Document Actions
Shabbat Morning Torah/Tanach Study Group
Participant-led group meets on Shabbat mornings to discuss the Torah and the rest of the Tanach over refreshments
For the study of Torah encompasses them all
A lively group of congregants and visitors gather over refreshments each Shabbat morning at 9:00 a.m. to discuss the week's Torah/Haftarah portion. A member of the group introduces the portion and the conversation takes off—generally exploring issues and insights raised by the portion, often touching on such familiar themes as religious experience, the meaning of ritual or Jewish ethics, but frequently going in totally unexpected directions. The formal conversation ends about 10:00 a.m., but the thoughts (and friendly arguments) are likely to continue through the morning service and into the week. Everyone is welcome. No prerequisites or commitment. Drop in and share your thoughts with us.
Questions? Email the Tanach/torah study group coordinator.
Resources (Diverse)
Our basic resource is the Hebrew Bible and we use a variety of translations and Hebrew/English editions. Some of the more popular include: The Jewish Publication Society translation; The Jewish Study Bible, edited by Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler; Everett Fox’s The Five Books of Moses, A New Translation with Introductions, Commentary and Notes; Robert Alter’s Five Books of Moses, A Translation with Commentary; and The Stone Edition (Orthodox version with Hebrew and English).
Some of us find additional commentaries helpful. A few favorites are: Aviva Gottlieb Zornberg’s The Beginnings of Desire: Reflections on Genesis and The Particulars of Rapture: Reflections on Exodus; and Mary Douglas’s, Leviticus as Literature.
And some of us are interested in the historicity (or lack thereof) and archaeology of the Bible. Here are a few books we’ve consulted: William G. Dever's What Did the Biblical Writers Know & When Did They Know It (What Archaeology Can Tell Us about the Reality of Ancient Israel) and his sequel Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From?; Israel Finkelstein's and Neil Asher Silberman's The Bible Unearthed--Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts and their David and Solomon--In Search of the Bible's Sacred Kings and the Roots of the Western Tradition.
Tanach Portion/Reading & Sign-up List:
|
Date |
Torah Portion |
Haftarah Portion |
Leader |
Refreshments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18 | Nasso Num.4:21-7:89 |
Judges 13:2-25 | Noel |
Richard |
| May 25 | Be-Ha'alotcha Num.8:1-12:16 |
Zech.2:14-4:7 |
||
| June 1 | Shelach Num.13:1-15:41 |
Josh.2:1-24 | ||
| June 8 | Korach Num.16:1-18:32,28:9-15 |
Is.66:1-24,I Sam.20:18,42 |
Leslie |
|
| June 15 | Chukkat Num.19:1-22:1 |
Judges 11:1-33 |
John |
|
| June 22 | Balak Num.22:2-25:9 |
Micah 5:6-6:8 |
Mark |
Judith and Merv |
| June 29 | Pinchas Num.25:10-30:1 |
Jer 1:1-2:3 |
Deb and Alan |
Mimi |
| July 6 | Mattote-Masei Num.30:2-36:13 |
Jer. 2:4-28,3:4,4:1-2 |
||
| July 13 | Devarim Shabat Chazon Deut.1:1-3:22 |
Is.1:1-27 |
Learita |
|
| July 20 | Va'Etchannan Shabat Nachamu Deut.3:23-7:11 |
Is. 40:1-26 |
||
| July 27 | Ekev Deut.7:12-11:25 |
Is.49:14-51:3 |
||
| August 7 | Re-eh Deut.11:26-16:17 |
Is.54:11-55:5 |
||
Mark Your Calendar
Saturday, May 25, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading:Be-Ha'alotcha,Num.8:1-12:16 ; Haftarah:Zech.2:14-4:7 ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, June 1, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading:Shelach Num.13:1-15:41 ; Haftarah: Josh.2:1-24; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, June 8, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, June 15, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, June 22, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, June 29, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, July 6, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, July 13, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, July 20, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, July 27, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, August 3, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, August 17, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, August 24, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, August 31, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, September 7, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, September 21, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, September 28, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA
Saturday, October 5, 2013. 09:00 am - 10:00 am. Torah/Tanach Study at Downstairs Library. Reading: ; Haftarah: ; Leader: ; Refreshments: TBA