General: New To Talmud

[Kollel Iyun Hadaf]

x-mailing-list: daf-disc...@shemayisrael.com
(Please include header and footer when redistributing this material.)
_________________________________________________________________

                 THE DAFYOMI DISCUSSION LIST

      brought to you by Kollel Iyun Hadaf of Yerushalayim
             Rosh Kollel: Rabbi Mordecai Kornfeld
                      d...@dafyomi.co.il

 [REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE TO DISCUSS THE DAF WITH THE KOLLEL]
________________________________________________________________

General: New To Talmud

Chaim Garcia asked:

Hi,

1) I was just curious to know, traditionally, how do Yeshiva students begin 
their studies in Talmud? Is there a 'preparation period' before they begin?  If 
so, what does it involve?

2) Traditionally, what is the first Tractate studied and why?  

3) Which Tractate would you recommend for a beginner?  

4) And lastly, do you recommend Soncino or Artscroll?

Thank you!!
Chaim Garcia, Jackson, New Jersey USA
----------------------------------------------
The Kollel replies*:

1) In the traditional yeshiva system a boy starts learning Talmud around the 
age of ten (not at fifteen as the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos (5:26) says to).  
There is usually no specific preparation period leading up to this.  The boy's 
preparation for learning Talmud consists of years of learning a lot of Tanach 
and a lot of Mishnayos which form the basis of the Talmud.  The unique language 
and logic of the Talmud he picks up by actually learning it.

2) The custom has developed that the first part of the Talmud that boys learn 
in yeshiva is the second chapter of tractate Bava Metzia - referred to as Elu 
Metzios.  I can only speculate on the origin of this custom.  First, this 
chapter - and indeed the whole tractate - deal with monetary issues (in this 
case returning lost objects) which is a central subject in the yeshiva 
curriculum because of the complexity and depth of the laws involved.  Second, 
the language and logic of this chapter is not too difficult for a ten year old. 
 Third, it is a subject that a young child can relate to.  Finally, it was 
suggested to me by a certain Talmid Chacham that this chapter is chosen because 
it begins with a long debate between the sages Abaye and Rava, and these 
classic debates between these two sages have come to represent the dialectic 
which is the hallmark of the Talmud (see Sukah 28a).

3) For learning the methodology of the Talmud, almost any tractate will do.  
The entire Talmud is written in a fairly consistent style.  The differences 
between tractates are in the subject matter and in the complexity and depth of 
the laws being discussed.  "Elu Metzios", which we discussed above, would be a 
fine place to start, for the reasons mentioned there. 

4) The Artscroll translation of the Talmud has gained tremendous popularity in 
the last few years.  I would attribute this to its "user friendliness".  The 
translation is in a modern idiom, vowelling of the text is included in the 
translation, introductory statements are used liberally to keep the reader 
oriented.  Try both and see which feels more comfortable.

Lots of success - and joy - in learning Torah,

Yonasan Sigler

*This is not a Psak Halachah

 >>><><><>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><<<
The *D*AFYOMI *A*DVANCEMENT *F*ORUM, brought to you by Kollel Iyun Hadaf
Write to us at d...@dafyomi.co.il or visit us at http://www.dafyomi.co.il
Fax(US):(206) 202-0323; Fax(Isr): (02) 591-6024; Tel(Isr): (02) 651-5004  


_______________________________________________
Daf-discuss mailing list
Daf-discuss@shemayisrael.co.il
http://shemayisrael.co.il/mailman/listinfo/daf-discuss_shemayisrael.co.il