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PROGRAMS OF STUDY & COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Judaic Studies (JUD)

1000 Introduction to Judaism. 3 credits.
One-semester survey of the material covered in 1001, 1002.

1001, 1002 Basic Jewish Concepts. 6 credits.
Analysis of the fundamental principles of Jewish legal history and thought.

1010 Jewish Civilization. 3 credits.
Integrated, interdisciplinary study of Jewish history, Jewish philosophy, and Jewish law.

1023; 1024 Jewish Legal Values and Concepts. 3 credits.

1200 through 1299 Jewish Liturgy.
History, philosophy, and laws of Jewish prayer.

1201; 1202. 3 credits.
History, order, and structure of the prayer book.

1210. 3 credits.
The weekday service.

1215. 3 credits.
The Sabbath service.

1220. 3 credits.
The Festival services.

1350 Introduction to the Kabbalah. 3 credits.
Jewish mysticism; history and development of the Kabbalah; readings from the Zohar and related works on such topics as the Sefirot, Torah, the world, evil, and eschatology.
Prerequisite: one semester of Jewish philosophy and sophomore status, or permission of the instructor.

1370 Hasidism. 3 credits.
History and major concepts, with readings from and analysis of classical texts such as the Baal Shem Tov, R. Jacob Joseph of Polonnoye, the Maggid, the Tanya, R. Nahman of Bratzlav, and R. Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev.

1381 Mussar. 3 credits.
The primacy of ethical conduct and the process of shaping the ethical personality in Judaism, as viewed through the prism of the various personalities and schools of the Mussar movement; primary and secondary sources are used. For advanced students in Jewish studies.

1400–1499 Jewish Laws and Customs.
Jewish laws, customs, and concepts; their history and development.

1401, 1402. 3 credits.
Introduction to sources, texts, terms, and basic concepts of Jewish law.

1424. 3 credits.
Visiting the sick and mourning.

1431-1432. 3 credits.
Kashrut.

1440-1441. 2-3 credits.
Home and family.

1445, 1446. 3 credits.
Women and Jewish law.

1447. 3 credits.
Family Law (Hilchot Niddah); Jewish family purity sources—for advanced students.

1448. 2-3 credits.
Family law: personal relationships.

1449. 3 credits.
Marriage: issues and laws relating to dating and marriage—for advanced students.

1451-1452. 3 credits.
The Sabbath.

1461, 1462. 3 credits.
The Festivals.

1470S through 1479S Sephardic Laws and Customs.
Laws and customs of major Sephardic communities as compared to those of Ashkenazic communities.

1471S. 2 credits.
Origins and history of Sephardic minhagim.

1473S. 2 credits.
The Sephardic life cycle.

1474S. 2 credits.
Sephardic Sabbath and Festival minhagim.

1483, 1484. 3 credits.
The Jewish life cycle: laws and customs of major ritual observances and ceremonies in Jewish life.

1485, 1486 Daily Life in the Home and Synagogue. 3-6 credits.
The laws and customs of Tefillin, Kriat Hatorah Betsibbur, Berakhot Rishonot, Berakhot Aharonot.

1489, 1490. 3 credits.
Interpersonal relationships (such as ethics, charity, slander, revenge, usury).

1491, 1492. 3 credits.
Topics in Jewish ethics—for advanced students.

1493, 1494. 3 credits.
Ideological issues.

1497, 1498. 3 credits.
The Land.

1499. 3 credits.
The structure of the Seudah.

1511, 1512 Development of Jewish Law. 2 credits.
The halakhic process and the formulation of halakhic literature: from Biblical literature through the Mishnah and Talmud; codification and Responsa; survey of post-Talmudic literature.

1521; 1522 Introduction to Gaonic Literature. 3 credits.
First semester: background of the Gaon and his authority; institutions and movements in the Gaonic period. Second semester: extensive reading in Gaonic literature, including She’iltot de R. Ahai, siddurim; Gaonic Responsa. For advanced students in Jewish studies.

1531; 1532 Readings in Maimonides. 3 credits.
Selections from the legal codes and commentaries of Maimonides; analysis of the legal methodology and philosophy of law emerging from his works. For advanced students in Jewish studies.

