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Biblical Hebrew Students will develop the basic vocabulary and grammar skills necessary to understand biblical texts in a supportive class environment. Prerequisite: Knowledge of Hebrew print, script, and vowels. Yitzhak Berger Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Tuition: $300  The Childless Mother: Rachel in the Bible and Midrash Willful, mournful, jealous, generous – Rachel is a complicated and fully realized biblical personality. Through our study of Genesis, Samuel I and Jeremiah, we will analyze how Rachel's character develops and changes and why she becomes a central image in the world of midrash. David Silber Tuesday, 9:15 – 10:45 a.m. Tuition: $125
Parashat HaShavuaWe will analyze and discuss an issue, theme, or text in the weekly Torah reading. We will draw upon classical and modern sources to enhance our Torah study. Rachel Friedman Tuesday, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Tuition: $125 Intermediate Talmud: To Kill or Not to Kill: Tractate Sanhedrin, Chapter 8  threatening your life? What if it is a fetus threatening the life of its mother? Is it appropriate to kill would be criminals to save them from their own impending actions? We will examine these questions and the values they represent through study of the eighth chapter of Tractate Sanhedrin, as well as sources ranging from the Bible to modern commentators. Ayelet Libson Wednesday, 2:00 – 4:30 p.m. Tuition: $175 Twice-Told Tales: Deuteronomy's Relationship to the Rest of the Bible Deuteronomy opens with Moses' review of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. Yet there are glaring discrepancies when one does even a cursory comparison of the events retold in Deuteronomy with their original presentation in the other books of the Bible. We will study the Book of Deuteronomy with a focus on understanding these apparent contradictions and what they can teach us about the nature of narrative and memory. David Silber Thursday, 9:15 – 10:45 a.m. Tuition: $125 Coping with Catastrophe: Tales from the Talmud Although the Talmud is primarily a legal work, the sages who composed it used stories to complement the rules they set down and to clarify the morals and values they wished to convey. This course will examine Talmudic stories addressing matters relating to suffering, destruction, and catastrophe, and will explore different ways the rabbis coped with these difficulties on both the personal and communal levels. Ayelet Libson Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Tuition: $125 Microcosm of Mourning: The Laws of the Three Weeks Our Sages modeled the days in which we commemorate our greatest national loss, the destruction of Jerusalem, after the laws of mourning for a deceased relative. As we approach the three weeks preceding Tisha B'av, we will look at the laws and customs of the Three Weeks, Nine Days, and Tisha B'av. We will explore the connection between personal and national mourning which infuse the ancient customs with timeless significance. Please bring lunch. Adina Luber Thursday, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. 3-week course: July 3, 10, 17 Tuition: $75 
Can Laws Given at Har Sinai Change Due to Events in the Book of Numbers?: The Theological Ramifications of a Chronological Debate
Numerous laws are recorded in the Book of Numbers immediately after certain narratives. For example, the laws of tzizit are recorded after the story of the spies; the laws of matnot kehuna are recorded after the Korach incident. Would those laws have been given, had it not been for those events, or were they previously given at Mount Sinai, but only recorded in Sefer Bamidbar for thematic reasons. We will discuss these questions and their exegetic and theological ramifications. Menachem Leibtag Thursday, June 26, 12:45 – 2:15 p.m. Tuition: $30 (lunch included) Preregistration for lunch required by Wednesday, June 25 at noon.
