Rosh HaShanah 5783: ”The Visitation of Sarah in Midrash and Piyyut” with Dr. Tzvi Novick

On the first day of Rosh ha-Shanah we read of how God “visited” or “took note” of Sarah” (Gen 21:1). In this session we will examine an interrelated set of texts in midrash and early piyyut that reflect and expand on this event. These texts will offer subtle insight into the rabbis’ understanding of the Bible, their own narrative aesthetics (i.e., the sorts of stories they like to tell), and the development of rabbinic literature.