Jewish mysticism, Talmudic scholarship, aggadah

The Legends of the Jews (Volumes 1-4)

A monumental and definitive collection of Jewish folktales, legends, and midrashic commentaries. Ginzberg synthesizes thousands of years of oral and written tradition, from the Talmud and Zohar to obscure medieval manuscripts, creating a continuous narrative of the history of the world from the Jewish perspective. The work covers significant biblical figures (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses) and details extra-biblical myths of angels, demons, the Golem, and the afterlife. It is the most comprehensive work of Jewish folklore in the English language.