Join women of all ages for inspiring and meaningful Torah-study and an opportunity to hone your text skills.
The Tuesday morning classes will take place simultaneously at Nishmat and over Zoom.
Nishmat offers weekly classes, holiday Yemei Iyun, a Winter Seminar and a Summer Program for English-speakers.
SUNDAY
16:00-18:00 IL/
9:00-11:00 ET
Introduction to Talmud
Rachel Seidenberg
Aug. 29, 2021-Jan 30, 2022
This class will serve as an introduction to the world of Talmud. We will explore concepts of the Oral Law throughout the class, including development and relevancy of the Oral Law, relationship to the written Law and fundamental principles of the Oral Law. We will be studying topics in prayer from the tractate Brachot, with both guided Chavruta time as well as lecture time for understanding and analysis of the text. There will be an emphasis on tools for understanding of the text, terminology and structure of both the Mishna and the Gemara.
Fee: NIS 1440/ $390
Sundays
4:00-6:00pm IL/
9:00-11:00am ET
Intermediate Talmud:
The Crimes for Which the Torah Mandates Strangulation
Rav Hanan Schlesinger
The Crimes for Which the Torah Mandates Strangulation – Rav Hanan Schlesinger
17 Sessions
This class will study the first half of the tenth chapter of Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin beginning from the top of page 84b. (The tenth and eleventh chapters of Tractate Sanhedrin are reversed in the Mishna and the Talmud; this chapter is not to be confused with the tenth chapter of Tractate Sanhedrin as it is appears in the Mishna. That chapter is called Perek Helek and deals primarily with reward and punishment and overtly theological issues.)
The fascinating and illuminating material found in the pages we will study deals with some of the crimes for which the punishment is strangulation, including striking one’s parent and kidnapping. The Talmud brings material from Midrash Halacha in order to clarify the parameters of the crimes.
Central to the material in the chapter are discussions concerning two other crimes for which the punishment is strangulation, namely the rebellious elder and the false prophet, although the latter appears in the second half of the chapter and we will not manage to get that far. The common denominator of these two crimes is of course that both fundamentally undermine the legal system of the Torah and therefore it is crucial for the foundations of Torah law to clearly define them.
Concerning the rebellious elder: The Oral Law is founded upon individual study, freedom of thought, creative interpretation and intellectual argumentation but here the rabbis are forced to deal with the possible limits on these values and endeavors. We will be learning and talking in class about the clash between these values and collective values of respect, obedience, community cohesion and unity.
The two-hour Zoom sessions will be divided between hevruta study of the texts on the one hand, and on the other hand, frontal presentation and class discussion. The frontal presentations will deal both with the skills of critical textual analysis and with – when possible – the philosophical and theological issues suggested by the texts.
This is in intermediate level class. It is for women who have already studied in-depth at least one full chapter of the Babylonian Talmud or one full tractate of Daf Yomi.
Students are expected to be familiar with the 50 pivotal Aramaic words that direct the flow and logic of Talmudic discourse.
Fee: NIS 1360/ $390
Sundays
4:30-6:30pm IL/
9:30-11:30am ET
Beginners Talmud:
Tefilla and Brachot; Our Spiritual Connection to Hashem
Rabbanit Navit Tzadik
Tefilla and Brachot; Our Spiritual Connection to Hashem
Rabbanit Navit Tzadik
17 meetings
In this course we will start our journey of studying the Talmud. We will be learning Tractate Brachot, comparing both Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmudic traditions, and analyzing parallel passages. We will become familiar with some of the Talmud’s terminology, structure, and narrative flow and attempt to grasp the wisdom and depth presented within the Talmudic discourse. Each class will involve an introduction followed by chevrutah learning, where students engage in paired study and discussion. This will be followed by a frontal presentation and interactive class discussion. This course is designed for beginners and no prior background in Talmudic studies is expected or required for participation.
Fee: NIS 1360/ $390
Sundays
6:45-8:45pm IL/
11:45am-1:45pm ET
Advanced Talmud:
Damages and Theft – Liability and Responsibility
Rav Chaim Tabasky
Damages and Theft – Liability and Responsibility – Rav Chaim Tabasky
17 meetings
In the coming year we will study the third chapter (semester 1) and seventh chapter (semester 2) of Masechet Baba Kama. In the first semester we will be concerned with the halachot of “nizkei mamaon”, the obligation to prevent damages caused by negligence, and payments that can be claimed. The seventh chapter deals with the laws of theft. Both chapters contain sugyot that broaden into general topics of halachic jurisprudence.
