Synopses & Reviews
Treasures of the Heart is a unique rendition of stories in the Hebrew Bible that are part of the foundation of Judaism and western literature. Renowned storyteller and mythologist Diane Wolkstein seamlessly weaves oral legends into the fabric of the ancient texts, creating new stories that remain true to the spirit of their original sources. Drawing on a lifetime of study of world myths and tribal cultures, the author chooses the legends that best illuminate the text and reveal its hidden wisdom. Biblical characters such as Moses, Ruth, and Solomontheir passions, ethical dilemmas, and changing relationships with Godare rendered with astonishing immediacy, achieved through careful research and a storytellers grace.
Structured according to the Jewish calendar, Treasures of the Heart retells the stories that are
traditionally read on each holiday. In recounting the holiday stories, Wolkstein discovers a new narrative. As the Hebrew people journey from spring to winter, from Passover to Purim, they follow a path from youth to maturity. This holiday cycle also moves from Moses, a male messenger of God, to Esther and Mordecai, a woman and a man who work together to rescue their community. Wolkstein offers a modern perspective by highlighting the role of female characters in the stories and by introducing the Kabbalistic concept of the Shechinah, Gods feminine presence on earth.
The commentaries, often based on Kabbalistic thought, place each story in an historical and religious context.
Treasures of the Heart presents a wealth of scholarship in a form that makes compelling reading for all students of spiritual life. In our rapidly changing world, this innovative book invites.
Synopsis
On the Jewish holidays, portions of stories are told. An exquisite teller of tales, Diane Wolkstein has gifted us with the full story for each holiday Each of the twenty-seven stories in Treasures is introduced in both historical and symbolic time. At the end of each holiday section, Wolkstein comments on the meaning of the stories.
Beginning the cycle of holidays with Passover, Wolkstein's commentaries follow several threads through the year's calendar: the passage from a people redeemed by God to a people who save themselves, the full life of Moses, and the people's relationship with God's presence on earth. In the stories of The Song of Songs, Ruth, Hannah, Judith, Esther, Lamentations, and Ecclesiastes, the author discovers the composite story of the cycle of a woman's life. These beautifully crafted tales -- told in the riveting voice of a master storyteller -- will make these biblical stories immediately accessible to people of all faiths, both in the home and in educational settings.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. 347-350) and index.
About the Author
Diane Wolkstein travels throughout the world performing myths and folktales and giving workshops on storytelling. She is the author of twenty-one award-winning books of folklore, including the Sumerian epic Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth (with S. N. Kramer) and The Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales. Wolkstein is the co-founder of the New York City Storytelling Center and the winner of the National Storytelling Award for Excellence.