#yourtorah by JOFA UK
Rabba Dina Brawer wraps up the YourTorah journey, and shares an overview of the project.
Rabba Claudia Marbach opens up the final masekhet of the Mishnah, Oktzin, looking at the study of Mishnah and how it constitutes part of the pleasures of this world.
Leah Sarna opens up masekhet Yadayim, unpacking how hands are made impure and looking at how King Solomon created 'tumat yadayim' - the impurities of the hands.
Yardaena Osband introduces Tevul Yom, looking into how different statuses - for instance that of the tevul yom - impact when and how a person imparts impurity.
Shayna Abramson dives into masekhet Zavim, unpacking its laws of ritual impurity, and demonstrating that even texts that may seem irrelevant to our lives have the capacity to teach us moral truths.
Rabbi Aviva Richman looks into masekhet Makhshirin, unpacking how its discussion of the purity of objects provides us with a chance to become more aware of our intentions in our day-to-day lives.
Nechama Goldman Barash introduces masekhet Niddah, tracing the laws governing sexual intimacy from their origins in Torah, through to their explication in the Mishnah - and their application today.
Ellyse Borghi introduces masekhet Mikvaot, looking at the way in which the mikvah serves as a reminder of our role in the world as creators seeking to emulate the Divine.
Atara Cohen unpacks masekhet Tahorot, looking at how impurity flows from one object to another and exploring how the Mishnah bestows certainty on an uncertain world.
Cecilia Haendler introduces masekhet Parah, unpacking the ritual of the red heifer and exploring how it creates a mysterious and powerful bridge to Oral Torah.
Devorah Zlochower unpacks masekhet Negaim, examining its categorisation of afflictions, and their corresponding symptoms and purification rituals, as well as drawing out its insights into human behaviour.
Rabba Dr. Carmella Abraham looks into masekhet Ohalot, reflecting on end of life experiences and inviting us to see the taharah (purity) behind the tumah (impurity).
Leah Rosenthal presents masekhet Kelim, exploring its discussion of the purity of objects and noting the way physical objects act as a portal into daily life in Mishnaic times.
Dr. Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz introduces Seder Tohorot, looking into its exploration of the purity system, and noting the way it marks the boundaries between life and death.
Rabba Dr. Carmella Abraham introduces masekhet Kinnim, encouraging listeners to work through its complex mishnayot using logic and reasoning.
Shira Eliassian opens up masekhet Middot, taking us on an audio-visual tour of the Temple, and exploring how studying this masekhet serves as a psychological surrogate for making our pilgrimage there.
Leah Shakdiel introduces masekhet Tamid, opening up its account of daily Temple worship, and noting the importance of continually striving to link our ancestors' spirituality with our own.
Yardaena Osband opens up masekhet Meilah, unpacking the laws surrounding the accidental misuse of consecrated objects.
Maharat Rachel Kohl Finegold introduces masekhet Keritot, exploring sins, their punishments and how karet can be instructive, informing our connectedness.
Judith Levitan opens up masekhet Temurah, unpacking how its laws give us a framework to negotiate between our competing urges: the desire to give love, and the desire to preserve ourselves.
Dena Weiss introduces masekhet Arakhin, delving into Temple valuations and how we value people, and tracing the Mishnah's logic through its discussion of cases that demand one to be strict and cases where one can be less strict.
Michal Kohane opens up masekhet Bekhorot, asking what constitutes a firstborn - whether animal or human - and what makes a firstborn so special.
Dr. Elana Stein Hain opens up masekhet Chullin and its discussions of slaughtering meat, suggesting that eating is akin to offering sacrifices.
Peta Jones Pellach opens up masekhet Menachot, unpacking its discussion of plant-based sacrifices and drawing out its lessons about serving God.
Rachel Rosenthal examines the ways in which sacrifices can be rendered invalid, and considers the role of a person's intentions when offering a sacrifice and the lessons we can draw from tractate Zevachim when sacrifices are no longer offered.
Shira Hecht-Koller opens up Seder Kodashim, introducing its discussion about sacrifices, and considering the role sacrifices play in Jewish life and thought.
Anne Gordon opens up masekhet Horayot, tracing its discussion of leadership and human error, and how one informs the other.
Marianne Novak is a third year off site student at Yeshivat Maharat and a Rabbinic Intern at Hebrew Institute of Riverdale. She lives in Skokie, Illinois with her family where she has been teaching for the past 19 years for the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Education and is a Gabbait for the Skokie Women’s Tefillah Group. She has also taught Tanach at Rochelle Zella Chicago and Jewish High School. She has a BA in Political Science from Barnard and a JD from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.
Sarah Charak is a student of history and law at the University of Sydney. She learned at Midreshet Lindenbaum in Jerusalem, and has worked since then as Educational Director of Bnei Akiva Australia and the Australian Zionist Youth Council, and is currently part of the Limmud Oz team. Her favourite job is teaching Bat Mitzva girls to leyn and learn Torah.
Rabbanit Bracha Jaffe unpacks masekhet Eduyot, explaining how it weaves together testimonies from multiple Sages, lifting up halakhic principles in its quest to promote peace and end controversy.
Rabbi Sarah Mulhern examines the various categories of oaths in the Mishnah, their uses and application.
Gila Bieler-Hoch introduces masekhet Makkot, exploring what unifies its seemingly disparate content: false witnesses, cities of refuge, and the punishment of lashes.
Sharon Weiss-Greenberg opens up masekhet Sanhedrin, explaining how the example of the rebellious son teaches us how to work with the law to protect our sense of morality.
Meira Welt-Maarek looks into masekhet Bava Batra, drawing out the key themes of boundaries and responsibility.
