Unit Tet – “ט” – Jewish Texts – the Ancient Contains the Modern
– 4 class sessions (July 2016)
July 9, 2016
Prophets & Haftarah
What we read: The Hebrew Bible – Prophets & Haftarah
Reading:
Marc Zvi Brettler, How to Read the Jewish Bible, pp. 137-147 – 15: Introduction to Prophecy
How we read it – the connection between Torah Readings and Haftarah Readings
Reading:
Michael Fishbane, “Haftarah”, pp. 1486-1490 in Etz Hayim
July 16, 2016
Writings & Megillot
What we read: The Hebrew Bible – Writings & Megillot
Reading:
Marc Zvi Brettler, How to Read the Jewish Bible,
pp. 219-230 – 22: Prayer of Many Hearts: Reading Psalms
pp. 231-242 – 23: “Acquire Wisdom”: Reading Proverbs and Ecclesiastes
pp. 267-272 – 26: “Why Are You So Kind…When I Am a Foreigner?: Reading Ruth vs. Esther
July 23, 2016
Rabbinic Literature
What we read: Rabbinic Literature – Midrash and post-Biblical Society
Reading:
David Wolpe, “Midrash”, pp. 1490-1494 in Etz Hayim
Jacob Neusner, There We Sat Down: Talmudic Judaism in the Making, pp. 19-25:
Introduction: Society and Scripture
July 30, 2016
Talmud, Medieval Commentators, and Review
What we read: Rabbinic Literature – Talmud, Parshanim & Review
Reading:
Michael Chernick, “Introduction”, pp. 3-23 in Essential Papers on the Talmud
Michael Carasik, The Commentators’ Bible: The JPS Miqra’ot Gedolot, Exodus,
pp. xi-xii: “Frequently Asked Questions”
pp. xiv-xvi: “What’s on the page?”