The Talmud’s role as a primary source of Jewish law can obscure its value as a literary treasure. The stories in the Talmud reveal an imaginative richness that is a crucial part of the interpretation and preservation of a treasured culture. The course will draw upon the wisdom contained in hundreds of volumes of post-Talmudic literature. It is predicated on the understanding that the Talmud employed cryptic stories and parables to relay relevant and profound messages in a way that makes the reader an active partner in decoding the text and constructing its meaning. Written in esoteric language, these stories couch within them penetrating insights into life, our universe, God, humankind—and how they all come together.