Abraham: The First Jew is [Anthony] Julius’s contribution to the Yale University Press Jewish Lives series, and it faces the challenges posed by biblical personalities that do not plague the biographer of Philip Roth or Hank Greenberg. Was there really an Abraham? If so, do the midrashim the rabbis wrote to fill the narrative gaps of Torah enjoy the same authority as the Torah narratives themselves, which are, after all, traditionally accorded divine authority?I usually don't post on books before publication, but this detailed review is worth noting now. You can find the book here for pre-order at the Yale University Press website, with a projected 11 February publication date. Cross-file under New Book.
Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.
