Dear Holy Students of Torah,
Welcome to Talmud 101 at PRS. My name is Rabbi Dr. Eric L. Wasser. I am truly excited to journey with you through several sections of Jewish texts. We will investigate how Talmudic literature uniquely functions simultaneously in the realms of law, interpretation, education, philosophy, and theology.
Our textbook for the course will be Halakhah: The Rabbinic Idea of Law by Chaim Saimon (2018, Princeton University Press). Each week you will be responsible for reviewing and discussing one chapter of the book. In our Slack channel, I will offer questions pertaining to each chapter’s main ideas.
In addition, and perhaps more importantly, we will be analyzing other texts that I have chosen through the lens of Saimon’s textbook. Fluency and understanding of these supplementary texts are part of our course requirements.
I look forward to engaging in the mitzvah of Talmud Torah with you!
B’Shalom,
Rabbi Eric L Wasser, EdD.
p.s. You can learn more about Dr. Wasser from his dissertation below.
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4a7c/bb32446bef1ae92634d626755e6e1540897f.pdf
Course Format
This course will be moderated on Slack and will have 4 live sessions in the Zoom classroom.
Course Objectives
Following dappim (plural for daf):
1) Menachot 44b: Tzitzit and the Prostitute: Saimon Intro Chapter
2) Sanhedrin 68b: The Rebellious Son: Saimon Chapter One
3) Baba Metzia 59b: The Oven of Achnai: Saimon Chapter Two
4) Berachot 6a, 48b,60a: Blessings/Prayers Saimon Chapter Three
5) Berachot 26b: Tefillot Avoth Tiknum: Saimon Chapter Four
6) Makkot 24b: Core Concepts Saimon Chapter Five
7) Ketuboth 17a/Menachot 29a: Saimon Chapter Six
8) Menachot 99b: Time for Action Saimon Chapter Seven
9) Baba Metzia 92: Food for Thought Saimon Chapter Eight
Assignments
Every week, please watch the lecture and read the chapters. Please provide written answers to the questions posted in each week’s unit. Email the written answers to ewasser@jewishpluralism.org.
The week’s work is due Sundays at 5 PM Eastern. This is a firm deadline.
I will post occasional questions and comments in the #talmud Slack channel. Please respond to them! This will count for participation.
Here are all the questions for the entire course in one document.
Dr. Wasser's Talmud class has been an exceptional experience. His brilliant insights into the text have deepened my understanding and inspired a new appreciation for the layers of meaning within the Talmud. The text he selected is both comprehensive and accessible, serving as a crucial tool for navigating complex sugyot (topics). I’m certain this text will be invaluable throughout my