The Talmud RLGN 2150 (section A01) 3 credit hours, crn number 14764

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1 The Talmud RLGN 2150 (section A01) 3 credit hours, crn number The University of Manitoba Faculty of Arts Department of Religion Regular Session, Fall 2011 Tues & Thurs 10-11:15am, University College room 235 Instructor: Justin Jaron Lewis Office Location: 332 Fletcher Argue Office Telephone: Justin_Lewis@umanitoba.ca Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 2:30-3 or by appointment Course Description and Topics to be Covered The Babylonian Talmud rivals the Bible in its importance for Jewish life and thought. It is not a book which can simply be read but one which must be studied with others. Studying Talmud provides useful training in thinking about anything; the Talmud does its thinking through storytelling and through attempting to thoroughly understand both sides of any argument. In Jewish culture, studying the Talmud is a game a high-level, prestigious game worth devoting one s life to, like chess or Go in other cultures. Ideally, this course will allow you to play the game of Talmud study and enjoy it. Required Textbooks and other Readings 1) Solomon, Norman. Judaism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, Please read (or re-read) this short book early in the semester for general background; this will spare us from spending course time reviewing basic information on Jews and Judaism. 2) JPS Hebrew-English TANAKH: Student Edition. Philadelphia: JPS (Jewish Publication Society). This is the best modern, scholarly Jewish edition of the Jewish Bible, with the traditional Hebrew text alongside a clear English translation. Other editions of the Bible may be used for reference, but this one is required. Even if you don t read Hebrew, having this edition provides a constant reminder that the Jewish Bible is a Hebrew text, something ancient and unfamiliar. 3) Epstein, Isadore (ed.), Maurice Simon (translator). Tractate Berakoth (vol. 1 of Hebrew-English edition of the Babylonian Talmud ) Soncino Press ISBN # This is a well-regarded English translation of the first volume of the Talmud, with the original Aramaic/Hebrew text on facing pages. It includes only a minimum of commentary, which makes it useful as we attempt to encounter the Talmud directly. Excerpts from other translations may be provided by the instructor. Other readings will be provided by the instructor in photocopies, free of charge, or will be available on line through the U of M library. Assigned articles will provide further information on how the Talmud works and its cultural significance in Jewish life. 1

2 Assignments and Evaluation Evaluation is based on a variety of fairly small assignments, developing the skills of Talmud study from several different angles. The largest single assignment, the Text Analysis/ Commentary, will be yours to work on through most of the semester and not due till near the end. Attendance: Required The University of Manitoba requires full attendance, from beginning to end of each class (see Undergraduate Calendar, General Academic Regulations section 7.1). Of course there are legitimate reasons for missing a class but they have to be cleared with the instructor on a case-by-case basis. Egregious non-attendance would mean failing the course. Reflections/dialogue on assigned readings: Twelve posts to the Angel discussion forum, 1.5% each = 18% Dates: Mondays, September 19 th through December 5 th Each week an article about the Talmud will be assigned reading. By the following Monday, post a response to the article on the discussion forum on the course Angel site; if anyone else has posted already, write your response as a reply to theirs. Your response may include questions addressed to your fellow students or to me. These reflections in dialogue with each other should show me that you ve read the articles, thought about them, and are giving respectful attention to each other s thoughts about them. These reflections will not be marked after the due date. Memorization Quizzes Three quizzes, 2% each = 6% Dates: tba Rote memorization is necessary for the development of some skills, including Talmud study. You ll be required to memorize a small amount of basic information about the texts and traditions in the background of the Talmud, some terminology essential to Talmud study, and the chronology of some of the Sages. You will also be required to memorize a paragraph of the Mishnah, the earlier sacred text on which the Talmud is based, because this is an integral part of the culture of Talmud study. Your recollection of this material will be tested and rewarded by three in-class quizzes. Since full attendance is required, a missed quiz could be made up only by agreement with the instructor following a valid reason for absence. Hevruta study: Twelve in-class partner-study sessions, 3% each = 36% Dates: tba, approximately once a week Hevruta, studying a text with a partner, is an essential aspect of Talmud study, so these sessions make up the single largest portion of your grade. Frequently during the semester you will be paired with a partner in the class and given a worksheet to do together a selection from the Talmud with questions to answer. The worksheets will be handed in and graded. Who is partnered with whom will change each time, so there is no lasting disadvantage if you don t work well with any particular partner. (If there end up being more than 12 of these sessions, I will count your 12 best marks.) There is basically no way to make up for a missed hevruta session, because of the attendance requirement. In extenuating circumstances an alternative assignment could be worked out with the instructor. 2