EVENING
Bible and Jewish Law In his very first comment on the Torah, Rashi famously asks why the Torah – ostensibly a book of law – opens with the story of creation instead of simply laying out the first commandment given to the Jewish people. Numerous answers to Rashi's question are offered, but the fact remains that Torah refuses to be pigeonholed into our modern literary genres – it incorporates both law and narrative. Through the lens of contemporary legal and literary theory, we will explore the relationship between parallel narrative and legal passages in the Bible. Daniel Reifman Monday, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Tuition: $125
Beyond the Law: An Analysis of Aggadah Aggadah is often defined broadly as nonlegal rabbinic literature. Yet, aggadah encompasses many forms – explication of verses, the retelling of biblical stories, and parables. We will use both classic and modern strategies in analyzing a variety of aggadic texts and focus on composition, use of language, and literary form. David Goshen Monday, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Tuition: $125
God's Wife: The Marriage Metaphor The marriage metaphor is one of the most prominent and complex metaphors used by the biblical prophets to describe God's relationship with Israel. This course will examine the development of this metaphor and consider its meaning and theological implications in both the biblical and contemporary context. Amy Kalmanofsky Monday, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. 2-week course: June 30, July 7 Tuition: $50
Yours, Mine, and Ours: Minhag (custom), Marriage, and Mutuality "My husband waits six hours between meat and milk and I only wait three." "I don't eat rice on Passover, but my wife does." When customs conflict within a family or community, how does one decide which to adopt? We will use sources ranging from Gemara to modern halakhic material to examine the place of minhag within Jewish law and Jewish families. Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld Monday, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. 2-week course: July 21, 28 Tuition: $50
Gender and Judaism: Feminist Critique of Traditional Jewish TheologyFor over twenty years Jewish women have participated actively and publicly in the study of Jewish legal texts. This unprecedented development follows centuries during which women were barred from the Beit Midrash (Jewish study hall) and from positions of religious leadership. Today, hundreds of women attend Torah academies of higher learning and fill leadership positions. Equipped with knowledge, skills, and expertise, these women are entering the field of halakha (Jewish law) as advocates in rabbinical courts, halakhic advisors, teachers of Talmud, and authors of halakhic literature. We will consider the impact of these educated and empowered women on their communities and address the challenges of feminism to traditional Judaism. Rachel Gordin Monday, 7:45 – 9:15 p.m. Tuition: $125
Hungry Hearts: Fasting and Prayer (conducted in Hebrew)How, when, and why should a community declare a fast? Is fasting a form of prayer or a penance? What rituals and prohibitions are involved in a communal fast? Do texts that were authored in different time periods reveal different attitudes toward fasting? We will do a close and in-depth study of the Tannaitic sources (Mishnah and Tosefta) that discuss fasting and we will compare these texts with Biblical and Second Temple Literature as well as Geonic and Medieval works. We will focus on both the form and content of these texts and to what extent we can glean information about their composition and their relationship to one another. David Goshen Monday, 7:45 – 9:15 p.m. Tuition: $125
Greeting the Sabbath Angels: Jewish Conceptions of Angels in the Rabbinic and Medieval Periods Tanakh, midrashim, and other foundational Jewish texts are filled with angels, yet the nature, function, and purpose of these angels have been subject to a wide array of competing interpretations throughout Jewish history. We will explore some of the mystical, philosophical, and exegetical approaches to "angelology" that were formulated during the rabbinic and medieval periods. Particular attention will be paid to the Hellenistic, Christian, and Islamic contexts within which Jewish thinkers articulated their views. David Shyovitz 7:45–9:15 p.m. 2-week course: June 30, July 7 Tuition: $50
Religious Women and the Israeli Army: Skirts, Guns, and HalakhaHave you ever seen an Israeli soldier wearing a skirt? What does Jewish law say about women and war? Religious women compose a significant portion of the Israeli army, yet the Israeli rabbinate disapproves of women in the military. We will focus on the Jewish legal response to women and war, both before and after the founding of the State of Israel. Attention will be paid to how the realities of the Jewish state prompted a shift in the halakha. Shayna Weiss 7:45–9:15 p.m. 2-week: July 21, 28 Tuition: $50
Does All Israel Have a Place in the World to Come?How does Judaism define the World to Come? Who are the three kings and four commoners listed in the Mishnah as not having a place in the World to Come, and what did they do to deserve that distinction? We will explore opinions regarding the nature of the world to come and the prerequisites for entrance. Joshua Schreier Tuesday, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Tuition: $125
Sex and Halakha Does marital sex need to be "elevated" in order to be holy? Is sex in marriage primarily about procreation? Should a wife initiate sex? Are some sexual acts forbidden in marriage? What are the guidelines and criteria for family planning decisions? We will look at a range of topics on sex and halakha, paying attention both to the halakhic rulings and values and attitudes that are at play. Topics will include: onah and the mitzvah of marital sex; halakhic symmetry and asymmetry of the sexual relationship; permissible and forbidden sexual acts in marriage; and the mitzvah of procreation and family planning. Dov Linzer Tuesday, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Tuition: $125
Theologies of Lament: Reading EikhahWhat is the religious response to catastrophe? How do survivors of personal and collective trauma contend with challenges to their faith? We will devote each session to a different chapter of the Book of Lamentations, analyzing the literary form as well as the religious content of these biblical poems of mourning. We will focus on the author's representations of suffering and loss and consider the text's various theological implications. Rachel Furst Tuesday, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Tuition: $125
