University of Minnesota

Hebrew 3131 Talmudic Texts

Fall, 1994

Professor Tzvee Zahavy

Syllabus

This course teaches the student how to undertake the critical study of selected Talmudic texts. The course focuses on texts in the Mishnah, Tosefta and the Babylonian and Palestinian Talmuds. The course introduces the student to the tools necessary for the study of these texts and guides the student in the explanation and analysis of selected pericopae.

After an introduction to the subject, each student will be assigned specific texts from the selections and prepare an explanation of the selection to be presented first in class and later in writing to the instructor.

The course may be conducted in three parts: lecture for all students enrolled, tutorials at the appropriate level, and Bet Medrash for collective and collegial study and preparation. Grading: ABCDF or S/N. S=C or better. No incompletes.

Main Texts--

J. Neusner, The Mishnah: Introduction and Reader

Selected texts: Mishnah, Tosefta, and Babylonian Talmud [photocopy]

Supplementary Readings: suggested:

J. Neusner, Invitation to the Talmud

_____, Introduction to Rabbinic Literature

_____, Judaism: the Evidence of Mishnah

_____, Judaism: The Evidence of the Yerushalmi

_____, Judaism: The Classical Statement

_____, The Mishnah: an Introduction

T. Zahavy, The Traditions of Eleazar Ben Azariah

_____, The Mishnaic Law of Blessings and Prayers

_____, The Talmud of the Land of Israel: Berakhot

_____, The Talmud of Babylonia: Hullin. XXX.A, B and C