Turn it and Turn it

Pruzbol: A Talmud Shiur (2/6) with Rabbanit Leah Sarna

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Shemittah" 
The Mishnah in the fourth chapter of Gittin lists a number of Rabbinic decrees created “mi-penei tikkun ha-olam,” for the betterment of the world. One of those listed is the Pruzbol, instituted by Hillel to encourage Jews to make loans to one another. This course will study the Talmudic discussion of Pruzbol in Gittin 36a-37b, which touches on a series of burning questions like “how was Pruzbol allowed in the first place?” and “should we get rid of it?” In each session we will use a section of the Talmud in Gittin as a jumping off point into parallel texts and medieval commentators. This course is oriented towards students with some experience studying medieval Talmud commentators, but most texts will be presented with translation.
This audio was originally captured from Zoom on 10/25/2021 as part of Drisha's Fall Zman. 

Pruzbol: A Talmud Shiur (1/6) with Rabbanit Leah Sarna

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Shemittah" 
The Mishnah in the fourth chapter of Gittin lists a number of Rabbinic decrees created “mi-penei tikkun ha-olam,” for the betterment of the world. One of those listed is the Pruzbol, instituted by Hillel to encourage Jews to make loans to one another. This course will study the Talmudic discussion of Pruzbol in Gittin 36a-37b, which touches on a series of burning questions like “how was Pruzbol allowed in the first place?” and “should we get rid of it?” In each session we will use a section of the Talmud in Gittin as a jumping off point into parallel texts and medieval commentators. This course is oriented towards students with some experience studying medieval Talmud commentators, but most texts will be presented with translation.
This audio was originally captured from Zoom on 10/18/2021 as part of Drisha's Fall Zman. 

Emotions in Halakha (5/5) with Rabbanit Victoria Sutton

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Halakhic History"
The Jewish legal tradition has much to say about how we are to act. But what about how we are to feel? Do emotional states, in and of themselves, have significance in halakha? In this course, we will explore this question, examining some common human emotions such as (e.g. joy and shame) in light of halakhic sources drawn from the Talmud through the responsa literature. We will also consider somewhat more elusive emotional states that have implications in Jewish law, such as oneg (pleasure), tza'ar (pain) and yishuv da'at (peace of mind).
This audio was originally captured from Zoom on 05/14/2023

Emotions in Halakha (4/5) with Rabbanit Victoria Sutton

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Halakhic History"
The Jewish legal tradition has much to say about how we are to act. But what about how we are to feel? Do emotional states, in and of themselves, have significance in halakha? In this course, we will explore this question, examining some common human emotions such as (e.g. joy and shame) in light of halakhic sources drawn from the Talmud through the responsa literature. We will also consider somewhat more elusive emotional states that have implications in Jewish law, such as oneg (pleasure), tza'ar (pain) and yishuv da'at (peace of mind).
Click here to view the accompanying source sheet. 
This audio was originally captured from Zoom on 05/07/2023

Emotions in Halakha (3/5) with Rabbanit Victoria Sutton

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Halakhic History"
The Jewish legal tradition has much to say about how we are to act. But what about how we are to feel? Do emotional states, in and of themselves, have significance in halakha? In this course, we will explore this question, examining some common human emotions such as (e.g. joy and shame) in light of halakhic sources drawn from the Talmud through the responsa literature. We will also consider somewhat more elusive emotional states that have implications in Jewish law, such as oneg (pleasure), tza'ar (pain) and yishuv da'at (peace of mind).
Click here to view the accompanying source sheet.
This audio was originally captured from Zoom on 04/30/2023

Emotions in Halakha (2/5) with Rabbanit Victoria Sutton

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Halakhic History" 
The Jewish legal tradition has much to say about how we are to act. But what about how we are to feel? Do emotional states, in and of themselves, have significance in halakha? In this course, we will explore this question, examining some common human emotions such as (e.g. joy and shame) in light of halakhic sources drawn from the Talmud through the responsa literature. We will also consider somewhat more elusive emotional states that have implications in Jewish law, such as oneg (pleasure), tza'ar (pain) and yishuv da'at (peace of mind).
Click here to view the accompanying source sheet. 
This audio was originally captured from Zoom on 04/23/2023