Reading Leviticus in a World without a TempleFor the rabbis living in the shadow of the Temple's destruction, the Book of Leviticus, which describes the Temple rituals, might have been obsolete. And yet, the rabbinic authors of the midrashic commentary on the Book of Leviticus specifically used the book's maze of ritual detail to write highly relevant, timely homilies. We will investigate a variety of ancient (and still helpful) strategies for keeping Leviticus current. Tammy Jacobowitz Tuesday, 7:45 – 9:15 p.m. Tuition: $125 The Art of Jewish Paper-Cutting Come learn an art form that is as old as paper and has been rooted in Jewish Culture and ritual for centuries. In this hands on workshop students will learn everything necessary to create a Jewish Paper-cut. Bring your favorite text selections and blessings to life you'll never have to buy another wedding gift. Gayle Adler Tuesday, 7:45 – 9:15 p.m. Tuition: $125 (+ materials) Pink Shirts and Pinstripe Trousers: Clothing and Gender Construction in Halakha What do women wear? What constitutes a uniquely male garment? Is modesty a gender-specific concept? How do assumptions about gender shape ideas of appropriate dress for men and women? We will study both traditional and contemporary halakhic literature. Chasiah Haberman Tuesday, 7:45 – 9:15 p.m. Tuition: $125 An Absence of Grace? What are women's obligations regarding the Bircat HaMazon (Grace After Meals)? Can and should three women eating together form a zimun? What if there are men present? Through an in-depth study of sources from the Talmud, halakha, and Responsa, we will explore these questions. Jennifer Seligman Wednesday, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Tuition: $125 Rabbinic Authority: Comfort and Discomfort In the Talmud and midrash, there are many occasions in which rabbis make claims to authority – as interpreters of Torah, as political leaders, or as the social elite. We will explore the ways in which the rabbis comment on their own authority. How do the rabbis express their authoritative roles? Do they ever doubt their ability to interpret Torah or responsibly govern a community? We will examine how Talmudic narratives and legal concepts both support and undermine the authority of their rabbinic creators. Shira Billet Wednesday, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Tuition: $125 Thinking about the Past: The Rabbis and Others on History Why would ancient Greek authors like Plutarch, Eusebius, Philo, and Aristeas appear in a Talmud course? Because when we read ancient rabbinic writings alongside ancient Greco-Roman writings – Jewish and non-Jewish alike – the richness of what the rabbis had to say and the multivalent nature of the events themselves are uniquely illuminated. Through rabbinic and other texts, we will explore topics such as the conquests of Alexander the Great, the lost holiday of Yom Nicanor, the translation of the Torah into Greek, and the Jerusalem Temple renovations of King Herod. Jenny Labendz Wednesday, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Tuition: $125 "Whoever Looks upon the Priests Goes Blind": Priests and the Public Eye Why do people look away as the priests bless the congregation? Is this practice a matter of prohibition, of custom, or is it simply erroneous? We will explore how the Bircat HaKohanim (Priestly Blessing) works and whether it serves the same function today as did the ancient ritual service of the Temple. Yehuda Septimus Wednesday, July 16, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Tuition: $25
Parashat HaShavua Through the Eyes of the Netziv For over 40 years Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (the "Netziv") served as the head of the Volozion Yeshiva, arguably the most prominent yeshiva in modern Jewish history. One unique aspect of the Yeshiva was the Netziv's incorporation of the study of the Bible into the standard curriculum of Talmud and Jewish law. Ha'emek Davar, the Netziv's commentary on the Bible, was an outgrowth of this approach, and through analysis of this commentary one can glean insight into the complex world view of this influential modern Jewish personality. In each session we will analyze an aspect of the week's Torah reading with an eye towards the underlying philosophical, exegetical and/or historical context which may have motivated the Netziv's approach. The topics to be explored will include pluralism, messianism, and the definition of midrash and its use an interpretive tool. Yehuda Halpert Wednesday, 7:45 – 9:15 p.m. Tuition: $125 God in the ‘Years of Fury': A Look at Holocaust Theology Many theological reflections have been written in the wake of the Holocaust, but what was being said during that treacherous time? How did rabbis and Jewish philosophers reckon with their reality? How did they make sense of God in the face of despair? How did they respond to the enormity of Jewish suffering? We will focus on religious writings from the years 1939-1945. All sources will be available in English. Erin Leib Wednesday, 7:45 – 9:15 p.m. Tuition: $125 The Mind of the Mishnah: What Were the Rabbis Thinking About and Why? What do blessings over seeing shooting stars, returning lost objects, plowing on Saturday afternoons, and slaughtering bulls have in common? They are all elements of the rabbinic project and provide keys to what the Rabbis who formed our religion were thinking about, and what their concerns were. We will read sections of Mishnah to gain insight into uncovering the goals that the Rabbis had in mind for the Jewish nation. Jenny Labendz Wednesday, 7:45 – 9:15 p.m. Tuition: $125 The Progress of Prayer: Lessons from the Cairo Geniza In December 1896, Solomon Schechter traveled to the "Synagogue of Ben Ezra" in Old Cairo and discovered 200,000 Hebrew manuscripts, some from as early as the 9th century. Among them were alternative liturgies that will astound those used to the standard Ashkenazi prayer book. We will explore how crumpled papers in a forgotten attic can change our understanding of prayer. Elie Kaunfer Wednesday, July 16, 7:45 – 9:15 p.m. Tuition: $25 |
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