Courses
Our Men’s Beit Midrash meets daily with R’Aharon Rothman, a Talmudic scholar of
extremely fine character. He inspires our students and leads them to new depths and heights in
Torah learning. The Men's Beit Midrash meets Sunday-Thursday, 9:30am-1:00 pm. Reb Aharon’s classes are complemented by R'Sholom Brodt who teaches Mishna and Chassidut, and by R'Yonah Rothman who teaches Talmud and Chassidut.
Mishna
The study of Mishna, the first written text of the oral law, exposes the student to the vast range of Jewish wisdom and law. The intent of this class is to cover ground and gain an overview of Mishna by learning 2-3 Mishnayot per day.
Talmud Bavli- The Babylonian Talmud
The Talmud serves as the basis of Jewish law, thought and behavior. In this class, students will learn the basic vocabulary, concepts and textual skills required to competently navigate in the sea of the Talmud, the greatest and deepest repository of Torah wisdom. Daily class of 2 hours.
Chumash: Bible
A short, daily class to learn the daily Torah portion along with selections from the classical Torah commentators. A weekly in-depth class will focus on learning how to learn Chumash.
Halacha
A daily class, learning 2-3 halachot per day, covering the basic laws of daily ritual, Shabbat, and the holidays, interspersed with Chassidic insights. Students will discover the deep values underlying our daily rituals.
Chassidut
With primary focus on the teachings of Chabad, Breslov, Rav Kook and Reb Shlomo, our Chassidut classes delve into the Inner Dimensions of the Torah- Pnimiut HaTorah, as revealed in the teachings and practices of the Baal Shem Tov.
Please note: Below is a list of courses we plan to conduct at Yeshivat Simchat Shlomo, based on interest and registration.
Daily Tanya/ Chassidut (men and women)
Our Daily Tanya/Chassidut class continues to inspire our early risers with Jewish spirituality and psychology from the point of view of Chassidic Philosophy and Kabbalah. The Tanya, known as "The Book of the Average Man," the beinoni, serves as a fundamental and basic guide to the spiritual service of God.
Secrets of Joy (men and women)
Join this interactive class to delve into the deep lessons and meditations of the Tanya, Rebbe Nachman and Reb Shlomo on joy. Learn practical, effective approaches and techniques for acquiring and experiencing joy.
Rabbi
Sholom Brodt
Sundays 2:00pm-3:30pm & Tuesdays 3:30pm-5:00pm
Chumash & Rashi for Women (women only)
This is a skill-building class that meets twice per week. Students will study the weekly parsha in the Chumash and learn basic text-reading skills. In addition, students will learn basic understanding of the Rashi commentary
Torah and Healing (women only)
Learn Torah-based practices and paths of healing for body and soul. Sources include teachings from Chazal, the Siddur, and teachings from students of the Ba'al Shem Tov, including Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and R'Yitzchak Ginsburg. Each class will be an independent unit, not relying on previous class attendance.
Living In The Times According To Chassidut (women only)
Using a variety of Chassidic sources and teachings, this is a class in practical Torah for everyday life.
Reb Shlomo & The Alter Rebbe (men and women)
Through storytelling, songs and Reb Shlomo's teachings we will learn the depths of the Torah's teachings on relating to one another, Hashem and the world.
Dynamic Chassidus Parsha Class (women only)
This shiur really sets the tone of the week, by helping us connect to the Parsha with deep insights. Treat yourself and your soul to Leah’s wonderful and inspiring shiurim.
Leah Golomb Tuesdays 9:30am-10:45am
The Gates of Emunah (women only)
This is a shiur in the foundations of emunah. We will begin by using a sefer by Rabbi Shimshon David Pinkus. The class will focus on strengthening our everyday faith in Hashem. B'ezrat Hashem, we will learn how to go beyond our own intellect and reach the hidden source of our emunah.
Leah Golomb Tuesdays 11:00am-12:15pm
Developing Faith: Hitbodedut & Hitbonenut (men and women)
Get your mind, heart, and soul to work together through this combination class/workshop exploring two paths; Rebbe Nachman's Hitbodedut and the Lubavitcher Mittler Rebbe's Hitbonenut.