3 Written assignment I: Aggadah Creative writing, recommended length 2 pages; 8% Due date: Tuesday October 18 th Early in the course we will read examples of Talmudic aggadah storytelling about the rabbis, God, and other wise beings. As an ice-breaking exercise between you and the Talmud, write your own brief story involving some of the same characters and exploring some theme emerging from our readings. Written assignment II: Qal vahomer argument Recommended length 3 pages; 8% Due date: Tuesday November 8 th One of the Talmud s characteristic moves is the qal vahomer argument, sometimes translated into English by the Latin term a fortiori. We will study this in class. Write three original examples of qal vahomer arguments, and a possible refutation of each one. Written assignment III: Text analysis/commentary Recommended length 8 pages; 24% Due date: Tuesday November 29 th based on a text selection provided by September 27 th Early in the semester, you ll be given a selection of Talmud including various elements we will be studying in class: different chronological layers; aggadah and halakhah; qal vahomer argument; interpretations of Biblical verses; a highly patterned analysis of two contradictory opinions. In the course of the semester, make notes for yourself about these different aspects of the passage. Toward the end of the semester, write a commentary which explains the passage, step by step, to allow a novice to play the game of studying it with understanding and appreciation. There is an automatic extension of a week for each of these three written assignments for anyone who needs it. I cannot accept any of them more than a week late. Expectations for each of these three written assignments will be discussed further in class. They are to be submitted as attachments to Justin_Lewis@umanitoba.ca. Use c. 1 /2.5 cm margins; Times New Roman 12-point font; double-spacing (the recommended number of pages refers to doublespaced pages). Acceptable file formats:.odt,.doc,.docx,.rtf,.dwd. Do not submit hard copy. (Note: there is no policy on unclaimed written work because I will not have any hard copies of your work.) There is no recommended style guide, because in my experience each publisher and journal that you might be writing for in the future has somewhat different expectations. It is a good idea, for general practice, to follow a style guide of your choice. Exception: If you quote any sources other than assigned passages of Talmud, I do require page numbers in your source references whenever possible even though this is optional in some referencing styles. Important Dates Thursday September 8 First day of class Thursday September 22 First class after registration revision period Thursday September 29 No class (Jewish holy day, Rosh Hashanah) Thursday October 13 No class (Jewish holy day, Sukkot) Tuesday October 18 Written assignment I, Aggadah, due Thursday October 20 No class (Jewish holy day, Shemini Atzeret) 3

4 Tuesday November 8 Written assignment II, Qal vahomer, due Tuesday November 15 Last class before Voluntary Withdrawal date (November 16, 2011) Tuesday November 22 No class (instructor at American Academy of Religion conference) Tuesday November 29 Written assignment III, Text Analysis/Commentary, due Tuesday December 6 Last class, last date to submit any assignments A full schedule of classes, readings and topics will be distributed at the beginning of the course. A note on teaching style Within the structure provided by a syllabus, I like things to move freely within each class. Each day s lesson plan is to explore the assigned texts or themes together, free to pursue associations that occur to us, and to ask and respond to questions. The model for this approach is the traditional Jewish yeshivah, where people study texts in groups or with partners in constant conversations which may go in any number of directions as long as they flow from, and return to, the text. The goal is not to accumulate specific information but to get to know your way around a text or a theme the way you get to know a place, or a friend. This unstructured structure gives you a great deal of freedom. At the same time, this approach gives you responsibilities: first of all, to do the readings as assigned so that we have the material to explore; secondly, to take an active part in discussion as a way of learning. Finally, if you are getting lost, please let me know. Everything will connect as an exploration of the Talmud, but the connections may not always be obvious; let me know if they need clarifying! Technology-related policies for this course I have a strong preference for the use of pen and paper rather than computers in class. If you find you need to use a computer, please discuss this with me at the beginning of the course, and then make sure your internet access is turned off in class, and any files not relevant to our course closed. No earphones. No use of cell phones or other personal electronic devices in class; please turn them off. Exception: If anyone wishes to record classes, talk it over with me. Outside class, internet access is required. Take-home written assignments are to be submitted electronically as attachments; weekly reflections, posted on the discussion forum on Angel, which you are encouraged to use at any time. Departmental Grading Scale Although marks are worked out in percentages, what will appear on your transcript is a letter grade. Here is a chart of how percentages translate into letter grades (as established by the Department of Religion) and GPA (grade point averages): Percentage Description Letter Grade GPA (from University calendar) 0-49% Failure F % Marginal D % Adequate C % Satisfactory C % Good B % Very good B % Excellent A % Exceptional A

