Abstract
In the view of many scholars, the Talmudic stories serve as moral stories with didactic meanings, guiding and instructing the reader towards proper behavior. Throughout this essay, I seek to explore the assumptions that allow such readings and question overall suitability to rabbinic stories. The story of Rabbi Yosi from Yokrat, as a `test case`, will illustrated how some tales cannot be reduced to any specific educational purpose, since they contain a variety of tensions and conflicts that never reach a resolution. Consequently, I argue that in such stories, one should focus on the unresolved tensions and conflicts rather than looking for a master interpretation or for an unequivocal explanation of all the story`s details.
| Translated title of the contribution | “A man who showed no mercy to his son and daughter, how could he show mercy to me?” Between Didacticism and Struggle in the Story of Rabbi Yossi from Yokrat |
|---|---|
| Original language | Hebrew |
| Pages (from-to) | 29-51 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| Journal | אוקימתא |
| Volume | 8 |
| State | Published - 2021 |
| Externally published | Yes |