Davida Kollmar introduces masekhet Bava Metzia, highlighting the emphasis it places on treating other people fairly through fair interest rates, ethical working conditions and so forth.
Dr. Devorah Schoenfeld looks into masekhet Bava Kamma, highlighting its discussion of how to live in a world in which we sometimes fall, and how to take responsibility for our role in it.
Lea Taragin-Zeller traces Seder Nezikin's journey from personal law, to the Jewish court of law, to individuals' ideological behaviour, noting how it highlights our responsibility to treat everyone with respect.
Tirzah Meacham unpacks masekhet Kiddushin, exploring its central place in understanding the role of women in our communities today.
Dr. Rachel Levmore discusses the possibility of divorce within Judaism as a manifestation of tikun olam – as an ongoing challenge for the Rabbinical Courts and for individuals within Jewish society.
Miriam Gedwiser leads us through masekhet Sotah, examining exegetical rabbinic readings of the Sotah ritual and meditating on the power of the Oral Torah.
Shira Eliassian opens up masekhet Nazir (someone who takes a particular ascetic vow), looking at nazirut in terms of inclusive religious practice and participation.
Ilana Kurshan introduces masekhet Nedarim, explaining the process of making and dissolving vows, and noticing how it's not so different from how we make - and break - new year's resolutions.
Ranana Dine explores masekhet Ketubot, unpacking the ketubah's role, and the rabbis' realistic and structured presentation of marriage.
Rabbanit Chava Evans guides us through a complex labyrinth of intricate family relations to understand levirate marriage.
Nechama Goldman Barash opens up Seder Nashim, giving an overview of the ever-relevant areas it covers: levirate marriage, procreation, family relationships, marriage and divorce, death and inheritance, and time-bound mitzvot.
Miriam Gedwiser unpacks masekhet Chagigah, and its rules of pilgrimage - as made on the shalosh regalim (the 3 pilgrimage festivals) - exploring the themes of community and transmission.
Dina Brawer considers how the Sages set boundaries on permitted work to preserve the sacred and joyous tone of festive days.
Dina Brawer unravels the laws and customs that apply to Megillah, Torah reading, and the use of synagogue space.
Rabba Yaffa Epstein introduces masekhet Ta'anit, looking at communal fast days as reparative following destructive behaviour, and the ever-pressing call to wake up and rebuild the world.
Rabba Dr. Carmella Abraham introduces masekhet Rosh Hashanah, looking at the different phases of the moon and the process through which the new moon was once declared.
Rachel Weber Leshaw rolls up her sleeves and unpacks masekhet Beitzah's discussion of the intricacies of the rules of preparing food on Yom Tov, noting the way in which halakhah can change based on contemporary practices.
Claudia Marbach introduces masekhet Sukkah, using the laws of Sukkot to show that fulfilling God's commandments isn't always straightforward - sometimes we get it right, and sometimes things go awry.
Sharona Halickman introduces masekhet Yoma, asking whether Yom Kippur is a festive, happy day, and exploring repentance as a daily act.
Rav Rahel Berkovits introduces masekhet Shekalim, looking at the Temple tax and the importance of communal responsibility.
Felicia Epstein introduces masekhet Pesachim, exploring Pesach as one of the equalizing festivals, and illustrating the development of the Seder as it exists today, from the time of the Mishnah.
Nina Kretzmer Seed introduces masekhet Eruvin (regarding carrying on Shabbat), exploring how we set - and extend - our boundaries.
Wendy Amsellem opens Seder Moed with an overview of masekhet Shabbat, looking at some of the intricacies of prohibited practices, and exploring what it means to legislate rest.
Rabba Sara Hurwitz introduces Seder Moed, taking us on a whirlwind tour of the Jewish calendar.
Maharat Rachel Kohl Finegold finishes off Seder Zeraim with masekhet Bikkurim, linking the ritual of bringing the first fruits with participation and equal opportunity.
Rebecca Blady reveals Orlah and the multiple meanings of 'Forbidden Fruit'.
Anne Gordon pulls apart Challah into bite-sized laws pertaining to bread-making.
Rabbi Dr Meesh Hammer-Kossoy explains Ma'aser Sheni as the workings of the oldest layaway plan for family holidays in Jerusalem and how that is relevant to Jewish religious life.
Rachel Weber Leshaw leads us through the system of tithing produce detailed in masekhet Ma'asrot, exploring the right time to snack, and the importance of judging cases individually.
Rav Rahel Berkovits introduces Terumah, the special gift given to priests, exploring holiness and the blurring of boundaries.
Leah introduces masekhet Sheviit which details the laws of shmitah, the sabbatical year, exploring charity to and through the land, the remission of loans and generosity.
Rabbanit Chava Evans introduces masekhet Kilayim which deals with crossbreeding of plants & animals and considers what duty we may have toward the preservation of species.
Claudia Marbach sifts through the laws of untithed food to learn the values of community and the importance of shared meals.
Dina Brawer introduces Masekhet Pe'ah, the second book in the order of Zeraim detailing 5 different agricultural gifts due to the poor and their relevance for today's charitable giving.
Professor Ruth Langer presents the content of Masekhet Berakhot; the first book in the order of Zeraim: prayers personal & public covering every aspect of life.
Leah Sarna introduces seder Zeraim, the first 'order' of the Mishnah and guides us through the range of topics that are covered by the 11 books or masekhtot in seder Zeraim.
Dr Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz explains the making of Mishnah and takes us through its various layers.
Dina Brawer, JOFA UK founder, explains what inspires the #YourTorah podcast, inviting you to join her on a journey.
