Talmud/Toshba

A main objective of the Talmud program is to teach students the skills necessary to become lifelong learners of the gemara (Talmud) while at the same time developing the love for learning that inspires the students in their yiddishkeit (Jewish worldview) and shemirat mitzvot (observance of precepts). Our approach is to identify the skills needed to achieve this goal, determine which skills are appropriate for which ages and which levels, and find masechtot (tractates) and sugiyot (topic areas) that lend to the teaching of these particular skills. In addition, the Talmud department seeks to identify values that will characterize the graduate of the program, and choose those sugiyot that not only develop the skill set desired, but the values orientation as well.

The masechtot for 9th and 10th grade include this year’s choice of Kiddushin followed next year by Sukka, in a two-year alternating pattern. Note that our 9th and 10th graders take Talmud together, as do our 11th and 12th graders. The expected two year rotation for the 11th and 12th grades following this year will involve the study of Sanhedrin and Shabbat. The conversation amongst the Talmud staff is ongoing and fluid, which means that masechtot listed in this brochure may be replaced with others in future years depending on the nature of certain grades, and our own internal considerations of the suitability of particular masechtot with different cohorts of students.

On task chevruta study is a significant goal of the honors classes, and all shiurim introduce students to the challenges of independent preparation. Facility with resources including dictionaries, organizers depicting various Talmudic structures, and on-line materials enhance our students’ ability to grapple with the Talmud text and its ideas.
The Upper School Boys’ Kollel Shiur, run under the auspices of the Torah Mitzion Rosh Kollel who serves as the shiur’s Rebbe, seeks to introduce 11th and 12th grade advanced Talmud students to an environment similar to the batei midrash (study halls) of prestigious centers of learning in Eretz Yisrael. The shiur develops advanced skills in textual analysis and critical thinking. Students engage often in structured chavruta study (cooperative learning) with the bachurim and their Rebbe, who delivers the shiur in Hebrew.

Advanced Talmud students also pursue additional Talmud study through our Bekiyut shiur, a third high level Talmud period in our Boys’ program.


Torah Sheba’al Peh – Kodesh
The Torah SheBa’al Peh (Toshba) program for female students and the Kodesh program for male students are arranged by a cycle of topics and themes.  Often, their curricula match the topics being explored in that years’ Talmud class.  All female students not studying Talmud study Torah SheBa’al Peh, and cover the same topics in any given year The cycle of topics include:
1.      Person and Hashem – mitzvot relating to Israel, the diaspora, the Messiah, kashrut, Shabbat and tefillah.
2.      Person and Community – mitzvot including visiting the sick, charity, Chevra Kadisha, and Eruv.
3.      Person and Self – themes include modesty, use of appropriate language, and faith.
4.      Person and Family – themes include parent-child, sibling, and husband-wife relationships.

In addition to studying the given year’s tractate, these classes also discuss the various Jewish holidays throughout the calendar year.  Original texts are utilized whenever possible

Judaic Electives
Beit Midrash
Mastery of any area of Torah requires years of study and constant review.  Students in this course will work together with their teacher to establish meaningful, realistic self-study goals in the area of Torah of their choice.  They will have the opportunity to spend extra time focusing on specific areas of the Torah  to work toward mastering its great depth and breadth.  An examination schedule will be established to ensure that students are meeting their goals and are mastering the material.