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Transmission of Rabbinic Texts

March 10, 2023

This course traces the paths through which the key books of the rabbinic canon were transmitted from the time and place of composition up to the era of Hebrew printing. It chronicles the many obstacles they had to overcome, the effect of historical and political shifts, and how those journeys affected the ways they were used and understood by later generations. By following this theme across a range of compositions, we will identify common patterns and find some truly surprising divergences.

This course is .5 credits towards smicha.

Course Overview

Lecture 1: Mishna and Tosefta

Lecture 2: Midrash Halakhah and Midrash Aggadah

Lecture 3: Talmuds

Lecture 4: From Oral to Written

Lecture 5: Siddur

Lecture 6: Rishonim

Your Instructor

Rabbi Dr. Joshua Cahan
Liturgy
Rabbi Dr. Joshua Cahan is a writer and Tefilah Coach from Riverdale, NY, and author of The Yedid Nefesh Benscher and The Yedid Nefesh Haggadah. He spent eleven years teaching Rabbinics and Prayer at The Leffell School (formerly Schechter Westchester). He received his rabbinic ordination and a Ph.D. in Rabbinic Literature from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, where he also served as Director of the JTS Beit Midrash, and spent eight years directing the Northwoods Kollel and Beit Midrash Program at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. Rabbi Cahan’s expertise in liturgy and prayer spans the academic and the practical—he is an accomplished baal tefilla (prayer leader) and song leader, and has, in addition to the Yedid Nefesh series, published several academic articles on liturgy. Smicha, Jewish Theological Seminary of America PhD, Talmud, Jewish Theological Seminary of America MHL, Jewish Theological Seminary of America BA, Philosophy, Yale University

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Ratings and Reviews

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Matt Adler
Posted 2 weeks ago
Excellent and thorough - one of the best electives

Videos were of reasonable length while containing a deep array of information. Very practical course for any future rabbi to take to understand our history and texts.

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Miriam Feiler
Posted 1 month ago
Rabbi Cahan brings the history to life

I end this course with a deep sense of gratitude to the centuries of Rabbis who kept the halacha and liturgy alive across complex migrations and major cultural and historic schisms.

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Barbara Dershowitz
Posted 8 months ago
Always great to learn from Rabbi Cahan

An excellent discussion of how Jewish texts evolved and spread. You'll want to take notes.

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