Courses offered in the Certificate of Talmudic Law and Jurisprudence Program
The following courses are offered in the certificate program in Talmudic Law and Jurisprudence. They are all credit bearing as electives in the Bachelor of Applied Science Degree. The credit hours allotted reflect the intensive study required for each course, and are granted only if the student attends both the lectures and mandatory study sessions assigned to each course. Generally the certificate program student takes these courses: YJST: 1211, 1212, 1221, 1222,1231, 1232, 1241, 1242, 2210, 2220, 2230, 2240, 5211, 5221, 5231, 5241, 5212, 5222, 5232, 5242, 5213, 5223, 5233, and 5243. Some students may wish to take in addition or as alternatives YJST 1251, 1261, 2250, 2260, 5251, 5261.
YJST 1211 First Level Talmud - In depth (Eeyun) I (5 credits)
Introductory course in Talmud - students are guided into making a transition from their high school training to independent study and preparation of the tractate. The tractate is studied in great depth, with an emphasis on the development of sophisticated textual analytical skills through exposing the student to the commentaries of the Earlier and Later Authorities (Rishonim and Acharonim).
YJST 1212 First Level Talmud - Overview (Bekius) I (2 credits)
Students are assisted in a approaching the tractate with an eye towards developing breadth of scope. An overview of the Tractate is gained by learning the text with the commentaries of Rashi and Tosafos.
YJST 1221 First Level Talmud - In Depth (Eeyun) II (5 credits)
Students will continue learning the tractate with a greater emphasis on the explanations of the Acharonim of the commentaries of the Rishonim.
YJST 1222 First Level Talmud - Overview (Bekius) II (2 credits)
Students will continue to study the tractate with the commentaries of Rashi and Tosafos.
YJST 1231 Intermediate Talmud (Eeyun) I (5 credits)
With the successful completion of the transition from directed to independent textual learning, students are expected to demonstrate their mastery of the complexities of Pilpul, and are encouraged to begin doing original research.
YJST 1232 Intermediate Talmud (Bekius) I (2 credits)
From this point the student pursues his studies independently, covering large sections of material with directed guidance.
YJST 1241 Intermediate Talmud (Eeyun) II (5 credits)
This course acts as a capstone course for the Certificate program. Each student will be guided in the preparation of an original piece of research on the tractate of Talmud being studied. The student will be expected to compare and contrast the major commentaries of the Rishonim, find the logical bases for their differences, trace these opinions to the application of the Poskim and apply the logic to new cases. The student will present and defend his research to a panel of scholars.
YJST 1242 Intermediate Talmud (Bekius) II (2 credits)
The student continues with his independent studies, finishing a complete coverage of the tractate.
YJST 1251 Applied Talmud (Eeyun) I (5 credits)
YJST 1261 Applied Talmud (Eeyun) II (5 credits)
These two courses form an alternative set to YJST 1231 and 1241. These courses will stress the more applied side of the Talmud as opposed to the theoretical jurisprudence. There will be a greater emphasis on the detailed halachik differences of the Rishonim without too much discussion regarding the philosophical - logical basis for the differences.
YJST 2210 The Codes I (2 credits)
YJST 2220 The Codes II (2 credits)
YJST 2230 The Codes III (2 credits)
YJST 2240 The Codes IV (2 credits)
The courses listed above are connected with the tractate of Talmud studied that semester, as study of the codes goes hand in hand with the study of Talmud. Students research the outcomes of Talmudic disputes and discussions. The responsa literature is examined to trace precedents and principles derived from the text, through their practical application in the writings of the Rif, Rambam, Tur and Shulchan Aruch - as well as the later codifiers. This process is also complicated and laborious, raising the students' understanding to a level where he can now analyze and become familiar with the principles of jurisprudence.
YJST 2250 Rambam I (4 credits)
YJST 2260 Rambam II (4 credits)
In these courses the students undertake to study and complete in its entirety Maimonide's magnum opus, the Mishneh Torah. They will gain a complete overview of the whole spectrum of the Oral Law with a basic understanding of the sources. These courses fit well with YJST 1251 and YJST 1261.
YJST 5211 Maamorim - Philosophical/Ethical Discourses (Eeyun) I (3 credits)
YJST 5221 Maamorim - Philosophical/Ethical Discourses (Eeyun) II (3 credits)
YJST 5231 Maamorim - Philosophical/Ethical Discourses (Eeyun) III (3 credits)
YJST 5241 Maamorim - Philosophical/Ethical Discourses (Eeyun) IV (3 credits)
These four courses are a sequential study of the complete spectrum of the Chabad philosophical system. Although the student is introduced to the philosophical foundations of Judaism as explicated by the renowned medieval Jewish Philosophers, the courses concentrate on the Chabad approach to the earlier debates, and the student is enabled to comprehend the subtleties and distinctive styles of the great Chassidic masters of the Chabad school. As the courses become progressively more complex, the student gains increasing familiarity with the texts and more sophistication in his methods or argumentation, until by the last semester he is able to do original research.
YJST 5251 Maamorim - Philosophical/Ethical Discourses of the Rashab I (3 credits)
YJST 5261 Maamorim - Philosophical/Ethical Discourses of the Rashab II (3 credits)
The Rashab is known as the Maimonides of Chassidic thought because of his systematic discussion of the whole spectrum of Chassidic philosophy. In these two courses the student will study the major works of the Rashab and thus gain a clear overview of Chassidus.
YJST 5212 Maamorim - Philosophical/Ethical Discourses (Bekius) I (2 credits)
YJST 5222 Maamorim - Philosophical/Ethical Discourses (Bekius) II (2 credits)
YJST 5232 Maamorim - Philosophical/Ethical Discourses (Bekius) III (2 credits)
YJST 5243 Maamorim - Philosophical/Ethical Discourses (Bekius) IIII (2 credits)
These four courses comprise a sequential series in which the student covers an extensive amount of Chassidic philosophical thought, without conducting deep analysis. The aim is to gain a basic understanding of all the fundamental texts.
YJST 5213 Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneersohn I (1 credit)
YJST 5223 Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneersohn II (1 credit)
YJST 5233 Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneersohn III (1 credit)
YJST 5243 Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneersohn IV (1 credit)
The Lubavitcher Rebbe (of blessed memory) was one of the most prolific Jewish thinkers of the twentieth century; to date, over 200 volumes of his works have been published. Th above courses cover the range of his scholarly contributions to Jewish studies.The student is exposed to an exacting analysis of Rashi's commentary as discussed in many of the Rebbe's writings and lectures. In addition, the student will become familiar with the Rebbe's discussions of Talmudic Law - renowned for their breadth and depth - tying together textual analysis, principles of jurisprudence, and philosophical and ethical insights.
