Secular Talmud Study
SHJ is offering a FREE ongoing weekly Secular Talmud Study course on Tuesdays from 7:30pm-9pm ET via Zoom beginning July 9, 2024.
Registration is open to SHJ independent members and members at all SHJ-affiliated communities. Non-members are welcome to participate in up to two classes before membership is required.
An orientation class, where you can meet the teacher and get a taste of how the course works, will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, June 18 at 7:30pm ET.
Please complete this short form to receive the Zoom link. To read more about the full course, please see the FAQ below this form.
Secular Talmud Study FAQs
Who teaches the course?
Rabbi Michael Fraade is currently completing a Spiritual Care residency through the Clinical Pastoral Education program at Massachusetts General Hospital. Born in Connecticut, he was raised in a family that fostered his love of Judaism from an early age. In the past he has worked as a farmer and Jewish outdoor educator in the south; learned Torah at a variety of progressive yeshivas including Hadar, Yashrut, and Pardes; and volunteered with nonprofits focused on food justice, reproductive rights, and Jewish communal life. He was ordained by Hebrew College in 2024. Michael’s interests include being outside, Talmud, cooking, sports, dogs, and ancient Israelite agriculture. He lives in Cambridge, MA with his wife, Rabbi Jenn Queen, son Ezra, and dog Priya
Do I need to know Hebrew or have any prior Jewish education?
No! You don’t even have to be Jewish. The course is in English and accessible to beginners yet will also have a depth of conversation to engage all humanistic thinkers, including those with a Jewish educational background. The class is participatory and conversational, without lengthy frontal presentations.
What is the Talmud?
The Talmud, a central Jewish text, is one of the most absorbing and challenging religious reference books in the world. Compiled over centuries, it records debate and dialogue across generations about the Jewish legal code, ethics, philosophy, and customs.
The Talmud was recorded from oral tradition with the initial intention of preservation. The first part is the Mishnah, a written account of the oral Torah, recorded in the first two centuries of the common era. The second part is the Gemara, an analysis and commentary on the Mishnah, written during the third and fourth centuries of the common era.
Why would humanists study Talmud?
Historically, Jewish scholars studied Talmud to extract legal guidance and establish community norms, especially in tumultuous times as Jews were scattered into Diaspora. Today, Humanistic Jews study Talmud as a historical text, to understand the lives of our ancient ancestors and to recognize the commonalities in daily struggles we may still share.
As Humanistic Jews, we value both reason and intellectual stimulation. We enjoy the challenge of decoding, interpreting, and debating these esoteric teachings and discovering how they can still demonstrate practical relevance to our lives today.
Can Talmud be studied from a strictly cultural perspective?
Yes, that’s the goal of this course! The Talmud is primarily concerned with how humans relate to one another. A non-religious approach to Talmud study is about understanding Jewish culture, history, literature, and interpersonal relations. It provides background that helps us understand the origins of Jewish rituals that still exist today, as well as providing guidelines for living meaningful lives.
Is it really free?
Yes! Thanks to a generous benefactor, this course is made available free as a benefit of membership to SHJ independent members and members at all SHJ-affiliated communities. Non-members are welcome to participate in up to two classes before membership is required.
If you have additional questions, please ask in the above text box when you complete the form. We look forward to seeing you in class!