Episode Overview

Podcast: New Books Network – Jewish Studies
Host: Matthew Miller
Guest: Elliott Rabin, author of The Biblical Hero: Portraits in Nobility and Fallibility (Jewish Publication Society, 2020)
Date: October 20, 2025

In this episode, Matthew Miller interviews Elliott Rabin about his book, which offers a fresh examination of what it means to be a "hero" in the Bible. Focusing on six major biblical figures—Moses, Samson, David, Esther, Abraham, and Jacob—Rabin explores their complex portrayals, comparing them to heroes in world literature, and challenges the audience to rethink both their nobility and fallibility.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Elliott Rabin’s Background and Motivations

[02:56–08:07]

• Rabin works at Prisma Center for Jewish Day Schools, supporting Jewish education in North America and overseas.

• Holds a PhD in Comparative Literature, specializing in Jewish and Hebrew literature.

• The book stemmed from frequent discussions about biblical heroes at family gatherings (especially around the Shabbat table) and the challenge of explaining the worthiness of figures like Jacob as "heroes."

• Rabin wanted to take a step back from close reading (“zooming in” on verses) to understand the broader way the Bible portrays its characters.

  "It's much rarer in Jewish tradition to take a step back and look at a wider context. So that's what I was trying to do in this." (A, 07:40)

Is There a Notion of "Hero" in the Bible?

[08:07–11:49]

• The term "hero" originates from Greek and implies quasi-divinity, which conflicts with biblical theology (monotheism).

• In biblical Hebrew, "gibbor" means "strong one" or "warrior," not necessarily a moral or spiritual hero.

• The Bible is skeptical of the traditional, ancient-world hero model, but it does present figures for readers to emulate.

  "The Bible demotes or is suspicious of the ancient world's view of heroes. At the same time, the Bible puts forward characters who we are supposed to admire and emulate in some fashion." (A, 10:55)

Fallibility & Nobility: Complexity in Heroism

[11:49–15:15]

• Rabin’s main contention: biblical heroes aren't idealized or perfect, but shown in chiaroscuro (light and shadow), with both admirable and troubling traits.

• Their nobility comes through in moments when they rise above personal flaws to act in ways that benefit others.

  "The Bible ... shows them in what the Renaissance called chiaroscuro, right, both light and dark... that's the way biblical the Bible depicts its greatest heroes." (A, 12:52)

Rabbinic Layers and the Trickster Figure

[15:15–19:12]

• While Rabin’s focus is on the biblical text itself, he uses Midrash and later Jewish interpretations to highlight nuances.

• Example: the story of Jacob as a trickster, drawing parallels to figures like Odysseus, Reynard the Fox, and Coyote from Native American mythology.

• Midrashim often explain or expand on ambiguous biblical deeds, helping to flesh out character motivations and relationships.

  "So the midrash really fills out that story... just as Jacob worked with his mother Rebekah to trick his father Isaac." (A, 18:26)

Comparative Literature: Biblical and World Heroes

[19:12–23:08]

• For all but Moses, Rabin compares each biblical hero to analogous figures in other literary traditions as a way to highlight both similarities and unique biblical elements.

• Samson is compared to Hercules/Heracles—both display supernatural strength, but the Bible problematizes these attributes.

• Esther is likened to foreign or "washed-up" characters, underscoring her outsider status and complex heroism.

  "A characteristic such as supernatural strength, which was kind of a given in the Greek context, is problematized within the Bible." (A, 22:03)

John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress as Framework

[23:08–26:06]

• The book opens with a humorous quote from Bunyan, parodying readers who justify bad behavior by citing biblical figures, highlighting the ethical ambiguity in Bible stories.

  "The point is that the Bible kind of lends itself to that, if one is so inclined, because these characters are complicated and problematic and not Perfect and not 100% ethical role models." (A, 25:15)

Pedagogy: Teaching Biblical Heroism

[26:06–30:29]

• Rabin encourages teaching even young students complex, ambiguous aspects of biblical heroes, as children naturally perceive contradictions in the text.

• He uses the figure of Abraham as a ‘pilgrim’—linking him to literary pilgrims from Bunyan and Virgil, engaging students in thinking about their own spiritual journeys.

  "A good educator will elicit student responses and encourage their curiosity, their interest, their belief in their own ability to understand the text, to question the text, to come up with their own answers by themselves and in relationship to each other and other kids in the class." (A, 32:23)

Is God a Hero?

