Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
1. “It is not your job to finish the work, but neither are you free to neglect it.”-Pirkey Avos 2:16 2. “Ben Zoma said, who is wise? He who learns from all people, as it is said: ‘From all those who taught me I gained understanding’ (Psalms 119:99). Who is strong? He who conquers his evil inclination, Continue Reading »
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
I came to Pardes with little knowledge of the Jewish texts. After one week of class I have gained a solid foundation in Judaism and have a strong desire to learn more.
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
Judaism is not a book of laws or a code of ethics but a way of life and complete interpretation of the world. Pardes combines the rigor and expansive vision that makes Torah study this reality.
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
Rabbi Steinsaltz’s great siyyum teaches a wonderful lesson. Siyyum means completion. We are often accustomed to think of learning as some endless process which leads to more learning. But siyyum means that we are to learn something so well that we are able to say – we have “completed” it. This is the notion of Kinyan Torah – acquiring Continue Reading »
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
Pardes is a wonderful place to study, and also an amazing community. Like every community, the one at Pardes is formed of shared experiences. The community that is Pardes really became real for me at the first tish of the school year, during our first retreat. Tish is a time in the evening to share Continue Reading »
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
It was my first class with Rav Levi Cooper and my study partner and I were moving slowly, looking up nearly every word in our Hebrew-English dictionaries when the thrill of the moment overtook me as I realized that I was actually reading and translating RAMBAM – Maimonides, the great Jewish scholar – from Hebrew. Continue Reading »
Posted on February 20, 2010 by David Bogomolny
Pardes is a very academic institution, which puts tremendous emphasis upon Jewish text study. Morning classes alternate between Talmud (or Mishnah) study & Chumash study, and the afternoon classes, which are subject-based, are also grounded in Jewish texts (Tanakh, Mishnah Berurah, Midrash, etc.). Unlike some other traditional Jewish learning institutions, Pardes does not aim to Continue Reading »
Posted on November 1, 2009 by David Bogomolny
Some weeks ago, I bought myself a pair of house slippers because my roommate & I had agreed not to wear shoes inside our apartment. My decision was mostly based upon my preference for wearing shoes while davening (praying) at home (traditional Jewish law requires footwear during prayer), but I also thought it would be Continue Reading »
