Reading Talmudic stories in multiple Halakhic contexts: the Hasid in the graveyard, Rav Ada b. Abba and the lovesick man

Abstract

This study discusses one aspect of Talmudic stories that appear in Halakhic contexts in the Babylonian Talmud. The study suggests that such stories may often be read in multiple contexts: (a) the Halakhic passage that directly precedes or follows the story, which is the context in which Talmudic stories have typically been read in previous studies; (b) a broader context, such as additional Talmudic discussions on the same Mishnah, or even the whole Talmudic chapter in which the story appears. This article examines three such stories, and demonstrates the contribution of reading them in multiple contexts to the interpretation of the stories and of their wider contexts.