Tales in Context: Sefer Ha-Ma'asim in Medieval Northern France - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eRella Kushelevsky\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eElisheva Baumgarten\u003c\/b\u003e (Epilogue by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the thirteenth century, an anonymous scribe compiled sixty-nine tales that became\u003cem\u003e Sefer ha-ma'asim, \u003c\/em\u003ethe earliest compilation of Hebrew tales known to us in Western Europe\u003cem\u003e. \u003c\/em\u003eThe author writes that the stories encompass \"descriptions of herbs that cure leprosy, a fairy princess with golden tresses using magic charms to heal her lover's wounds and restore him to life; a fire-breathing dragon . . . a two-headed creature and a giant's daughter for whom the rind of a watermelon containing twelve spies is no more than a speck of dust.\" In \u003cem\u003eTales in Context: Sefer ha-ma'asim in Medieval Northern France, \u003c\/em\u003e Rella Kushelevsky enlightens the stories' meanings and reflects the circumstances and environment for Jewish lives in medieval France. Although a selection of tales was previously published, this is the first publication of a Hebrew-English annotated edition in its entirety, revealing fresh insight.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first part of Kushelevsky's work, \"Cultural, Literary and Comparative Perspectives,\" presents the thesis that \u003cem\u003eSefer ha-ma'asim\u003c\/em\u003e is a product of its time and place, and should therefore be studied within its literary and cultural surroundings, Jewish and vernacular, in northern France. An investigation of the scribe's techniques in reworking his Jewish and non-Jewish sources into a medieval discourse supports this claim. The second part of the manuscript consists of the tales themselves, in Hebrew and English translation, including brief comparative comments or citations. The third part, \"An Analytical and Comparative Overview,\" offers an analysis of each tale as an individual unit, contextualized within its medieval framework and against the background of its parallels. Elisheva Baumgarten's epilogue adds social and historical background to\u003cem\u003e Sefer ha-ma'asim\u003c\/em\u003e and discusses new ways in which it and other story compilations may be used by historians for an inquiry into the everyday life of medieval Jews.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe tales in \u003cem\u003eSefer ha-ma'asim\u003c\/em\u003e will be of special value to scholars of folklore and medieval European history and literature, as well as those looking to enrich their studies and shelves.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eRella Kushelevsky is a professor at Bar-Ilan University. Her main interests are medieval tales in Hebrew, and Talmudic stories. She is also the author of \u003ci\u003eMoses and the Angel of Death\u003c\/i\u003e and\u003ci\u003e Penalty and Temptation: Hebrew Tales in Ashkenaz\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 816\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.69 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e November 01, 2017\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47450462453938,"sku":"9780814342718","price":152.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0770\/3891\/1666\/files\/59bac57a3b3eb3291829592f2d35a635.webp?v=1778785881","url":"https:\/\/box.dadyminds.org\/products\/tales-in-context-sefer-ha-maasim-in-medieval-northern-france-hardcover","provider":"DADYMINDS BOX","version":"1.0","type":"link"}