A NEW 6-WEEK COURSE - BEGINS TUESDAY, FEB 4 - CLICK HERE TO JOIN
COURSE OVERVIEW
Inside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book that Defines Judaism
Join this six-week course and discover the Talmud, its history, authors, and significance - and experience it for yourself. You'll learn the key terms, logical principles, and historical context required to decode every part of the Talmudic page. Plus, see how it became central to Jewish life and why it inspires fascination, debate, and study today.
Lesson 1 - February 4
THE JEWISH PEOPLE & THE TALMUD: WHY JEWISH LIFE ORBITS A BOOK OF LAW
Jewish law’s ultimate record is the Talmud, but what is Jewish law? Explore its nature, scope, and roots in the written Torah and Oral Law—and see learning’s central role in Jewish practice and culture.
Lesson 2 - February 11
THE MISHNAH: THE ORIGINS, AUTHORS, AND CONTENTS OF JUDAISM'S FIRST CODE
See how Jewish law shifted from oral tradition to written code and encounter the Mishnah’s precise style, tight structure, and tolerance for debate—and its spiritual significance in Jewish life.
Lesson 3 - February 18
DECRYPTING THE MISHNAH: HOW THE SAGES STUDIES, DEBATED, AND UNDERSTOOD THE MISHNAH
Discover the tools, methods, and principles the sages employed in the centuries-long effort to unpack the Mishnah’s full practical implications.
Lesson 4 - February 25
TO CREATE THE TALMUD: HOW THE SAGES SHAPED ITS STRUCTURE AND SUBSTANCE
Meet the pivotal sages in the Talmud’s story—from Rav and Shmuel’s first academies to Rav Ashi and Ravina’s final text—and see how they wove in stories as well as ethical and philosophical teachings.
Lesson 5 - March 4
HOW THE TALMUD THINKS: A UNIQUE METHOD OF LOGIC - AND WHY IT MATTERS
Understand the Babylonian Talmud’s rigorous mode of legal reasoning, how it balances dueling principles to arrive at clear legal boundaries, and how its elegant logic fuels deeper learning.
Lesson 6 - March 11
THE TALMUD UNTIL TODAY: TALMUDIC LITERATURE AND 15TH CENTURIES OF CONSTANT STUDY
See how and why the Talmud became the core of Jewish law and discover the vast literature of responsa, legal codes, and commentaries that continue the conversation until today.
A NEW 6-WEEK COURSE - BEGINS TUESDAY, FEB 4 - CLICK HERE TO JOIN