About This Text
Author: Louis Ginzberg
Composed: New York, 1909 CE
Legends of the Jews is an original synthesis of a vast amount of midrashim from rabbinic literature and other ancient sources compiled by Rabbi Louis Ginzberg in the early 20th century. Originally written in German, the book begins with creation of the world and contains stories through the period of Esther. Ginzberg did not quote midrashim, but rather paraphrased and rewrote them into one continuous narrative that covered four volumes, followed by two volumes of footnotes and an index.