Yeshiva
Ateret Tzvi - Basic Syllabus
4 Year
- Yoreh Yoreh - S’micha - Ordination program
The Ateret
Tzvi Smicha Program is designed to develop, nurture and combine skills in
Jewish literacy with communal rabbinics. Syllabus texts were chosen not only
because they are basic Jewish literacy tools, but because they continue to
inform modern Judaism and provide a framework against which the non-religious
social sciences can be applied.
*******************
Core texts:
חמשה
חומשי תורה - תרגום אונקלוס - פירוש רש"י
The Chumash:
Five Books of Moses - Targum of Onkelos - Commentary of Rashi are studied
in the Hebrew originals on a weekly cycle throughout the year.
תלמוד
בבלי: סוגיות ממס' מגילה, חגיגה, ראש השנה, עירובין,
גיטין, בבא קמא ומציעא ובתרא, סנהדרין, ע"ז,
מסכתות קטנות, חולין, נדה, ע"פ רש"י ותוס' ומהרש"א
וכו'
The Talmud:
Sugeyot from Tractates Megilla, Hagigah, Rosh Hashana, Eiruvin, Gittin, Bava
Kama, Metzia & Batra, Sanhedrin, Avoda Zara, Small Tractates, Chulin,
& Niddah - Commentaries of Rashi, Tosefot, Maharsha and others.
רמב"ם
- טור, ושולחן ערוך אורך חיים - הלכות קריאת
התורה, ויורה דעה - הלכות גרים, כבוד אב ואם,
הלכות צדקה, הלכות ביקור חולים, וקבורה, ואבילות,
וניחום אבלים
Maimonedes
- The Tur - Sulchan Aruch and Codes on issues common to Jewish, private and
Synagogue life:
Laws of
Converts
Laws of
Honoring One’s Parents
Laws of
Charity
Laws of
Torah Reading
Laws of
Visiting the Sick
Laws of
Burial and Mourning
סידור
תפלה, ספר תהלים, מגלות שיר השירים, אסתר, רות,
- מדרש רבה, שוחר טוב, ילקוט שמעוני, וזהר
Siddur Prayer
Book - Tehillim Psalms - Megillot Shir Hashirim Song of Songs, Ruth, Esther
- Midrashim exploring common and timeless, rabbinic themes:
Midrash
Rabbah
Midrash
Shocher Tov
Yalkut Shimoni
Zohar
ספרי
חסידות - נועם אלימלך, בני יששכר, קול שמחה,
מי השילוח, אש קדש
פניני
חסידות
Hasidut,
in particular the Polish school of Hasidism which emphasize themes such as
Faith, Humility, Common Responsibility, Tikun Olam, Spirituality and the Affirming,
Expressive and Healing Self, Balance, Joy, the Jewish Arts:
Noam Elimelech
- Rabbi Elimelech of Lyzhensk
Bnei Yisoschar
- Rabbi Zvi Elimelech of Dinov
Kol Simcha
- Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Pshischa
Mei Hashiloach
- Rabbi Mordechai Yosef of Izbicy
Esh Kodesh
- Rabbi Kalonymos Kalmish of Piacezna
P’ninei
Hasidut - an anthology of Hasidic thought arranged according to the Parsha
*******************
Non-text,
abridged-text and practical courses:
טעמי
המנהגים והמצות והדינים
Designed
to provide a sense of competence and continuity for the modern rabbi. A study
of the minhagim, customs and traditions surrounding Jewish and life-cycle
events. These courses rely heavily on Orthodox rabbinics sources and practices.
עניני
שבת
Shabbat
קבלת
שבת - Kabbalat Shabbat, the liturgy and
service
- אות
ברית The covenantal quality of Shabbat
and the Jews
השראת
שכינה --The Shechina and Israel in time
and space
- שותפות
בבריאת העולם Partnership with God
in Creation
- קדושה
והבדלה Kedusha - Oneness and sanctity,
Havdalah and separateness
עניני
המועדים
Moadim -
Festivals
ראש השנה
- Rosh Hashanna - the liturgy, the Shofar,
the symbols, the concept and relevance of religious fear, sin and virtue,
Tzadik and Rasha
- יום
הכפורים Yom Kippur - Feasting and fasting,
the liturgy, concept of Teshuva repentance, contrition, fixing, faith, retribution
סוכות
ושמחת תורה - Sukkoth - Joy, Lulav
and Etrog, and Simchat Torah
- חנוכה
Chanukah - Judaism vs. Hellenism, Shammai
and Hillel, the pros and cons of assimilation,
- ט"ו
בשבט Tu b’Shvat
פורים
- Purim - Jews and their nemesis, Amalek.
The second commitment to the Torah.
- פסח
Pesach - Preparations, Kashruth, the Seder,
the Haggadah
- ספירת
העומר ול"ג בעומר The Omer and
Lag B’Omer
- שבועות
Shavuot - Bikurim and Matan Torah
- תמוז,
תשעה באב ואלול Tammuz, Tisha b’Av
and Elul
ענינים
שונים
תפלה
- Tefillah - Prayer, Meditation, Vocalization,
the Nusach, song, the Ba’al Tefilla leader, worship and Kavannah.
כשרות
ואכילה - Kashruth - Eating
ביקור
חולים - Bikur Cholim - Visiting the
Sick
לימוד
תורה - Limud - Learning Torah
ברית
מילה - Birth - Brit - Naming
- בר
ובת מצוה Bar/Bat Mitzvah
- חופה,
קידושין, נישואין ושבע ברכות Marriage - Chuppa - Kiddushin - Nisuin - Brachot
יציאת
נשמה, טהרה, קבורה, שבעה, ואבילות Death, Taharah, Burial, Shiva and Grieving
- גזל
ואונאה, וגניבת דעת Business
Ethics, Truth in Advertising
לעבדה
ולשמרה - Environmental Ethics
צער בעלי
חיים - Ethical Treatment of Animals
*******************
Other courses
taught at the Academy are designed to broaden the outlook and general knowledge
of the prospective Smicha candidate. The curriculum includes Talmud classes
for the beginner and advanced student.
עיונים
וסוגיות
Various
Courses:
Trends in
Jewish History
Biblical
Era - Patriarchs and Prophets
The First
Temple - Israel vs Paganism
Reconstruction
- Judaism and Identity
Second
Temple - Alexander the Great
Hasmonean
Revolt - Rabbinism vs Hellenism
Dreams
of Independence - The Political Tightrope
Seeds of
Destruction - Rome and Nationalism
Rabban
Yochanan ben Zakai - Preparing For The Day After
Tannaim
- Palestine and the Mishna
Ammoraim
- Babylon and the Talmud
Savoraim
and Gaonim - Diaspora in the Dark Ages
Between
Christianity and Islam - Jews Under Pressure
Rishonim
- Ashkenaz and Sefarad, Rashi and Maimonedes
Spanish
Expulsion - The Shulchan Aruch
The Enlightment
- Nationalism in Europe
Twentieth
Century - Holocaust, Israel, Islam and Palestine
Women and
Judaism
Kabbalah
and Mysticism
Free Will
and Determinism
Philosophy
of Religion
War and
Judaism
Paths in
Healing
Text and
subText
Money and
Judaism
Subversive
Judaism
Alternative
Judaism
Messiah
and the World to Come