Yoel H. Kahn, Ph.D. Graduate Theological Union

Visiting Asst. Professor, Berkeley, California

Center for Jewish Studies HRHS 2025 Fall 2000

Sources and Resources for Jewish Studies

Monday & Thursday, 12:40 - 2

Location: Mudd 102

Office: CJS, 2450 LeConte, 510-649-2482

Office Hours: Monday & Thursday after class (by appointment)

E-mail: ykahn@gtu.edu

Course Description:

This class is an introductory survey of the major sources of the Jewish religious tradition and modern resources for their study. The class will familiarize participants with the genres, major works, structures, styles and goals of the Jewish classics, including Talmud, codes, responsa, Kabbalah & liturgy, as well as some texts from outside the canon. The course emphasizes bibliographical tools and resources. Students use the internet, CD-ROMs and other contemporary bibliographical tools in order to access primary and secondary sources. In general, class meetings will alternate between sessions devoted to structure, contents and significance of canonical texts and sessions in which we will read and discuss samples of the contents of these texts.

This class may be used to fulfill the CJS Hebrew language course requirement. Speak to the instructor if you want to enroll using this option.

Class requirements and grading:
  1. Reading and reflection on assigned readings before class, including visiting assigned web sites, going to library, etc; this is essential for 2. and 3.
  2. Active participation in class discussion (30%)
  3. A short, in-class presentation on a resource in Jewish studies (can be a book series, periodical, electronic media or website); this should be accompanied by a written report which can be distributed to one’s fellow students, so that they can benefit from your labors (25%)

Term report: an annotated bibliography of current resources on a topic in Jewish studies, surveying and evaluating print, electronic and on-line resources. (45%) Due at the end of the semester

Syllabus & Readings

Course text: Holtz, B. W. (1984). Back to the sources : reading the classic Jewish texts. New York, Summit Books.

Course reader: All other assignments are in course reader. Please bring Holtz and the reader to every class session. Readings which are to prepared in advance of class are indicated by an * -- other readings are primarily resources which will be discussed in class. However, please review all the assigned readings/handouts in advance of every class session.

Web addresses: Some assignments are found on WWW pages, or learning about the site itself is the assignment. Rather than retype the address, first go to the on-line version of this syllabus at http://www.gtu.edu/syllabi/Area8HR.html (you can navigate there via the GTU home page at www.gtu.edu ) and click on the underlined links once you get there. You may wish to either bookmark the syllabus on the GTU webpage or you may copy the on-line version onto your home computer. While this is a valuable skill, I will also be glad to e-mail you a copy of the syllabus if that would be easier for you. Please do not hesitate to ask.

September 7

Introduction and review of syllabus; mythic vs historical method; Periodization

The Torah as Foundation: "Religio-Mythic Model"

Source: Yoel Kahn

The Torah: Written & Oral: Critical Historical Model"

Source: Yoel Kahn

Timeline of Biblical and Rabbinical Judaism

Source: Yoel Kahn

September 11

Periodization; commentary and intertextuality; different types of texts

* Introduction , pp. 11-30

Holtz, B. W. (1984). Back to the sources : reading the classic Jewish texts. New York, Summit Books.

GTU BM496.5 .B33 1984

Three Lessons for Reading Hebrew

Source: Simon, E. (1983). The First Hebrew primer for adults : biblical and prayerbook Hebrew : a self-teaching text designed for people who have not studied in years. Oakland, Calif., EKS Pub. Co.

GTU SFTS PJ4567.5 .F5 1983 Held at SFTS San Anselmo.

Sept 14

Library tour - GTU holdings and resources in Jewish Studies

Tour co-leader: Kris Veldheer, GTU Teaching Librarian

Includes instruction on how to look for articles in ATLA Religion Index on CD-Rom or on the Web: http://gateway.ovid.com/

If you are connecting to ATLA Religion Index from an off-campus site, you need to first get a password from the Reference Desk

September 18

Hebrew Bible

* Modern English Versions of the Bible

Source: Crim, K. R. (1994). "Modern English Versions of the Bible". The New Interpreter's Bible. Nashville, Abingdon Press: v. __, 22-32.

GTU Library Ref BS491.2 .N484 1994

Hebrew Bible: Table of Contents

Source: [Tanakh] = JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh : the traditional Hebrew text and the new JPS translation.(1999). Philadelphia, Jewish Publication Society.

GTU REF BS895 .J4 1999

Catholic "Old Testament":Table of Contents

Source: The Jerusalem Bible (1966).. Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday.

