Who Can Be Judged? Who Can Bear Witness? Kings, Judges, And the Great Men and
Women Of Israel. (Chapter 2 of Masekhet Sanhedrin)
Some chapters of Talmud go deep into questions that resonate in our times. Are the High Priest and Kind above the law? The Rabbis inquire about those who hold high office as well as everyday
as everyday souls. Their explorations connect us with biblical personalities and the men and women of the Talmudic era. What are the limits that the Torah imposes on leaders? Did that legislation stick? What are the checks and balances in the Divine law and discerned laws of the Sages that help society manage its way forward and for human beings to serve in holy ways as leaders? Exploring our past through this dynamic chapter means getting a sense of the legal systems the Rabbis designed as well as their philosophical implications for our era. Can a High Priest be a judge or a witness? Does a King stand trial? Who deserves to be a law-giver or a law-maker? Join our class for every meeting or come into the learning when you can! We read the texts in the original and in translation. Rabbi Bolton explicates the passages and he brings to bear research that extends the topical material that appears in the Babylonian Talmud. Purchase Volume 1 of Sanhedrin in the Artscroll Hebrew/English edition. While it is not required to have the volume for class it is highly recommended. Copies of the pages are not distributed. Talmudic study, even for those who have never had exposure, can be a delight for the mind and a wonderful Jewish experience. For those with background the investigations of the content of the Gemara coupled with the research extensions invites a fresh read and look at well-known Talmudic material.
No previous Talmud study, nor knowledge of Hebrew or Aramaic, is required.