Emotions in Halakha (1/5) with Rabbanit Victoria Sutton

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Halakhic History"
The Jewish legal tradition has much to say about how we are to act. But what about how we are to feel? Do emotional states, in and of themselves, have significance in halakha? In this course, we will explore this question, examining some common human emotions such as (e.g. joy and shame) in light of halakhic sources drawn from the Talmud through the responsa literature. We will also consider somewhat more elusive emotional states that have implications in Jewish law, such as oneg (pleasure), tza'ar (pain) and yishuv da'at (peace of mind).
Click here to view the accompanying sources.
This audio was originally captured from Zoom on 04/16/2023

Rabbinic Traditions of Personal Behavior: A New Window into Halakha (2/2) with Dr. Yedidah Koren

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Halakhic History"
Alongside Talmudic rulings and discussions, there are hundreds of traditions that describe the personal behavior and habits of rabbis. These are descriptions, often at a very high resolution of rabbis' religious practices and bodily movements and gestures. Sometimes the behavior is presented as an example or proof of a certain halakha, while other times, it is scrutinized and challenged, as it goes against other known teachings. These many traditions reveal a culture in which the careful examination of the personal actions and habits of teachers, peers, and students, and the subsequent transmission and discussion of these recorded moments, was a central component of rabbinic training and study. What is more, the traditions disclose another dimension to rabbinic halakha. A concept that is often translated as Jewish law, that emerges through these traditions as rabbinic habit and way of life. In this series, we will analyze a selection of rabbinic traditions of personal behavior, and discuss their meaning and significance, what they contribute to our understanding of rabbinic culture, and how they reshape our notions of halakha. We will also use these materials to reflect on contemporary forms of examination of personal behavior and habit and how they impact our culture
This audio was originally captured from Zoom on 05/02/2022 as part of Drisha's Spring Zman

Rabbinic Traditions of Personal Behavior: A New Window into Halakha (1/2) with Dr. Yedidah Koren

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Halakhic History"
Alongside Talmudic rulings and discussions, there are hundreds of traditions that describe the personal behavior and habits of rabbis. These are descriptions, often at a very high resolution of rabbis' religious practices and bodily movements and gestures. Sometimes the behavior is presented as an example or proof of a certain halakha, while other times, it is scrutinized and challenged, as it goes against other known teachings. These many traditions reveal a culture in which the careful examination of the personal actions and habits of teachers, peers, and students, and the subsequent transmission and discussion of these recorded moments, was a central component of rabbinic training and study. What is more, the traditions disclose another dimension to rabbinic halakha. A concept that is often translated as Jewish law, that emerges through these traditions as rabbinic habit and way of life. In this series, we will analyze a selection of rabbinic traditions of personal behavior, and discuss their meaning and significance, what they contribute to our understanding of rabbinic culture, and how they reshape our notions of halakha. We will also use these materials to reflect on contemporary forms of examination of personal behavior and habit and how they impact our culture
This audio was originally captured from Zoom on 04/25/2022 as part of Drisha's Spring Zman

What is “Halakhah”? The Fascinating History of an Essential Term (3/3) with Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Zuckier

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Halakhic History"
This class studies the many meanings of the term Halakhah as they develop over time and considers what they say about the practice of Halakhah overall. Should we translate Halakhah as “law,” and if so is it the theoretical law or the practical law? What does it mean for something to be “Halakhah but we do not rule like it” (הלכה ואין מורין כן) or to be “Halakhah but not for enaction” (הלכה ולא למעשה)? How should we understand other uses of the term Halakhah, such as where it is used to introduce Midrashic teachings or to refer to a paragraph of a legal text? What significance is there to the more recent shift in which certain observant groups refer to themselves as “Halakhic Judaism”?
This audio was originally captured from Zoom on 03/18/2021 as part of Drisha's Spring Zman