GTU Library BS195 .J4 1966

Protestant "Old Testament": Table of Contents

Source: New RSV

Hebrew Bible: BHS critical edition

Source: Kittel, R., H. Bardtke, et al. (1977). Torah Nevi'im u-Ketuvim = Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Stuttgart, Deutsche Bibelstiftung.

GTU Library Ref BS715 1977

Torah according to the Masoretic text

Source: Hertz, J. H. (1935). Hamishah humshe Torah im ha-Hafterot : nidpas al pi ha-misoret u-mitargem anglit im perush ketser. London, Oxford University Press.

GTU Library BS1225 .H45 1935

"Rabbinic Bible" = Mikraot Gedolot

Source: Mi*kra*ot gedolot : im l*b perushim. (1961). Yerushalayim, Am Olam.

GTU Library BS715 .1961b

Tikkun le-Korim

Source: Tikkun le-korim kolel hamisha humshei torah… (1946) New York: Ktav.

Pentateuch with Rashi

Source: Silbermann, A. M. (1965). Pentateuch : with Targum Onkelos, Haphtaroth and: Rashi's commentary. New York, Hebrew Pub. Co.

GTU BS1222 [earlier edition]

JPS Hebrew-English

Source: [Tanakh] = JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh : the traditional Hebrew text and the new JPS translation.(1999). Philadelphia, Jewish Publication Society.

JPS English

Source: Tanakh = The Holy Scriptures : the new JPS translation according to the traditional Hebrew text. (1985). Philadelphia, Jewish Publication Society.

GTU Library Ref BS895 .J4 1985

GTU Library BS895 .J4 1985

* Preface to JPS Hebrew-English Edition

Source: Stein, D. E. S. (1999). Preface to the 1999 Hebrew-English Edition. [Tanakh] = JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh : the traditional Hebrew text and the new JPS translation. Philadelphia, Jewish Publication Society

* Preface to JPS English Edition

reprinted in 1999 JPS Hebrew-English edition.

"Table of Scriptural Readings" = [weekly Torah portions]

Source: 1999 JPS Hebrew-English edition

* Keywords for Torah and Tanakh

Source: Yoel Kahn

September 21 Reading the Hebrew Bible: Narrative

* Back to Sources, 31-82

September 25 Reading the Hebrew Bible: Legal Materials

* Back to Sources, 105-176

September 28

Late 2nd Temple; Qumran; NT; Targum; Pluralities of Judaism

* WWW Readings: Library of Congress Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit: http://metalab.unc.edu/expo/deadsea.scrolls.exhibit/intro.html

Can be accessed via the Jewish Studies section of the GTU library page:

http://www.gtu.edu/library/LibJewish.html

Also see the Hebrew University Orion Center home page:

* http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il/ and be sure to take the cave tour!

(Best done on a machine with a fast connection)

Reader: "General Introduction," by James H. Charlesworth

* Source: Charlesworth, J. H. and F. M. Cross (1994). The Dead Sea scrolls : Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts with English translations. Tübingen

Louisville, J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck) ;

Westminster/John Knox Press.

GTU Library Ref BM487 .A3 1993?

October 2

From Biblical Israel to Rabbinic Judaism: Mishnah & Tosefta

* Back to Sources, 129-134

* Rabbinic Judaism—Key Words

Source: Yoel Kahn

Order & Tractates of the Mishnah & Talmud

Source: Yoel Kahn

Citations and Abbreviations for Rabbinic Texts

Source: Yoel Kahn

Mishnah: Tractate Berakhot, Chapter 5:1- 6:3

Source: Neusner, J. (1988). The Mishnah : a new translation. New Haven, Yale University Press.

GTU Library BM497.5.E5 N48 1988

Mishnah: Tractate Berakhot, Chapter 1 –How to Read

Source: Yoel Kahn

October 5 Talmud

* Back to Sources, 135-175

Sample Page of the Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 2a

Source: Facsimile of the Vilna edition (with additions)

Schematic illustration of sample page

Source: Adapted from the illustration found in Holtz, Back to the Sources

Sample page with identification of super-commentaries

Source: Steinsaltz, A. (1989). The Talmud, the Steinsaltz edition : a reference guide. New York, Random House. p. 48

GTU REF BM499.5 .E4 1989

UCB Main BM499.5 .E4 1989 guide

"The Essential Nature of the Talmud"

Source: Introduction to Steinsaltz, A. (1989). The Talmud, the Steinsaltz edition : a reference guide. New York, Random House., pp. 1-9

"The Generations of the Tannaim and the Amoraim"

Source: Steinsaltz, A. (1989). The Talmud, the Steinsaltz edition : a reference guide. New York, Random House, pp. 29-32.

