JUDS 1841: Introduction to Talmud

Abstract

Course Description: Welcome to Intro to Talmud! In this course, we will explore some fundamental questions about our Oral Tradition: - What is the Torah she’baal peh? - Who are we talking about when we refer to Chazal, or “our rabbis”? - Why is Talmud important, and how are we meant to relate to it? We will delve into Talmudic text, building familiarity with its layout and structure and engaging in the rich conversations and debates that make up our mesorah. It is a daunting task, but we will do our best to scratch the surface. Our rabbis (see what I did there? ) tell us in Pirkei Avos 2:16, “ לא עליך המלאכה לגמור, ולא אתה בן חורין ליבטל ממנה ” --“It is not on you to complete the task, but you are not free to exempt yourself from it.”¶ Course Goals and Objectives: • Students will appreciate the religious, intellectual, and spiritual value of studying the Oral Tradition • Students will recognize and be able to identify the various aspects of a page of Talmud • Students will be familiar with the steps in the shilsheles ha-mesorah, the way Torah she’baal peh has been passed down and developed over time • Students will understand and be able to critically analyze several aggadic and halachic passages of Talmud (in English) • Students will be familiar with several common Talmudic patterns of thinking and be able to identify new passages as fitting within one of those structures