Download This PaperLife Cut Short: Exploring Divine Punishment in Talmudic Stories
46 Pages Posted: 27 Jun 2019 Last revised: 22 Jun 2022
Date Written: June 24, 2019
Abstract
The ancient sages of the Talmud used stories as a method to teach people how to behave ethically. Stories, more so than cases, have the ability to rouse emotions and teach important ethical lessons. This paper examines Talmudic stories to determine which behaviors result in Divine punishment and a shortened lifespan. Five behaviors are found to result in premature death: these include hurting another person’s feelings and disrespecting the Torah.
Keywords: Talmudic stories, narratives, ethics, divine punishment, premature death
JEL Classification: J50, M12, M14, M54
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Friedman, Hershey H., Life Cut Short: Exploring Divine Punishment in Talmudic Stories (June 24, 2019). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3409246 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3409246
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