Course Descriptions
of drawing relevant and practical guidance for spiritual growth from
the deeper messages contained within. Emphasis is placed on
developing textual skills, and delving deeply into classical
commentaries and such as Rashi, Malbim, Maharal, Or HaChaim,
and many others, as well as later meforshim, mussar texts, chassidic thought, and gemara.
We will be learning together the 10th Perek of Masechet Pesachim. Topics range from Shabbat to Pesach. Besides increasing our textual skills we will be learning to analyze the Gemara on a more in depth level – understanding the whys and the whats not only the translation of the words.
1) Philosophy of Prayer: Why do we try to convince God when we pray, if He already knows what we want? Why pray using someone else’s words (the Rabbis)? Why pray in a foreign language (hebrew)? Why pray with many people around us (minyan)?
2) The SIddur’s Words: Week Day Prayers: Birchat Ha Shachar, Psukei D’Zimra, Shema, Shmoneh Esreh, Aleinu.
Shabbat Prayers: Kabbalat Shabbat, The Shabbat Shmoneh Esreh.
בן אדם לעצמו
בן אדם לחברו
בן אדם למקום
This class will build a clear and profound understanding of the spiritual root of the male and female and then work to apply this knowledge to the practical Jewish pathway to relationships and marriage. Topics such as what is Love, Shomer Negia, Platonic friendships, dating, soul mates, and marriage will all be dealt with in depth as a means of gaining great insight into this critical subject.
The major topics that we be discussed are as follows:
1.Doubt and Faith – what is allowed within the Jewish Tradition and how do we deal with Doubt when we experience it
2.The Denominations of Judaism as seen through their approach to Jewish Law. We will contrast orthodoxy to the other denominations and we will be examining the different approaches to Law and life within orthodoxy itself
3.The Development of Torah Shebeal Peh throughout the ages
4.How does one become a posek and how does pesak Halacha work