The Piasetsner Rebbe (men and women)
The Piasetsner Rebbe, Rav Kalonymos Kalman Shapira, known as the "Esh Kodesh" and the Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto, was the author of some of the last works of Chassidus to be written in Europe. He was bringing down masterful chassidic teachings even into the last days of the Ghetto. Come and explore the weekly parsha using his texts - the Derech HaMelech and the Esh Kodesh.
Understanding the Spiritual Depths of the Very High Holy Days (men and women)
Through this five-session workshop, learn how to get the most out of the High Holy Days and relate to them at the highest level possible. The workshops run on Tuesday evenings from 7:30pm-9:30pm, and the topics include:
1) Elul: The Psychology of Teshuva – September 2nd
2) Understanding the Holidays Through the Wisdom of Chassidic Stories – September 9th
3) Rosh Hashana: Secrets of the Shofar – September 16th
4) Yom Kippur: The Power and Metaphor of Purifying Water – September – September 23rd
5) Succot and Simchat Torah: The Secret of Joy – October 7th
Women in Tanach (women only)
This class will explore the stories and roles of women in Torah, Prophets, and Writings. Through this exploration, we will look for the practical implications on day-to-day life as a Jewish woman.
Women's Mitzvot (women only)
This class will focus on mitzvot to which women are obligated and/or encouraged. Shabbat, kashrut, hafrashat challah (separating challah), and family purity will be explored and explained. The class will build on the discussions in each week's Women in Tanach class, so participants are encouraged to attend both, if possible.
Inside the Siddur (men and women)
The Depths of Prayer is one class divided into two sessions. The first session will be conducted in Beit Midrash style, combining guided chavruta-style study of original source material and shiurim. The second session will be conducted as a larger shiur/lecture based mostly on the texts studied in the first session. To get the most out of this course, it is highly recommended that participants attend both sessions. If you can only attend one session, you are welcome to participate nonetheless.
Our main text will be the Siddur, backed up by the full range of primary sources that make it up (Tanach, Talmud, Midrash, Zohar, Kabbalah, and Chassidut). We will move from pshat to sod, from the simple meaning of the prayers to the deeper, energetic or meditative soul-level that underlies the prayer experience. We will study the underlying unity and movement of our prayers, seeking to reveal the wisdom of their content and arrangement. We will also study what each of us can do to make our prayers more powerful and ultimately transformative.
Rabbi Avraham Sutton
Wednesdays 4:00pm-5:30pm (Beit Midrash)
Wednesdays 6:45pm-8:15pm (Lecture/Shiur)
Chassidic Insights on the Weekly Parsha (men and women)
Study of the weekly parsha and its relationship to our personal lives from the perspectives of the Chassidic Masters.
Rebbe Nachman (men and women)
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov had a unique way of expressing Torah wisdom that continues to inspire people from many different Jewish backgrounds. This class takes a deep look at one of Rebbe Nachman's most important works - Likkutei Moharan.
Rav Kook (men and women)
Rav Kook was the first Chief Rabbi of Israel, before the foundation of the State. He believed deeply in Halacha and practiced it, while he also had an unusual openness to new ideas. This is an in-depth, weekly class studying the teachings of Rav Kook.
Jewish Living: Torah and Ecology (men and women)
Through the eyes of the Torah, Talmud, Shulchan Aruch and Chassidut, discover deep values underlying our relationship with the environment. Featuring guest scholars from the extended community of Jewish Environmentalists.
Safrut - Jewish Scribal Arts (men)
Our goals are to instruct a group of 3-5 self-driven men who yearn for 'Yirat Shamayim' and 'Ahavat Olam' to become a competent team of sofrim. Halachic course work - Mishnat Sofrim: methodology of writing the letters; spacing between paragraphs; argumentation between 'poskim'; halachic correcting of mistakes and kavanot.
Keset Hasofer: consciousness in writing Hashem’s name; understanding the import of Mikveh and more advanced kavanot.
Course goal - to prepare a kosher Megillat Ester.
Relationships and Shalom Bayit (engaged and married women only)
Come discover the Torah and Chassidut’s insights into developing deep, meaningful and peaceful relationships. This class will begin after Sukkot.
The Story Of Yetziat Mitzrayim As A Model For Personal Liberation (men and women)
We are commanded by the Torah to experience our liberation from slavery every day and every moment. In this course we will closely study the first fifteen chapters of sefer Smot (Exodus) to discover the detailed teachings about our personal enslavements and how to be liberated from them. This class will begin in January, 2009.