Our base text will be the Gemara and we will concentrate on the development and analysis of the sugya, with help from Rashi and other early commentators.
The two-hour zoom sessions will be divided between chevruta study of the text and frontal presentation with class discussion. We will focus both on skill building as well as analysis and understanding in depth the issues the Talmud addresses.
This course is an advanced level class. It is for women who have already studied Talmud, feel comfortable learning in a somewhat fast paced shiur, and are familiar with many Aramaic words and terms in the Talmud. Students are very much encouraged to ask questions and open discussions during class on the material being studied.
Fee: NIS 1360/ $390
MONDAY
Mondays
8:15-9:15pmIL/
1:15-2:15pm ET
Halacha:
Brachot Hanehenim – Blessings on Foods
Rav Da’vid Sperling
Brachot Hanehenim – Blessings on Foods – Rav Da’vid Sperling
18 meetings
We will be learning the laws of different brachot on food. Apart from of course increasing our knowledge of the correct way to say brachot, we will be focusing our learning on gaining skills in learning the sources from the Shulchan Aruch – seeing the different laws “inside” the text, learning the underlying reasons for differing opinions, and gaining an appreciation for halachic thinking. Our learning will be suitable for those who already have a background in textual studies, but also for those who would like to begin their journey into the fascinating world of halachic study.
Fee: NIS 540/ $155
TUESDAY
Tuesdays
9:00-11:30am IL
The World Before Avraham*
Simi Peters
The World before Avraham – Simi Peters
19 meetings
Bereshit and Noach are difficult texts, depicting a world of archetypes and mysteries. In this course, we will study these parshiyot in depth, using midrash and biblical commentary to try and understand what these narratives have to teach us.
Fee: NIS 1425/ $410
Tuesdays 11:45am-12:45pm IL
Halacha:
Brachot Hanehenim – Blessings on Foods*
Rav Da’vid Sperling
Brachot Hanehenim – Blessings on Foods
19 meetings
We will be learning the laws of different brachot on food. Apart from of course increasing our knowledge of the correct way to say brachot, we will be focusing our learning on gaining skills in learning the sources from the Shulchan Aruch – seeing the different laws “inside” the text, learning the underlying reasons for differing opinions, and gaining an appreciation for halachic thinking. Our learning will be suitable for those who already have a background in textual studies, but also for those who would like to begin their journey into the fascinating world of halachic study.
Fee: NIS 570/ $165
Both: 1900/ $545
Tuesdays 8:00-9:00 pm IL/
1:00-2:00pm ET
Learning to Think Like Rashi
Simi Peters
19 meetings
This course will explore Rashi’s commentary on Torah with the goal of enabling students to reconstruct Rashi’s thinking so that they become more skilled readers of the biblical text. Among the topics we will discuss are: how—and why—Rashi’s definition of peshat (the plain sense of the biblical text) may differ from our own and how Rashi makes use of midrashic sources.
Fee: NIS 570/ $165
WEDNESDAY
2:00-4:00pm IL/
7:00-09:00am ET
מקדש, מלך ונביא: עיונים בספר מלכים
(in Hebrew)
הרב דוד סבתו
19 meetings
הרב דוד סבתו
סיפורה המופלא של מלכות ישראל נפרש על פני תקופה ארוכה וסוערת של ארבע מאות שנים, ומקופל בין דפי ספר מלכים. סיפוריו נעים בין פסגות המקדש בירושלים – לתהומות עגלי זהב ופולחן הבעל, בין שגשוג כלכלי ופוליטי חסר תקדים, לפילוג, גלות וחורבן, ובין כוח פוליטי לאמת נבואית. בשיעור נעיין בפרקי ספר מלכים בשילוב של ניתוח פרשני-ספרותי, עם מבט היסטורי-רעיוני רחב על משמעויותיו ולקחיו.
Fee: 1140/ $325
8:30-9:30pm IL/
1:30-2:30pm ET
הלכות שבת
(in Hebrew)
הרב קובי גיגי
הלכות שבת
הרב קובי גיגי
19 Sessions
. בקורס נעבור על ההלכה המקורות הראשוניים שלה ועד לפסיקת ההלכה בדורינו
Fee: NIS 570/ $165
Teachers will be teaching new material at the start of each session/semester.
*This class will take place simultaneously at Nishmat and over Zoom.