Oct 9 YOM KIPPUR No class

October 12 Talmud

October 16 Midrash

* Back to the Sources, 177-211

Herr, M. D. "Midrash"

Source: Encyclopedia Judaica-CD-ROM edition

GTU Reference CD station

"Chart of Names and Dates of Major Midrashim"

Source: "Midrash" Encyclopedia Judaica (1973). Jerusalem: Keter. Vol. 11.

Oct 23 READING WEEK

Oct 26 READING WEEK

Oct 30 UC Berkeley Library tour

Guest speaker/tour guide: Robert M. Talbott, Jr.,

Curator, UCB Judaica

MEET AT UC Doe Library – room TBA

* Please preview: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/Collections/Judaica/

Reader: "Searching on Computer Catalogues"

Hebrew-Yiddish Transliteration tables

Judaica Subject headings

Library of Congress Classifications for BM, BR, BS

Source: material created and compiled by Robert Talbott

Nov 2

Geonim/Geonica; Rashi script

SAMPLE RESPONSUM (not in reader; TBA)

Rashi Script

Source: Steinsaltz, A. (1989). The Talmud, the Steinsaltz edition : a reference guide. New York, Random House. p. 301-2.

Practice readings in Rashi script (not in reader)

Source: Yoel Kahn

Nov 6

Abbreviations, naming conventions, commentaries

Sample page of "Otsar Rashei Teivot"

Source: Ashkenazi, S. & Jarden, D. (1978). Otsar rashe tevot. Jerusalem: Reuven Mass.

GTU PJ4847 .A8 1991 (later edition)

Nov 9

Medieval Bible commentators: Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Nachmanides

* Back to Sources, ,213-259

Nov 13

Medieval Bible commentators: Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Nachmanides

Nov 16

Internet searching/resources; Jewish Studies on the Net.

Rambi – Index to Articles in Jewish Studies

Rambi on the web: http://libnet.ac.il:4555/ALEPH//start/rmbhb

Rambi home page: http://sites.huji.ac.il/jnul/rambi/

To use Hebrew at this and other sites, you need to install Hebrew fonts. These can be most easily downloaded from:

http://www.hi-tech.co.il/hebrew.htm [for Windows]

For Windows/Mac/Unix and more stuff that I don’t understand, visit

http://www.zipple.com/hebrewfonts.htm

    Cool sites:

    Ancient synagogues:

        http://www.bhu.edu/faculty/fine/images_of_ancient_synagogues_and_artifacts.htm

        http://www.duke.edu/~nwb/synagoge/synagoge.html

    Hebrew manuscripts:

        http://aix1.uottawa.ca/~weinberg/hebraica.html

    Jewish libraries:

        http://www.amherst.edu/~edstarr/judlibs.html

    Jewish studies:

http://www.uni-duisburg.de/FB1/JStudien/judaica.htm

Nov 20

Codes: Mishneh Torah

Introduction and Selections from the Mishneh Torah

Source: Maimonides, M. and I. Twersky (1972). A Maimonides reader. New York, Behrman House.

GTU Library BM545.A45 T9 1972

Nov 23 THANKSGIVING

Nov 27

Codes:Shulhan Arukh, Modern Responsa
  1. "Jacob Ben Asher";
  2. "Shulhan Arukh"
    3.

Source: Encyclopedia Judaica-CD-ROM edition

"Laws of Visiting the Sick," Chapter 335, 1-10.

Source: Karo, J. b. E., C. N. Denburg, et al. (1954). Code of Hebrew law, Shul*han *aruk : containing original Hebrew text of R. Joseph Caro and glosses of R. Moses Isserles. Montreal, Jurisprudence Press.

GTU Library BM550.C333 D4

"The Sabbath (I)"

Klein, I. (1979). A guide to Jewish religious practice. New York, Jewish Theological Seminary of America

GTU Library Ref BM700 .K54 1979

* For modern Reform responsa, see: http://ccarnet.org/resp/

Nov 30

Zohar & Kabbalah

* Back to Sources, 305-349

Dec 4

Zohar & Kabbalah

Dec 7

Prayerbooks and Liturgy

Readings tba

Dec 11

Prayerbooks & liturgy

Dec 14 Wrap up

Also included, for your convenience,

"Abbreviations Used in Rabbinic Literature"

Source: Encyclopedia Judaica (1973). Jerusalem: Keter. Vol. 1, pp. 74-79.

"Abbreviations"

Source; Klein, I. (1979). A guide to Jewish religious practice. New York, Jewish Theological Seminary of America

Hebrew keyboard layout for use with Hebrew software and Internet sites

Source: Dagesh software manual