5 Accommodation for Student Needs I will do my best to accommodate any particular student needs relating to health, religious holidays, disabilities, etc. Please speak to me early in the course to make arrangements. The rest of this syllabus contains general information which applies to all Religion Dept. courses. Student Resources The Learning Assistance Centre is located in 201Tier Building. Advisors provide a wide range of services focused on improvement of academic learning skills. In addition to individual consultations, the Centre offers workshops on test-taking, note-taking, essay and term paper writing, and listening skills. Writing Tutors operate from both the Elizabeth Dafoe Library and the Learning Assistance Centre and can be accessed either by appointment or on a drop-in basis. Check scheduled hours of availability on-line through the Learning Assistance Centre site, or the Elizabeth Dafoe Library site, The Virtual Learning Commons is a unique learning and social networking site at the University of Manitoba. Students can access Writing Tutors and a variety of Learning Assistance Centre resources on-line at There are several links to excellent, brief on-line tutorials on integrity in academic work (e.g., what is plagiarism? How do you paraphrase? What are appropriate citation formats?) and a useful Assignment Manager wherein entering the due date for a term paper automatically creates a timetable for completion of each step in its preparation and execution. Academic Integrity / Academic Dishonesty Please be aware of core principles (the wording here is suggested by the Center for Academic Integrity): Honesty An academic community of integrity: advances the quest for truth and knowledge by requiring intellectual and personal honesty in learning, teaching, research, and service. Trust fosters a climate of mutual trust, encourages the free exchange of ideas, and enables all to reach their highest potential. Fairness establishes clear standards, practices, and procedures and expects fairness in the interactions of students, faculty, and administrators. Respect recognizes the participatory nature of the learning process and honours and respects a wide range of opinions and ideas. 5

6 Responsibility upholds personal accountability and depends upon action in the face of wrongdoing. In this context, please familiarize yourself with the following University regulations covering plagiarism and cheating (from University of Manitoba Undergraduate Course Calendar, General Academic Regulations and Requirements, Section 8.1: Academic Integrity: Plagiarism and Cheating): Plagiarism or any other form of cheating in examinations, term tests or academic work is subject to serious academic penalty (e.g. suspension or expulsion from the faculty or university). Cheating in examinations or tests may take the form of copying from another student or bringing unauthorized materials into the exam room (e.g., crib notes, pagers or cell phones). Exam cheating can also include exam impersonation. (Please see Section on Exam Personation). A student found guilty of contributing to cheating in examinations or term assignments is also subject to serious academic penalty. To plagiarize is to take ideas or words of another person and pass them off as one s own. In short, it is stealing something intangible rather than an object. Plagiarism applies to any written work, in traditional or electronic format, as well as orally or verbally presented work. Obviously it is not necessary to state the source of well known or easily verifiable facts, but students are expected to appropriately acknowledge the sources of ideas and expressions they use in their written work, whether quoted directly or paraphrased. This applies to diagrams, statistical tables and the like, as well as to written material, and materials or information from Internet sources. To provide adequate and correct documentation is not only an indication of academic honesty but is also a courtesy which enables the reader to consult these sources with ease. Failure to provide appropriate citations constitutes plagiarism. It will also be considered plagiarism and/or cheating if a student submits a term paper written in whole or in part by someone other than him/herself, or copies the answer or answers of another student in any test, examination, or takehome assignment. Working with other students on assignments, laboratory work, take-home tests, or on-line tests, when this is not permitted by the instructor, can constitute Inappropriate Collaboration and may be subject to penalty under the Student Discipline By-Law. An assignment which is prepared and submitted for one course should not be used for a different course. This is called duplicate submission and represents a form of cheating because course requirements are expected to be fulfilled through original work for each course. Additional note: The Faculty reserves the right to submit student work that is suspected of being plagiarized to Internet sites designated to detect plagiarism. The common penalty in Arts for plagiarism in a written assignment, test or examination is F on the paper and F for the course. For the most serious acts of plagiarism, such as the purchase of an essay or cheating on a test or examination, the penalty can also include suspension for a period of up to five years from registration in courses taught in a particular department in Arts or from all courses taught in this Faculty. When in doubt about any practice, ask your professor or instructor. The Student Advocacy Office, 519 University Centre, , is a resource available to students dealing with Academic Integrity matters. 6