[33:44–38:17]

• Rabin adds God as a seventh "character," asking if God is the true hero of the Bible.

• He concludes: God is not a hero by the usual definition, because God lacks human limitation, but serves as a partner in heroism—people can only become heroes in relationship with God, who both supports and tests them.

  "People can't become heroes by themselves, but through their relationship with God... without God, they would not be able to rise to achieve the heroic acts that they do." (A, 37:40)

Biblical vs. Maimonidean God

[38:17–40:52]

• Rabin differentiates the anthropomorphic, emotionally expressive biblical God from the abstract, negative-theology God described by Maimonides.

• He urges readers to “unlearn” certain philosophical filters when approaching the Bible as literature and as a record of ancient beliefs.

  "They're not just metaphors. They weren't just metaphors to the biblical authors. And so we have to unlearn a lot in order to try to see the Bible as it was, as it was written." (A, 39:17)

The Challenge of Inner Life in Biblical Narrative

[40:52–45:42]

• The Bible rarely reveals its characters' inner thoughts, making interpretation challenging yet rich for speculation.

• Rabin references Auerbach's "fraught with background" insight, using Esther as a case study—her agency is only gradually revealed, inviting readers to imagine her inner experience.

  "...there is something rippling underneath the surface of the text that invites the reader to project, imagine, understand that things are going on that we're not seeing." (A, 41:29)

Hero Selection: Why These Figures?

[45:42–49:27]

• Rabin picked the six (or seven, including God) most complex, ambiguous, and influential biblical figures—those given the most narrative space and moral attention.

  "I believe, are the most interesting biblical characters and therefore the most... heroes who are, who get the most real estate in the book." (A, 46:01)

• He emphasizes that biblical heroism is attainable by anyone—democratic, not elitist like Greek myth.

Nobility, Redefined

[49:27–52:52]

• Real nobility comes not from status but from action taken at critical moments, often despite reluctance or past failures.

  "They are noble in that they are presented with situations where they are called to act and they do so; they find the resources in themselves to accomplish things... that they need to accomplish." (A, 49:52)

Biblical Heroes in the COVID Era

[52:52–56:10]

• Rabin’s book, published just before the pandemic, found new relevance: everyday people—like essential workers—proved the biblical model of heroism, stepping up from ordinary circumstances in extraordinary times.

  "That's really the biblical view, that if anybody in the right moment, given the right circumstances, could be asked to become a hero." (A, 54:58)

Looking Ahead: New Projects

[56:10–58:12]

• Rabin is working on projects about Jewish prayer (Tefillah) through the lens of the literary sublime and about how climate change challenges traditional Jewish thought and practice.

  "...issues of climate change. And how does climate change impact the way that we, our traditional notions of religious notions, the way we practice and understand Judaism?" (A, 57:24)

Notable Quotes

• On Biblical Complexity
  "The Bible, for its most complex and interesting and detailed characters, shows them in... both light and dark." (A, 12:52)

• On Teaching Children
  "The truth is, I don't think it's ever too early to discuss complicated features of the text because the text itself is complicated." (A, 30:41)

• On God as Hero
  "People can't become heroes by themselves, but through their relationship with God... without God, they would not be able to rise to achieve the heroic acts that they do." (A, 37:40)

• On Democratic Heroism
  "There are no people who are 2.0, we're all 1.0... It's a very democratic view of humanity in that respect." (A, 47:28)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Guest Introduction & Background: [02:52–08:07]
• Defining “Hero” in the Biblical Context: [08:07–11:49]
• Fallibility and Nobility in the Bible: [11:49–15:15]
• Rabbinic Interpretation & The Trickster Figure: [15:15–19:12]
• Comparative Literature Methodology: [19:12–23:08]
• Pilgrim’s Progress and Ethical Reading: [23:08–26:06]
• Pedagogy Discussion: [26:06–30:29]
• Can God be a Hero?: [33:44–38:17]
• Maimonides vs. the Biblical God: [38:17–40:52]
• The Problem of Inner Life in Scripture: [40:52–45:42]
• Why These Heroes?: [45:42–49:27]
• Defining Nobility: [49:27–52:52]
• Heroism During COVID: [52:52–56:10]
• What’s Next for Elliott Rabin: [56:10–58:12]

Tone and Style

The conversation is scholarly but accessible, blending literary analysis, Jewish thought, and educational insight with warmth and humor. Rabin’s approach is reflective, inviting listeners—regardless of background—to reconsider their own definitions of greatness and heroism.