Learn Talmud At Your Own Pace with Rabbi Steven Wernick

One of Judaism’s greatest strengths is its affinity for diverse opinions and the debate, for the “sake of Heaven” to implement God’s will in our lives. The Talmud is the source from which this affinity for debate and the code of Jewish Halakhah (law) is derived. It is made up of the Mishnah (250 c.e. Israel) and the Gemara (500 c.e. Babylonia). The Mishnah is the original written version of the oral law and the Gemara is the record of the rabbinic discussions following this writing down.

For many, the study of Talmud can seem overwhelming. In this weekly Talmud learning with Rabbi Wernick, we will learn at a slow and deliberate pace, sequentially studying a single page of Talmud throughout the week, with Shabbat designated as a day for personal review.

Our learning will be supported by scholars from the Conservative Yeshiva (CY) at the Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center of USCJ. Participants will  receive an email from Dr. Joshua Kulp, which neatly has the daily daf (folio page) section in both Hebrew and English, along with his own explanations of each sugya (section). The last email of the week contains, in addition to the final section, a short video of Dr. Kulp reviewing the main points of the daf and what we have learned this week. The following Monday learners will gather for hevruta (partner) study and a shiur reviewing the main points live with Rabbi Wernick.

No previous experience is necessary and students are invited to participate with the CY weekly and drop in to our shiur as they are available. Participants will be encouraged to purchase the Koren or Steinsaltz version of the tractate we are learning. Participants will be encouraged to purchase the Koren or Steinsaltz version of the tractate we are learning. These can be purchased at Amazon.ca. Use of the materials provided by the CY are available on Sefaria.org at no additional cost.

Please register in advance so we may sign you up for the weekly materials from the CY and communicate as our start date approaches which tractate of the Talmud we will learn together. Please contact Rabbi Wernick for more information.