Back to The Talmud: A Methodological Introduction
Northwestern University

The Talmud: A Methodological Introduction

The Talmud is one of the richest and most complicated works of literature the world has ever known. Since being composed around 1500 years ago it has inspired not only religious reverence but significant intellectual engagement. In this course learners will be introduced to the unique characteristics of this text and the challenges that inhere in studying it while studying a chapter of the Talmud. Students of the course can expect to develop an appreciation for how the Talmud works and why it continues to inspire religious and intellectual devotion. They will be challenged to employ critical reading skills and to analyze legal and historical concepts.

Status: Research
Status: Liberal Arts
Course15 hours

Featured reviews

MK

4.0Reviewed Sep 27, 2020

The course is great and the instructors are superbly skilled people making complex topics easy to understand.

MS

5.0Reviewed Jun 3, 2020

Very informative. As a reader of the Bible, I wanted to get as many understandings as I could. This course has definitely helped in my understanding of interpretation.

LB

5.0Reviewed Nov 11, 2023

Fascinating and very well presented lessons and discussions of traditions of reasoning and argument.

FD

5.0Reviewed Jan 11, 2021

The choice of material was excellent as was the presentations by both knowledgable instructors.Would be happy to take additional advanced courses in Talmud skills from them as well.

AP

5.0Reviewed Feb 18, 2019

Great way of introducing a topic as complex as the Talmud. It was surely amazing to have such course instructors who can rarely be matched both in eloquence and erudition. Overall it was fun!

JY

5.0Reviewed Sep 13, 2020

I was a good course. I learned many things about Talmud that I did nit know before. It gave me a good understanding while reading the book The Talmud.

FF

5.0Reviewed Apr 19, 2020

Thank you Professor Wimpfheimer for offering this course. Though I am a Catholic, the course gave me a clearer perspective on how to understand the Sacred Scriptures. Thank you! Shalom!

AK

5.0Reviewed Jul 17, 2020

I learned a lot. The course was well thought out, the presenters were knowledgeable and their material was well articulated, useful and interesting. Thank you!

TT

5.0Reviewed May 21, 2016

An outstanding look into the complexities and nuances of the the Talmud. Well-taught, thought-provoking, interesting...

BZ

5.0Reviewed Dec 4, 2022

Phenomenal! I wish that I could study more Talmud with such in-depth guidance for every single page haha

JL

4.0Reviewed Apr 29, 2019

Very interesting peek into the world of Talmud (and interesting to this non-Jewish student). I like that the Hebrew-reading student can access the original texts too.

AB

4.0Reviewed Sep 18, 2016

very interesting, challenging, but I find it hard to understand the intonation (highs and lows) of the ph

All reviews

Showing: 20 of 104

Kelly Roegies
5.0
Reviewed Jan 21, 2017
Barry Lustig
5.0
Reviewed Jan 9, 2017
zeta_laz@windowslive.com
5.0
Reviewed Nov 2, 2020
Amy Faeskorn
5.0
Reviewed Mar 5, 2021
Sven Standhardt
5.0
Reviewed Mar 28, 2018
Karen Weisser
5.0
Reviewed May 28, 2018
Akhilesh Pathak
5.0
Reviewed Feb 18, 2019
Francis Eugene Fadul
5.0
Reviewed Apr 19, 2020
Faye Darack
5.0
Reviewed Jan 11, 2021
Judith Coret-Simon
5.0
Reviewed Feb 11, 2022
yuki
5.0
Reviewed Jun 11, 2019
Lakatos Artur
5.0
Reviewed Jul 8, 2021
Matthew 'Hyrum' William Jefferson
5.0
Reviewed Jan 6, 2025
Russell L. McCoy
5.0
Reviewed Aug 22, 2020
jia qing cannot fly kite (Duo)
5.0
Reviewed Apr 20, 2023
Jorge Lozano Gama
5.0
Reviewed Dec 22, 2019
Norma Jean
5.0
Reviewed Apr 17, 2017
Simon Edward Cohen
5.0
Reviewed May 19, 2020
Álvaro Pestana
5.0
Reviewed Sep 25, 2019
Dustin Kuruc
5.0
Reviewed Sep 15, 2020