Focusing on the concept of time and life cycle, this collection examines Jewish life in the Talmudic period through the lens of Jewish laws and customs. The papers come together to present the cultural perspective of the Sages and scholars who produced the first stepping stones of Jewish life and customs. By using a structural approach, Rubin is able to identify processes of long term change in a society which remains largely traditional and stable: Jewish society is based on the written text, considered sacred and unchanging. The context, the social reality, however, is subject to change as a result of political and economic shifts. The text, which accompanies the society and serves as a source for its values and norms, must undergo an interpretive process in order to constitute a source of authority under new conditions as well. Symbolic analysis supplies an additional dimension to these studies, enabling the reader to experience the cultural subtexts.