1561; 1562 Mishnah Berurah. 3 credits.
Selections from the Shulhan Arukh, with Mishnah Berurah commentary.

1571 through 1576 The Individul in Society. 3 credits.
Contemporary social and political problems, such as ecology, poverty, welfare, and self-incrimination; emphasis on Jewish legal sources directly applicable to these issues.

1580 through 1589 Modern Jewish Problems. 3 credits.
Analysis of halakhic problems that are currently of special interest; modern Responsa literature and its historical background. For advanced students in Jewish studies.
Sponsored by Eva and Manfred Meyer.

1582, 1583. 3 credits.
Medical ethics.

1584. 3 credits.
Legal problems in the State of Israel.

1585. 3 credits.
Problems related to marriage and personal status.

1586. 3 credits.
Impact of technology on laws of the Sabbath and Festivals.

1587. 3 credits.
The Holocaust—life of the Jews under the Nazis: such problems as the value of human life and human dignity.
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

1591 Topics in Jewish Civil Law. 3 credits.
The following topics as treated in Jewish law: Eichmann defense (i.e., obedience to orders as a basis for exoneration from criminal responsibility); double jeopardy and entrapment in the attempt to control criminals; the obligation to prevent injury to other persons, and its limits.

1661 through 1666 Liturgical Music. 1–2 credits.
Practical and structural aspects of Jewish music, ranging from basic music patterns (nusah) and cantillation to such specialized applications as Torah and Megillah readings; shofar blowing; workshops.
Prerequisite: permission of the director, Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music.

1677S; 1678S Sephardic Liturgical Music. 2 credits.
Occidental and Oriental chants and cantillation; liturgy, music, and relevant background studies.
Prerequisite: permission of the director, Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music.

1801; 1802 History of Talmudic Literature. 2 credits.
First semester: history, structure, composition, and interrelationships of Tannaitic
literature—Mishnah, Tosefta, and halakhic Midrashim; comprehension of its content in light of literary history; study of selected topics for illustrative purposes. Second semester: the Palestinian and Babylonian Talmuds.
Prerequisite: junior or senior status.

1807; 1808 Mathematical and Scientific Concepts in the Talmud. 3 credits.
Analysis of Talmudic passages in light of modern mathematical and scientific ideas.

1820 through 1829 Mishnah.
Text, with commentary of Bertinoro and other classical and modern commentators.

1821; 1822. 2–3 credits.
Selections from Mishnah and commentaries. Three credits for advanced students in Jewish studies. Open to intermediate-level students for 2 credits.

1823. 4 credits.
Tractate Berakhot: blessings and prayers.

1824. 2 credits.
Tractate Megillah: Purim and related subjects.

1825. 2 credits.
Tractate Pesahim: Passover.

1827; 1828. 2 credits.
Tractate Avot: moral and ethical teachings.

1835, 1836 Beginner’s Talmud. 3 credits.
Introduction to basic language and concepts of Mishnah and Gemara, for beginning students in Jewish studies.

1841; 1842 Introduction to Talmud. 3 credits.
Introduction to Talmudic text and commentaries. For intermediate and advanced students in Jewish studies.

1843; 1844; 1845; 1846 Selections from the Talmud. 3 credits.
Selected Talmudic texts with medieval and modern commentaries; emphasis on methodology; beit midrash method of small-group study supplements lectures. For advanced students in Jewish studies.

1851, 1852 Selected Rabbinic Literature. 2 credits.
Selections from fundamental rabbinic texts such as Ksot, Minhat Hinukh, Nesivot, Shev Shmatsa. Topics are related to the Talmudic tractate under study that year.
Prerequisite: two years of Talmud.

1871; 1872 Selections from Midrash. 3 credits.
Readings from aggadic literature. For advanced students in Jewish studies.

1940 Jewish Communal Service. 2 credits.
A practicum in working for a Jewish communal organization.

4901, 4902 Independent Study.
Meet with the Jewish Studies academic dean.

4931; 4932 Selected Topics. 2–3 credits.

4931 Judaism and Psychology.