Shulamit Valler Book order

"Sorrow and Distress in the Talmud" by Valler examines over 50 narratives from the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds, highlighting the diverse expressions and causes of sorrow across different societal levels. The book contrasts the experiences of Sages with those of common people and women, revealing the complexities of human behavior.

Valler examines and interprets five clusters of stories about women in the Talmud and Mishnah to reveal aspects that are not apparent on a simple reading. She focuses on how the editor of the stories reworked them so they would express his own point of view of matters relating to women, then makes the same point again when he joined them together into a collection.