A Rainy Day Story

by Ruth Calderon, Book Buddy Digital Media (Read by)

Overview

Kar-Ben Read-Aloud eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and text highlighting to bring eBooks to life!

Rabbi Hanina feels sorry for himself when he becomes wet, cold and muddy from the rain. But when he goes inside his house—where he is warm, dry and happy—he feels selfish, knowing the parched earth needs the rain, and he learns a lesson about his place in the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728421025
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/01/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	39 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	6 - 7 Years

About the Author

Ruth Calderon is the Visiting Professor in Talmudic civil law at Harvard Law School. A former Member of Knesset, she is also an educator and academic Talmud scholar. She is the founder of the Elul pluralistic beit midrash, as well as Alma, the Home for Hebrew Culture. She received her MA and PhD in Talmud from the Hebrew University. This is her first children's book. She lives in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Editorial Reviews

"Well-written and beautifully illustrated, this is an excellent introduction to and fun way to engage with Talmud for young children." — Kathy Bloomfield, President of AJL, Seal Beach, CA, Sydney Taylor Shmooze

From the Publisher

2020-12-15
A conundrum is introduced through a parable from the Talmud about a rabbi who questions God on the world’s need for rain balanced against man’s comfort.

Rabbi Hanina is enjoying himself on a walk when a thunderstorm begins and renders him “soaked to the bone!” Drenched and upset, he asks God, “Master of the Universe! The whole world is happy, and Hanina is suffering?” The rain suddenly stops, and the rabbi continues home, changes into dry clothes, and prepares a soup. He’s finally comfortable, but he does not eat when he looks outside to notice that all’s not well. “The ground was parched, the trees were thirsty, the river was dry, and the frogs were staring at the sky longingly.” Once again he questions God: “Master of the Universe! The whole world is suffering, and Hanina is happy?” The thunder and lightning resume along with the downpour while the satisfied rabbi stays comfortably warm inside enjoying both the soup and the sweet-smelling spring rain. Soft, lovely illustrations depict a gray-bearded, pale-skinned sage and his simple abode set in a Middle Eastern garden. The subtle significance of the rabbi’s questions and his ultimate revelation may well encourage discussion—even, perhaps, about our current climate change concerns. The text of the original story from the Babylonian Talmud is printed in both Hebrew and English in the backmatter. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.8-by-19.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 58.3% of actual size.)

The simple Talmudic lesson has resonance for our contemporary world. (Picture book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews