Wednesday 22 December 2010

Basic Rabbinic Literacy - Intro

What Jewish Literature Must every Rabbi know?

What are the Core Basic Texts that should be prerequisite to Semicha - if not prerequisites for entrance to Rabbinical School?

What should be THE common denominators in order for rabbis - and un-ordained lamdanim - to use as a basis for exchange ideas?

The Rambam made a suggestion of sorts - learn Nach and then his Mishneh Torah and one has all the basics. What he suggested for advanced texts remains as fodder for another post! :-)

The Shulchan Aruch suggests review his entire work monthly!

I once glanced at a Noam Elimelech and he suggested as basic to first learn SA Orach Hayyim followed by G'mara-Rashi-Tosafot from Brachot until the end [Note Kitzur SA was not yet an option]

The Breslovers push learning ALL 4 parts of SA. Similarly R. SR Hirsch suggested having balance there too as opposed to Orach Hayyim alone.

Many Hassidim seem to push the Kitzur SA as the preferred alternative to just SA O"Ch - perhaps slightly modifying the aforementioned Noam Elimelech.


Plus the halachah as Codified in SA Requires "sh'nayim Miqra v'echad Targum" preferably with Peirush Rashi.

Making for well-rounded and hopefully open-minded rabbis is an ideal that texts alone are unlikely to manifest. Having a solid foundation will enable rabbis to broaden themselves and speak to each other on the same wavelength.

I'm going to present some suggestions focusing upon "classics"

Next post I will BE"H focus on the outline of topics

Shalom
RRW

3 comments:

Mighty Garnel Ironheart said...

> The Shulchan Aruch suggests review his entire work monthly!

Yes, but he only meant his part, not any subsequent commentaries. What's more, he assumed the rabbi in question had nothing else to do all day except maybe review the parsha.

Nishma said...

«Yes, but he only meant his part, not any subsequent commentaries.»

Correct

«What's more, he assumed the rabbi in question had nothing else to do all day except maybe review the parsha.»

I never heard of this! See the SA's own haqdamah. He seems to be referring to youngsters not rabbis

Shalom
RRW

Rabbi Richard Wolpoe said...

Given the Rema's added comments one might revise the M'chaber's schedule to completing the combined text EG every two months

I have an edition meant to finish annually. it is still quite a bit more daunting than doing the Kitzur SA annually

I'm aiming to do ONE heileq annually without any comments orther than SA and Rema

Note: I do do some iyyun in halachah,, but nothing programmed