Reading Talmudic Bodies: Disability, Narrative, and the Gaze in Rabbinic Judaism
In literary texts, disability often functions as both metaphor and mirror – allowing us to examine critically how cultures view bodies, the limits of normalcy, and the spectacle of difference. The Babylonian Talmud, the 6th century magnum opus of rabbinic Jewish thought, includes a number of stories and tales that highlight the contested nature of the body. My talk focuses on the talmudic tale of a righteous rabbi who curses himself with physical weakness for failing to save the life of a poor man. Through the eyes of the rabbi’s students, who must grapple with the meaning of their teacher’s disability, the text raises sharp questions about the significance of physicality, the power of the gaze, and the way bodies refuse to surrender to a simple, surface reading.
Julia Watts-Belser, Assistant Professor,
Religious Studies
