(This is a continuation of last week's post.) "Look at the Youth who comes forth from behind the throne to greet you! Do not prostrate yourself before him, even though his crown is like his King's crown, his shoes like his King's shoes, his robe like his King's robe." These words, taken from … [Read more...]
Jewish Faust, Heretic Rabbi – The Strange Case of Elisha ben Abuya
His name was Elisha ben ("son of") Abuya. He’s been called “the Jewish Faust”; and when the 19th-century writer Max Letteris translated Goethe's Faust into Hebrew, he gave his adaptation the title "Ben Abuya." The ancient rabbis of the Talmud, who spoke with fascinated horror of their colleague … [Read more...]
